The education establishment's approach to set Chapter 1 standards at or near the legislative minimum for program improvement has unanticipated outcomes that do not advance the improvement effort. These outcomes and the dilemma between the negative aspects of being identified and the positive objective of program improvement are considered. (SLD)

This article describes activities of a federally sponsored project called Identifying Emerging Technologies for Students with Disabilities, and identifies trends in the areas of general technology, educational technology, national education initiatives, and educational practices. (DB)

Describes how computer technology has been integrated into the mission of the National Reading Research Center (NRRC). NRRC's rationale for including computer technology in its research agenda is outlined, current research projects involving computers and literacy are reviewed, and several projects that reflect NRRC's major emphases and goals are…

Achievement of true tribal self-determination is seriously compromised by declining federal expenditures on Indian programs. Current proposals do not assure adequate funding for tribes to carry out basic government functions and do not address the question of tribal sovereignty. Contains 25 references and 7 data tables of expenditures. (SV)

Describes a Camden (New Jersey) study that assessed the effects of student mobility and stability on achievement and examined interactions between the instructional program and student mobility. Results indicated direct instruction was as effective as traditional instruction that was aligned with a specific standardized test, and it produced…

Two years into its new life as a private company, the Student Loan Marketing Association (Sallie Mae) is both creating a division to handle the processing and clerical duties of college financial aid offices and backing away from a short-lived move into the business of underwriting college bonds. The agency also originates government-subsidized…

Examines mechanisms that influenced access to federal vocational programs in the pre-desegregation U.S. South. Explores how local political conditions affected training opportunities. Shows that access was shaped by racially segregated labor markets and that African Americans' access was shaped by the political dimension of the southern racial…

Most states have only a 2-year foreign-language requirement for college-bound students. Two 1999 federal initiatives--the Foreign Language Education Improvement Amendments and the Educational Excellence for All Children Act--provide support for expanding foreign-language education opportunities. Four exemplary Georgia middle-school programs are…

One of the benefits of 1996 Telecommunications Act is a federal program nicknamed "E-Rate," which discounts the cost of providing Internet connections to schools and libraries. This article provides an overview of the program, describes the application process, and suggests how to maximize E-Rate. Answers common questions about E-Rate…

In 1999, two schools in an impoverished border town in Texas received 3-year federal grants from the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program to support varied after-hours activities: academic tutoring, computer literacy, "ballet folklorico," arts and crafts, guitar instruction, and service learning. Students and parents now have a safe…

Examines the legitimacy of claims (specifically the ability of the arts to serve myriad social, educational, and economic development functions) made by arts bureaucrats and advocates desperate to maintain the federal arts support structure. Scrutinizes the motives and consequences of these claims and explores their effects on elementary and…

Describes the newly proposed federal agency called the National Institute for the Environment (NIE). Discusses the history of the NIE concept; NIE goals; proposed NIE activities involving environmental research, assessment, information, and education and training; and ways in which environmental educators can assist the NIE effort. (MDH)

Explores possibilities of inner-city networking, and provides a description of the federal government's Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure Assistance Program (TIIAP). The authors also enumerate the challenges faced by inner-city communities establishing such networks and describes TIIAP-funded programs meeting those challenges that…

Systemic (top-down) educational reforms will remain limited unless they improve every teacher's methods and materials. Comprehensive or whole-school reform "scales up" effective schools until many more schools meet state and national standards. The federally funded Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration program provides a supportive…

Provides an extensive state-level and local-level analysis of the distribution of the federal government's financial aid to elementary and secondary schools, especially from the U.S. Department of Education. (PKP)