A survey of state legislators was conducted in 1981 by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and the National Center for Research in Vocational Education to determine state legislators' views about vocational education and its outcomes; their views of what vocational education should be doing and how it could be improved; and their…

A study conducted in Illinois determined how or if decision-makers actually used the results of a community problems needs assessment survey ("Illinois: Today and Tomorrow") of 15,000 persons in the state. Data for the use study were collected from sixty in-depth personal interviews with randomly selected cooperative extension advisors…

The proceedings of the Inservice Education Program seminar for statewide academic planning and program review officers in state boards of education are summarized. Areas discussed during the sessions and summarized here include: (1) student aid vs. institutional aid; (2) current issues in state planning; (3) differentiation of function; (4) the…

Collected in the document are eight presentations which were made before a national invitational conference of Chief State School officers at Pinehurst, North Carolina, in April, 1974, taken directly from tapes of the conference. In his introduction, "The Quest for Unity and Understanding," John K. Coster enumerates conference goals: (1)…

The document is the report of the chancellor of the University of Mississippi about the university's role in the case of James Meredith. Presented is the history of the case from the university's viewpoint--Meredith's initial application for admission, the subsequent legal suit and appeals, the U.S. Supreme Court decision ordering his admission,…

This comparative analysis was derived from 12 case study reports, each devoted to policymaking for the public schools in a particular State. The nine chapters were prepared by a number of persons involved in the case studies. First, the framework and methodology used in the study are explained. Next, the authors discuss the major actors in the…

The week-long conference was productive of both ideas and enthusiasm. Important accomplishments of the week include an annotated directory of conferees; five background papers -- evaluative criteria, consumer information, grievance mechanisms, vocabulary/terminology, and site visitation; a simulation game of a state-agency visit to a…

Without governors' support, the emerging teaching reform agenda will go nowhere. States should eschew their "deja vu" attitudes and embrace quality of education as a major determinant of state and national economic survival. The governors' action agenda includes 10 recommendations addressing teacher education and standards, work…

The National Governors' Association Task Force on School Facilities termed $250 billion worth of underused and poorly maintained public school facilities a disgrace. The governors believe that no community should be hampered by state laws or regulations governing usage for community education purposes. States should act immediately to restore…

This document presents the views of the National Association of State Directors of Vocational Technical Education regarding the challenge, mission, vision, underlying principles, practice, needs, and benefits/potential outcomes of vocational-technical education (VTE). The following topics are discussed: the challenge of making VTE the cornerstone…

This study examined the impact of state budget cuts on public colleges and universities in six states, focusing on the effects of such cuts on institutional priorities and plans, tuition and fees, and educational quality. Five state higher education finance officers, 12 state college or university system finance officers, and 98 college or…

A teaching unit is presented for fourth-grade students to learn about Indiana history during the period of 1850-1865. Designed for three to five class periods, the materials include an Oliver P. Morton biography packet, a timeline activity, crossword puzzles, sentence completion worksheet, and an essay test. (DB)

Information was gathered about current state interest, activity, and concerns related to performance assessment for students. The Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing of the University of California (Los Angeles) conducted telephone interviews with directors of testing in each of the 50 states in the spring of 1990.…

The impact of higher education leaders on policy and program implementation at the state house and the priorities of 32 governors were studied in 1986. The report is based on survey responses from these governors plus supplementary interviews. Interviews were also conducted with a recent former governor, a state legislator, and a congressman to…

A system of Regional Educational Laboratories (RELs) was organized in December 1985 covering all 50 states and the territories. Each of the nine laboratories addresses regional needs for school improvement. This report (1) provides lab names, states served, and contact information; (2) describes REL tasks; and (3) focuses on REL collaboration on…