In this essay, Benjamin Baez and Susan Talburt analyze the U.S. Department of Education's Helping Your Child Series to consider how the government of children, families, and schools reflects a concern with two seemingly unrelated political objectives of neoliberal projects: creating responsible, self-reliant citizens and making schools more…

Author, Associate Commissioner for Federal-State Relations, U. S. Office of Education, discusses government's role in fulfilling society's need for an educated citizenry. (MB)

Traces the history of federal goals and policies in education from the expansion of federal aid under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to the reduction of federal support and regulation currently envisaged in the Education Improvement and Consolidation Act of 1981. (RW)

The deregulation critique of the federal role in education asserts that education can be as productive with less federal intervention. This critique can be broken down into three groupings of separate criticisms. The first group denies the value or feasibility of federal goals. These criticisms insist either that federal goals are not worthwhile…

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in cooperation with 15 other agencies making up the Federal Task Force on Environmental Education, sponsored a national conference to foster and support the goal of environmental literacy for young people and adults in schools and communities. This conference report contains an executive summary of…

This document consists of the 11 issues of this brief newsletter issued between April 1993 and May 1994. The newsletter provides information to help schools and communities to reach the National Education Goals. Each issue contains reports on monthly satellite town meetings focused on specific goals or issues; topics to be discussed in upcoming…

In spring 1974, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) embarked on a specific project related to Indian control of schools. The objective was to have, by the end of FY 75, at least 1/4 (50) of the bureau schools operating under a management system chosen by those served by the schools. Relevant to this, the Interior Department implemented the…

A Congressional hearing was held to consider: (1) the S.2034 To Authorize the Creation of a National Education Report Card To be consider: (1) the creation of a National Education Report Card to Schools and To Establish a National Council on Educatonal Goals, students and schools, and (2) the establishment of a National Council on Educational…

The following recommendations on curriculum development are presented: (1) Federally sponsored research and development in education has had a beneficial effect on American schools, and promises to be even more effective if responsible, long-term policies can be established and followed; (2) Freedom of choice and cultural diversity can be…

This open letter from the United States Assistant Secretary of Education reviews the state of public education since the passage of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. Long range goals and priorities of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services are discussed, including collaboration between professionals and between…

On March 31, 1993, President Clinton signed into law the Goals 2000: Educate America Act. The Goals 2000 Act sets educational improvement and participation as national priorities to be achieved through local and state ingenuity, not federal control. This document offers general information on the Act and provides questions to help educators and…

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) requires states to establish goals for all students and for groups of students characterized by race, ethnicity, poverty, disability, and limited English proficiency and requires schools to make annual progress in meeting these goals. In a number of states, officials have argued that increased federal…

THE UNRESOLVED PURPOSE OF EDUCATION IN A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY--WHETHER ACADEMIC OR PRAGMATIC GOALS SHOULD PREVAIL--IS IDENTIFIED AS THE BASIC CAUSE OF THE CONFLICT BETWEEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION. SINCE WORLD WAR II, FEDERAL SUPPORT HAS BEEN INCREASINGLY DIRECTED TOWARD ACTION PROGRAMS, INCLUDING SPECIAL…

The history of the federal role in education and the nature of the federal role required today and under the "New Federalism" are examined in this publication. The intent of the 25-page discussion paper is to encourage education policy makers to engage in a dialogue that will result in educational decisions that promote the economic and…

An analysis of the major federal goals in postsecondary education is undertaken along with a consideration of the effects of federal programs on these goals. Also included are topics for deliberation by the 95th Congress. The paper focuses on labor market effects of postsecondary education, future policy questions, federal efforts to achieve equal…