In light of President Bush's enthusiastic support and numerous initiatives, there is a growing call to fund "faith-based" social service programs, including those focused on juvenile and adult offenders. These programs are controversial because they seek to reconfigure the line separating church and state. Based on a national 2001 survey of 327…

The growth of private higher education has come as a surprise to most governments, which have tried to catch up in their regulatory and funding policymaking. In China, Malaysia and South Africa they have given legal recognition to previously disallowed private higher education and this has helped to fuel its subsequent growth. Some governments…

This research examines the individual-level and contextual correlates of punitive attitudes in the United States. Prior research suggests that the demographic composition and economic conditions of geographic areas influence public support for punitive policies. Yet, these findings rest on assumptions about individual perceptions of minority…

Public financial support for intellectual disability in the United States grew from 2.3 billion in 1955 to 82.6 billion in 2004, and the federal government emerged during this period as the principal provider of such support. Notwithstanding this unprecedented growth in financial support, many inequities persist today in the distribution of…

The greatest challenge for institutions of higher education in most OECD countries since the 1970s has arguably been to cope with reduced public support. Many institutions responded to reductions in funding, first, by cutting costs and lobbying governments to reverse cutbacks, and then--when it became clear that funding levels would not be…

Educational leaders are developing standards to specify what students should know and be able to achieve in key subject areas. This document examines an important challenge of standards-based reform--that of creating a process to develop standards. Information is based on studies conducted by the Consortium for Policy Research in Education (CPRE)…

Policy catalysts such as welfare reform or research findings on the impact of day care provide new opportunities to frame the discussion surrounding early childhood education. This group of working papers examines effective language for discussing communication strategies for advocacy. The first paper, "Early Childhood Education and the…

Noting that the latest Supreme Court decisions involving an application of the religion clauses of the first amendment to state statutes may serve to foreclose any further attempts by a state to aid parochial schools, the author suggests a new test that would satisfy both First Amendment and state aid proponent demands. (JT)

This study identified various direct and indirect strategies for financing supported employment, based on discussions with individuals in Minnesota and across the United States, reviewed supported employment efforts in selected states, conducted a review of literature, and explored related initiatives in other health and human service areas. Key…

In working with the institutional public relations staff, the following are important: maintaining easy-to-access files; keeping ready-to-use photographs; providing all of the information that is needed for the story; preparing tip sheets that list several story ideas; and keeping in touch with the public relations staff. With the electronic…

Is there a crisis in Oregon school finance? Before policymakers can formulate answers, assessment and definition of the problem are necessary. This paper examines the current state of Oregon school finance, including reform efforts over the last 20 years from policy and grass roots level perspectives. It then assesses the current school funding…

Cooperative education or industrial education, initiated to create an efficient work force, was exploitive of both students and the general public. It practically endentured students, educated them to docility, and procured public tax funds to subsidize the industries involved. (JH)

A short history of the use of the metric system is given. The role of education in metrication is discussed. The metric activities of three groups of metrics advocates, the business community, private groups, and government agencies, are described. Arguments advanced by metric opponents are also included. The author compares the metric debate with…

The current system of financing higher education through public tax support and tax-assisted voluntary giving is being challenged by many individuals and groups. Revisionary proposals include: public-tax support of educational institutions rather than programs, a combination of increased fees and student scholarships, income tax rebates for…