This report describes the 1994 activities and recommendations of the committee charged with studying the budget, programs, and policies of North Carolina's 12 Smart Start early childhood education and development demonstration projects. Smart Start is a high quality early childhood education and family services initiative involving public and…

This paper examines the politics of special education finance reform in three states (Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Vermont) that have enacted substantial legislative change within the past 5 years. These case studies were extracted from presentations made by the three state directors of special education at a 1994 conference. Each case study includes…

This report describes the process and outcomes of implementing Oregon state legislation (Senate Bill 814 in 1991), which restructured the state's special education funding system. The new system provides districts with grants that are twice the regular per student allocation for every identified special education student up to 11 percent of the…

This report responds to a North Dakota legislative mandate to study the state's early childhood tracking system for children who are at risk for developmental delays. Introductory sections summarize critical definitions and relevant federal legislation (specifically Part H of Public Law 99-457). The North Dakota program is then reviewed. Nineteen…

Two manuals provide guidelines for users of the Utah Publications Depository Program. The first, "Guidelines for State Agencies," is designed to assist agencies in complying with the depository law. The program is designed to collect Utah State Governmental publications and to make them available through libraries. State publications…

This booklet is designed to help parents understand how Washington schools are raising their academic standards. It also points out questions parents should ask about their children's schools and describes some at-home activities that will help a child make the most of time in and out of the classroom. The educational improvement effort in…

This collection of papers presented at a 1996 conference on children's mental health focuses on program evaluation efforts within states and systems of care. Individual papers have the following titles and authors: (1) "An Overview of State Public Mental Health Programs for Children with a Serious Emotional Disturbance" (Pamela C. Roddy); (2) "A…

This guidebook discusses the California Child Care Initiative (CCCI), adopted by the state legislature in 1985 to address the shortage of licensed, quality child care in California. Funded by a public-private partnership of 33 organizations, the CCCI was designed to recruit, train, and support new family day care providers in communities…

This annual report describes Illinois activities in the implementation of a statewide, comprehensive, coordinated system of early intervention services for eligible infants and toddlers and their families, as called for under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The report provides: (1) discussion of progress in each of the 14…

This 10-chapter book covers the history of unemployment insurance (UI) in the United States from its beginning in the 1930's to the present and describes how the program evolved in response to various economic and other factors and to the controversies that emerged in the process. Chapter 1 provides background on trends in the extent, duration,…

This report responds to a legislative mandate to examine the funding of the Statewide Nursing Program at the California State University, an external degree program of advanced training for practicing nurses. Included in the report are: (1) a brief history of the program; (2) the State University's rationale for offering it; (3) a description of…

At least 21 states have passed or are considering legislation to expand public school choice. The reasons for increasing students' options vary as do the forms of available choices. Some options currently in use are interdistrict choice; second-chance plans; postsecondary enrollment options; intradistrict choice; and magnet, state-supported…

Contemplation by the Illinois General Assembly of a new grant-in-aid system for school finance has suggested a review of educational finance in that state. Taxation maintaining support of public education since 1825 and the establishment of the first free schools are examined. The issue of local funding, the inequities caused by such funding due…

The report is a legislative needs assessment for persons who are blind and visually impaired in Mississippi. The first chapter presents an overview of the project. Chapter 2 summarizes federal legislation concerning persons who are blind and visually impaired. Chapter 3 reviews the methodology used to analyze state legislation and provides a brief…

Intended for legislators, educators, and advocates, the document presents a model policy statement, statute, and state plan regarding the education of gifted and talented students. The models were based upon analysis of existing state policies, legislation, and plans. Preliminary discussion focuses on issues of mandation, administrative…