Discusses the importance of volunteerism and describes the school volunteer program managed through the Florida Department of Education. (JOW)

Criteria for implementation of school volunteer programs include (1) effective incentives, (2) resources, and (3) political and administrative feasibility. Alternatives for state action include (1) maintaining current state policy, (2) providing leadership by endorsement and mandate, and (3) enacting legislation to provide incentives for…

Eight states maintain Governors' Honors Programs for gifted and talented students. Programs in Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia are briefly described in terms of content, location, and selection processes. The programs are seen as an important way to augment programing for gifted…

Among issues uncovered were that some professionals were not convinced of the need for free public school services for early childhood handicapped children, there is a need for leadership, there is a large information gap, and there is a great need for coordinated pre- and inservice training. (CL)

The prudent school administrator will keep open the lines of communication to his or her fuel supplier and will learn who in the state government is in control of the state's emergency supply of fuel oil. (Author/IRT)

Describes effective parole appeal process for juvenile offenders, set up administratively by the Minnesota Department of Corrections in 1974. (MS)

Some states are taking a greater role in general education reform, with some moving to rationalize general education requirements. Establishing transfer policies to promote educational coherence is bringing some order to the chaos of general education. (SLD)

Of the 423 Ohio fourth-grade teachers responding, 66% used AgVenture Magazine, a state publication, primarily in social studies classes. They had positive views of it as an instructional aid; overall, they used a limited number of external resources to teach about agriculture. (SK)

Discusses the role and activities of the national Center for the Book and describes the activities of some of the 23 affiliated state centers that are now operating. Reading promotion projects are described, the all-private funding is discussed, and the locations and contacts for the state centers are listed. (LRW)

Reports results of a survey of National Repository Projects, Completed State Projects, and State Projects currently in progress under the aegis of the National Endowment for the Humanities' U.S. Newspaper Program. Data on preservation microfilming and comments on individual projects are included. Lists of projects and funding amounts are appended.…

Discusses a project to determine the extent of family planning education in cooperative extension programs. The purposes of the study were to determine the types and extent of family planning included, to ascertain the most common delivery methods, and to identify target audiences. Includes a description of the programs identified in 39 states.…

Criticizes attempts by states to institute statewide testing programs as a means of improving school accountability. Discusses various examples of how this is being carried out. Presents four recommendations for testing programs. (HB)

Criticizes the efforts by some states to evaluate teaching on a statewide level and reward or punish schools and teachers according to mandated criteria. Argues that such state-mandated appraisal systems do not improve education or the learning of students. Proposes ways that states might improve the quality of schooling. (HB)

Considers the impact of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act and Virginia's initiative for welfare reform on poor families with disabilities. Suggests accommodations are necessary for fair implementation of the reforms. (SK)

In response to the high attrition rate of new teachers, more and more induction programs are being implemented across the country. Current financial constraints, coupled with no systematic way to coordinate resources across schools and state organizations, present a challenge to many small or poorly funded schools and districts. In this article,…