Reviews research revealing the failure of Maine's rural youth to achieve and aspire to postsecondary education. Outlines development of a statewide business-education partnership--the Maine Aspirations Compact--and a university outreach program--the University of Maine's Aspirations Project--to help Maine's children fulfill their potential.…

Describes a survey of Illinois school library collections in astronomy, space, and the solar system; general biology and ecology; and human anatomy, physiology, and hygiene. The survey produced statistics on funding needs; provided a collection assessment tool; and determined whether libraries had resources for supporting state goals for science…

An interview with Steve Barnett, the recently appointed assistant deputy minister, finance and administration, in the Ministry of Education for British Columbia, focuses on the involvement the Canadian federal government has in public education in Canada. Comments on specific aspects of the Goals 2000 Act and how they relate to Canadian…

Presents interim findings from an impact analysis of Ohio's Learning, Earning, and Parenting (LEAP) Program. LEAP is a statewide program designed to encourage school attendance among pregnant and parenting teens on welfare. Suggests that LEAP has succeeded in its primary short-term goal of increasing the school enrollment and attendance of teen…

Describes the National Drug Control Strategy's nine-pronged approach in addressing drug abuse, which includes the formation of partnerships between federal, state, and local governments and the private and public sectors. The strategy includes prevention initiatives, individualized treatment programs for high-risk groups, education aimed at…

Describes the development of a courier service in Oregon for document delivery between libraries to support coordinated collection development activities. Organization of the service by individual libraries without dependence on the Library Services and Construction Act is discussed, and costs and response time are considered. (two references)…

A survey of 47 state child protection services assessed the status of implementation of out-of-home protection programs since 1984. The survey addressed state law and regulations, reporting out-of-home abuse and neglect, properly constituted authority, independent investigative agencies, role of licensing, training, and staff and foster parent…

Findings from a state survey about practices in testing students of limited English proficiency (LEP) confirm a general lack of policies and guidelines relating to the standardized achievement testing of LEP students. Concern for LEP students in testing may reflect a general interest in bilingual education. (SLD)

A 50-state survey was conducted to determine state indicators of quality of science and mathematics instruction in elementary schools. Data are summarized for (1) policies affecting amount of instruction; (2) state requirements for science and mathematics teacher certification; and (3) state testing programs in science and mathematics. (SLD)

A survey of 49 state Part H coordinators was conducted to review standards in place for personnel serving infants, toddlers, and their families. The study analyzed, by state, the standards for all 10 professional disciplines addressed under Part H of the Education of the Handicapped Act. Implications for state practice and policy are discussed.…

Ninth grade students of limited English proficiency (SLEP) in Hawaii were studied to determine their characteristics on Hawaii Test of Essential Competencies (HSTEC), how they compare to norm on test, and degree to which performance on HSTEC can be predicted. Results indicate that SLEP students can be considered separate population within total…

Describes a study of state employees that was conducted to examine the strengths and weaknesses of the use of teleconferencing to increase creativity among workers. A model of creativity is explained, the pretest/posttest used to assess teleconferencing effectiveness is presented, and implications for teleconferencing are discussed. (eight…

A Tennessee program awards stipends to teachers to attend summer classes and a practicum and earn 18 hours of credit in education of children with visual impairments. The program requires that teachers have assurance from their superintendents that they will teach visually impaired students in their school systems after endorsement. (Author/JDD)

Discusses problems that have impeded the use of learning technologies in education, including costs, training educators, and the confusion of networks and databases. Greater involvement by the federal government is suggested as a solution; federal help in the past is described; and legislation currently proposed is explained. (LRW)

Tennessee data were analyzed for four years before and five years after the funding formula for special education was changed from a "flat" rate to a "weighted" formula. The weighted formula was associated with a statistically significant decrease in less restrictive placements and a reliable increase in more restrictive…