The Senate Appropriations Committee recently approved a $1.1 billion reduction in the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG), a decrease of almost two-thirds of funding. This program has provided a flexible source of funding that enables states to meet the needs of their most vulnerable populations, low- and moderate-income children, and people who…

This report reviews accomplishments of the first year of the 1999-2002 contract funding the Outreach and Technical Assistance Network (OTAN), an essential component in improvement of California's adult education program. Five chapters on Electronic Communications describe the OTAN web site and provide data on World Wide Web hits and hosts, web…

A study of the aftercare services offered juvenile delinquents after residential placement was conducted in New York State. The emphasis was on the Juvenile Aftercare Services program, which serves the majority of youth being conditionally released into the community. Based on findings from the study involving interviews and site visits, the…

The Alabama Public Library Service (APLS) serves the information needs of Alabama public libraries. As a state agency, APLS is charged with improving library services throughout the state to ensure that all citizens have access to quality library and information services. The agency is responsible for receiving and administering federal and state…

Data from the 1997 National Survey of America's Families (NSAF) are analyzed to estimate the number and composition of children lacking health insurance prior to the implementation of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The NSAF is a survey of children and adults under the age of 65 in more than 44,000 households, conducted as…

This publication presents best practices to help states assess options for comprehensive tobacco control programs and to evaluate their local funding priorities. It draws on best practices determined by evidence-based analyses of excise tax-funded tobacco control programs in California and Massachusetts and by the Centers for Disease Control and…

This document provides information and data related to the provision of special education in Washington State. Baseline information is presented along with an update of the most current and complete annual data. Information includes: (1) the purpose, membership, goals, and activities of the Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC); (2) Office of…

The General Accounting Office (GAO) reviewed reports published by seven states (Indiana, Maryland, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Washington, and Wisconsin) regarding the status of their families who have left welfare. The families discussed in the reports were estimated to account for approximately 8 percent of the number of families to…

Expanding upon ideas presented in the report, "Start Early, Finish Strong: How to Help Every Child Become a Reader," this collection highlights projects, proposals, and programs that help all children become good readers. Chapter 1 describes 18 federal initiatives and programs; and chapter 2 presents excerpts from 16 State of the State addresses…

State strategies used to build constituencies and expand the resource base of the child care systems they are developing will be an important contribution to the success of welfare reform. This report, from a 1996 Child Care Action Campaign national audioconference, describes the innovative strategies used to strengthen leadership, expand…

Test publishers have promoted their commercially available, norm-referenced achievement tests as viable solutions to assessment challenges faced by states. They argue that their tests are developed professionally, and, therefore, possess sound psychometric properties not often found in state-specific efforts. This study compared judgments from two…

The Elementary School Proficiency Assessment (ESPA) is New Jersey's test for fourth graders. It is designed to give the school information about how well students are achieving in the areas required by New Jersey's Core Curriculum Content Standards. This guide offers parents, students, and teachers information about the ESPA. The parent…

This addendum was created to reflect the recommendations of the Mathematics Task Force that met in Arizona to make recommendations to the state Board of Education. The Mathematics Task Force recommended that a core curriculum be identified in the Mathematics Proficiency Standards that would be required of all high school students beginning in the…

The standards presented in this book, for reading, writing, and mathematics, are those that will be initially assessed by Arizona's Instrument To Measure Standards (AIMS). These standards and those for other content areas will be a road map for education in Arizona. A statewide test is being developed for each of these areas to measure student…

This paper discusses the national movement toward increasing high school graduation requirements and the development of alternatives to the standard high school diploma for students with disabilities. Findings from a review of state policies indicate: (1) 38 states and territories apply some graduation requirements to students with disabilities;…