The 1879 Post Office Act created the four categories of mailable matter used today and, in part, signalled the emergence of the modern mass circulated magazine. Between 1863 and 1879, Congress liberalized the terms on which regular periodicals could use the mails and put newspapers and magazines on the same footing. Requiring payment of postage at…

Understanding the way farmers respond to risk is a prerequisite for sound agricultural policymaking. Clarifying established agricultural economic theory to describe how individuals make choices among risky alternatives and providing a more precise set of concepts for studying behavior under risk contributes to such an understanding. A…

The seven chapters of this volume demonstrate that evaluation evidence can overturn widely held beliefs and result in changes in programs and policies. These chapters show that policymakers can welcome findings that challenge long-established ideas and use them to Improve programs and services. (SLD)

The Family Resource Coalition's (FRC) mission is to build support and resources within communities that strengthen and empower families, enhance the capacities of parents, and foster the optimal development of youth. FRC pursues this mission by: (1) developing a national resource center on family resource programs; (2) advocating on issues that…

This introduction to a collection of articles on the status of the relationship among educational research, policy, and practice in countries around the world notes that, while research findings influence the development of pressures for change in educational policies and practices, the policy-makers and practitioners, in their turn, influence the…

The six chapters of this issue consider how language shapes the meaning of social policies and programs that are evaluated. Offers interdisciplinary perspectives on these language issues and highlights the practical issues involved in language function in evaluation. (SLD)

If schools are to play the role of integrators of human services, state and local policymakers must create a favorable policy context in which schools may operate. Six critical policy issues are discussed: ensuring comprehensive service delivery to children and families; developing alternative funding strategies; ensuring family support; ensuring…

The issue highlights two articles on the topic of legal and educational factors in serving handicapped students. The first, "Governance and Management of Special Education: A Exploratory Analysis of New York City" by N. Bordier, reviews the impact of P.L. 94-142 (the Education for All Handicapped Children Act) on policies and practices…

This report summarizes the role of the U.S. Congress in relation to: (1) foreign policy; (2) defense policy; and (3) the War Powers Act of 1973. An overview of the growth of Congress' involvement and the relationship between the executive and legislative branches of government in policy development in these areas since the 1950s is highlighted.…

This issue of "Policy Notes" concerns the restructuring of American education during the past quarter-century, with centralization and legalization being the two most noteworthy changes in educational governance. David Kirp claims that the increased control of schooling by state and federal authorities, the elaboration of new…

The recent overhaul of the federal welfare system gives states new flexibility to set child care policies, develop child care programs, and fund new initiatives. The Child Care Action Campaign (CCAC) conducted an audioconference on July 31, 1997, to examine key elements of new state plans and to take a close look at how one state, Illinois, made…

The relevance of homework in today's schools is explored in this bulletin. Following the introduction, chapter 1 examines the effect of homework on academic achievement and concludes that there is a lack of agreement on the benefits of homework and on the amount of time students should spend on it. Chapter 2 describes homework practices in some…

A series of four documents address the definition and identification of child abuse and neglect. In the first, which is designed for professionals, a historical review is followed by discussion of clinical and social evidence of abuse. Resources for managing child abuse are described, and personnel functions are outlined. The second document,…

The "All Means All School-to-Work Project" was a 3-year federally-funded collaborative between the Institute on Community Integration and the Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning. The Project was dedicated to finding out what works for all learners when it comes to access, benefit, participation and choice within school-to-work…

This journal special issue contains the following articles on the role of science and Technology in accelerating sustainable development in the countries of the South: (1) "The History and Urgency of South-South Cooperation in Science and Technology" (John F.E. Ohiorhenuan, Amitav Rath); (2) "Challenges, Opportunities and…