Increasing enrollments and budget problems have prompted many school districts nationwide to experiment with year-round school schedules. Year-round school schedules allow districts to serve more students without constructing more buildings. As in traditional 9-month schools, students in year-round schools attend classes about 180 days a year. The…

This "ERIC Digest" considers the U.S. charter-school movement, which has produced about 800 schools in half the states and enrolls over 100,000 students. Charter schools reflect founders' varied philosophies and commit to achieve certain educational outcomes within a certain period, in exchange for waiving many restrictive regulations.…

Alaska will face a large fiscal gap and growing budget deficits in the near future. The timing of such fiscal gap open hinges on the joint effect of state budget growth and the oil price change. This paper explains Alaska's dependence on state spending and offers policy options addressing the fiscal gap. State spending: (1) supports nearly one in…

The financial crisis in New York this year may be a harbinger of things to come in other cities and states across the nation. (Author/MLF)

Horizontal vs. vertical cuts, that is the key question. Faculties favor the horizontal (put us all in the same boat), but the deep vertical cut (e.g. staff and program reduction) is, the author argues, most likely to cure an institutional illness. (Editor/JT)

The Minnesota Model of Chemical Dependency Treatment, which evolved from a combination of the grassroots Alcoholics Anonymous movement and the State Mental Health Services in the 1960s has made Minnesota an international leader in chemical dependency treatment efforts. Northeastern Minnesota has shared this reputation with the state. In spite of…

This document contains witness testimonies from a two-part Senate hearing called to examine different aspects of the problem of delivering appropriate, affordable, long-term health care and catastrophic coverage for older adults in America. Opening statements by Senator David Pryor are included for both sessions of the hearing. A statement by…

Minnesota has adopted a financial policy that takes into account the increasing pressure to finance postsecondary education. The policy increases the price of college through increased tuition, while at the same time targeting sufficient financial aid to ensure educational opportunity for financially needy students. In practical terms, this…

Commercial farms with gross annual sales of $40,000 or more (28 percent of all farms) generally had positive after-tax rates of return to equity in 1985. But noncommercial farms, those with gross annual sales of less than $40,000 (72 percent of all farms), showed small after-tax losses. The farm economy has deteriorated since 1981 when farmland…

A study examined the socioeconomic characteristcs, family and social supportive services, economic and social difficulties, education and training levels, and ways in which dislocated workers in Maryland found reemployment. Data were collected from in-depth personal interviews with 9 dislocated workers, questionnaires administered to 45 unemployed…

Unemployment and the resulting financial hardships which occur are among the most difficult circumstances imposed upon families. A study was undertaken to identify the sources and degree of stress experienced by families affected by economic displacement through unemployment. A sample of unemployed families (N=146) responded to components of the…

This report examines U.S. agriculture's financial characteristics by assessing farm financial health directly from income and balance sheet measures. Measures of net operating margin, net cash income to the farm family unit, and equity are employed as indicators of a farm operator's financial strength. Effects of interest expenses on cash income…

In fall 1978, Paul Gann, who worked with Howard Jarvis to pass California's Proposition 13 in June 1978, sought to qualify an intitiative placing a constitutional limit on state and local government expenditures. This initiative qualified and was approved by voters in November 1979 as Proposition 4. Gann's solicitation set the limitation's base…

This guide was written to help persons find help when they are faced with an urgent situation regarding an elderly family member, friend, or neighbor. It provides guidance as to where to find help in the community where the older person lives. The first section of the guide contains the most frequently asked questions in significant areas of life,…

The relative incidence of across-the-board cuts in higher education for all institutions that experienced decreasing revenues between 1976-1977 and 1980-1981 was studied. Factors that affect the extent to which administrators employed across-the-board cuts versus selective cuts were also assessed. Attention was focused on the effects of the…