A total of 165 community leaders over age 60 interned in congressional offices in a program that taught the participants their way around the federal government and its agencies. They were expected to become liaisons with their congressional offices and with government agencies and private organizations. Two interns are profiled. (MLW)

The progress of state policymakers toward promoting teaching for understanding and thinking in elementary schools was studied. Interviews were conducted with curriculum specialists in all 50 states, and follow-up interviews were done with at least 3 specialists in 7 states very active in promoting higher order outcomes. (SLD)

Interviews with state legislators from Wisconsin (D. Bezruki), Massachusetts (T. P. Kennedy), and Virginia (P. Leone) illustrate the roles that evaluation is playing in the current state budget crisis. The influence of evaluation data appears largely specific to individual programs rather than systematically applied to the budgeting process. (SLD)

Suggestions to college administrators include realize that the essential lubricant of politics on Capitol Hill is relations of trust, confidence, and familiarity; bring solutions as well as problems to legislators; talk to members on the committee handling the issue of concern; help friends get reelected. (MLW)

Some members of Congress retain a Norman Rockwell image of the two-parent household. To make headway with these leaders, educators must get them into schools and neighborhoods to let them see firsthand the crying needs of children and the schools providing safe harbor for a few hours. Administrators should also share their visions of education's…

Despite Democrats' and educators' concern over the first Republican-led reauthorization of the Higher Education Act this year, Republicans supported the bill. Some observers feel the support is a G.O.P. survival strategy, and will not continue; some conservatives feel the party is caving in to higher education interest groups' demands. (MSE)

The incidence of skin cancer has risen rapidly in the UK over the last 20 years, prompting public health organizations to try and raise awareness of the dangers of sun exposure and the need to practice sun-safe behaviour. This study aimed to assess baseline levels of sun-safe knowledge and behaviour in a British population-representative sample,…

This research study explores the policy expansion of school choice within the methodological approach of event history analysis. The first section provides a comparative overview of state adoption of public school choice laws. After creating a statistical portrait of the contemporary landscape for school choice, the authors introduce event history…

This Backgrounder Brief is an executive summary of "Telling the Technology Story: PR Strategies for School Leaders," a component of the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) Essential Leadership Skills Series. Public relations is a critical component of a district's successful technology implementation--and it involves communicating on an…

In 2006, the input of scientists, economists, and private industry representatives inspired nearly unparalleled bipartisan support in Washington state for the formation of a Department of Early Learning. This new cabinet-level department consolidates three separate agencies, provides universal preschool for all children in Washington, and…

How do people define spirituality and religion and what, if any, relationship do they see between the 2 constructs? In this study, we answer these questions using a qualitative methodology with a nationally representative sample of graduate-level social work students affiliated with the National Association of Social Workers (N=303). A relatively…

In this article, the author talks about the Shays-Farrell race as one of three closely watched contests in Connecticut that could help determine control of the U.S. House of Representatives in the midterm elections November 7. U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays, a Republican, and Diane Farrell, a Democratic, are the candidates for the state's 4th…

This guide to the legislative process provides information on how to work within the legislative process for changes benefiting children and families. The guide is divided into 5 major sections: (1) know the issues and know the state and congressional legislative systems; (2) know how to express an opinion; (3) communications from non-profit…

Following an assessment of need among state and local public administrators in Indiana, Internet workshops were organized at Indiana State University and offered to state administrators, judges, and legislators. Each workshop began Friday morning and included a lecture-demonstration on the Internet System. After lunch participants each worked at a…

This resource guide describes one state's statutes and cases so as to profile those rights, responsibilities, and protections for young people which are different from those applicable to adults. The purpose of this guidebook is to give legislators an overview of all laws affecting young people in order to have a reference aid on current state…