In this paper, we explore whether the specific design of a state's program has contributed to its success in meeting two objectives of the Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP): increasing the health insurance coverage of children in lower-income families and doing so with a minimum reduction in their private health insurance coverage…

Through the American Legacy Foundation's Statewide Youth Movement Against Tobacco Use (SYMATU), programs aimed at empowering youths to take action against tobacco use were funded. It is believed that the activities these groups undertake result in changes at the community level. This article examines the relationships between community support of…

The Governor's Educator Excellence Grant (GEEG) program was federally- and state-funded and provided three-year grants to schools to design and implement performance pay plans from the 2005-06 to 2007-08 school years. GEEG was implemented in 99 high poverty, high performing Texas public schools. This report builds on the previous GEEG evaluation…

By 1999, Maryland residents will have electronic access to a statewide system of information and resources to enable them to work, study, and enrich their lives. This system has its base in the library community, with connections to state and national resources. The Seymour Plan explains how this access will come about. The first stage will…

This document records the oral and written testimony of persons who testified at a hearing on how vocational rehabilitation for persons with disabilities, particularly severe disabilities, can be improved. Witnesses included directors of federal and state rehabilitation services departments, and officials of rehabilitation provider organizations…

Michigan's state plan for developmental disabilities (DD) for October 1, 1994 to September 30, 1997 is presented. This plan includes descriptions of programs and services, eligibility criteria, information on the extent of services, and a statement on the effectiveness of the programs/services. Information on services is provided for the following…

The goal of this paper, and the symposium it represents, is to provide an examination of the perspectives of district personnel from four diverse states. The papers present the current status of legislated student assessment programs in California, Colorado, Connecticut, and Illinois. Similarities and differences in implementation methodology are…

If rewards are to be used as a school-reform tool, their formats must be more closely tailored to the organizational characteristics of schools and to the purpose of improving teaching and learning. This paper describes lessons learned from Kentucky's collective incentive system, the Kentucky Instructional Results Information System (KIRIS). The…

The Maryland Middle Grades School Policy Initiative addresses the polices and practices that support improved school and student performance. To document changes in policies and practices, this series of publications entitled "Milestones" was developed. Each publication traces the development, implementation, evaluation, and refinement…

This report describes the programs provided by the Illinois Department of Public Aid and the initiatives that the department has begun to help welfare recipients find work and get off welfare rolls. Programs described include the following: (1) AFDC (Aid for Families with Dependent Children) Job Opportunities and Basic Skills program (JOBS), which…

This review of effective practices in state-wide systems change was conducted as part of the PEERS (Providing Education for Everyone in Regular Schools) Project, a 5-year collaborative systems change project in California to facilitate the integration of students with severe disabilities previously at special centers into services at regular…

In anticipation of federal welfare reform, the Texas Department of Human Services developed and implemented the REFOCUS program, designed to enhance the economic self-sufficiency of English-as-a-Second-Language recipients of Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) through better use of existing education, job training, employment, and…

Intended primarily for principals and guidance counselors, this monograph contains 13 articles written by practitioners associated with the Comprehensive Career Development Project for Secondary Schools in Tennessee. These articles share the thoughts, ideas, and experiences of practitioners who have implemented or planned for the implementation of…

Connecticut has adopted a moderate approach to communications infrastructure modernization, covering a 4-year implementation period from 1993 to 1996. The state's remote educational framework, with regulatory enhancements, will allow the state to be technologically competitive with neighboring states as it allows subscribers to use evolving…

This report focuses on the formulation and implementation of family support and education policies in four states, all of which have established programs that provide the core services of parenting education, early childhood development activities, parent support groups, and information about other community agencies. The initiatives are…