Postsecondary institutions should participate much more in the federal initiative, through their usual functions of teaching, research, and service. Activities could include involving college students in adult literacy education through demonstration programs, tutoring, and student volunteerism. (MSE)

Evaluation synthesis, a meta-evaluation method developed by the General Accounting Office to improve evaluation utilization by legislators, is described. It is designed to: (1) focus on the information needs and priorities of legislators, and (2) ensure continuous communication between sponsor and evaluator. The strengths and limitations of this…

The education evaluation efforts of the federal government are discussed, focusing on the question of their effectiveness in informing the policymaking process. Successful evaluation criteria are outlined. An evaluation must provide useful information to policymakers to be a success. (DWH)

Describes the philosophical and political underpinnings of the Freedmen's Bureau, a Federal agency created after the Civil War to assist and protect freed Southern slaves. Argues that, despite some positive results, it exemplified the nation's ambivalence toward a free black community and only contributed to the further entrenchment of racial…

Describes the methods and results of the transfer of the SCAN bibliographic database, sponsored by the Administration on Aging (AoA) to the private sector American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) when Congress repealed authority for AoA. Steps involved in the establishment of a bibliographic database are outlined. Four sources are given.…

Based on interviews with Reagan administration officials and informed observers, this analysis chronicles changes in federal education policy since 1981 and summarizes the current positions of the administration, Congress, and the professional associations. The next two years are seen as crucial to the future direction of federal education policy.…

Discusses the breadth of the problem of adult functional illiteracy and the components of the National Adult Literacy Project, a National Institute of Education program to identify model programs, develop literacy materials, and involve college work-study students in tutoring illiterate adults. (SK)

Analyzes patterns of federal funding allocations to school districts, categorizing districts by their relative concentrations of poverty populations, relative property wealth, and relative degree of urbanization. Discusses some implications of these analyses for federal policy. (Author/JG)

The Regional Education Program, as specified in Section 625 of Title VI of P.L. 93-380, awards grants or contracts to institutions of higher education, vocational and technical institutions, and other appropriate nonprofit educational agencies to enable these institutions to provide post secondary level handicapped students with special programing…

The Bureau of Education for the Handicapped's Recruitment and Information Program provides parents and other interested individuals with information on the educational needs of handicapped children through such activities as the National Information Center for the Handicapped ("Closer Look"), pamphlets on various subjects, and media…

This report is a followup to an initiative to establish a central website to collect data from States on the National School Lunch and the School Breakfast Programs. A central website could be used by researchers and program administrators to compare and analyze data across State and local areas for participation trends in local school district…

The purpose of this hearing was to examine the federal role in improving the effectiveness and coordination of sixty-nine Federal programs that are designed to help parents help their young children with child care and early education. Opening statements were delivered by Subcommittee Chairman Senator Lamar Alexander, Tennessee; Ranking Member…

This publication provides a non-technical summary of the Department of Education's discretionary grants process and the laws and regulations that govern it. It was written for readers who have received an award, or are simply interested in knowing more about the Department's discretionary grants process. It describes how grant programs are…

States are using federal and state dollars to expand child care assistance for low-income families. Nevertheless, persistent gaps in child care supply continue, particularly among specific populations. State expansion of child care funding has slowed, and most states face major fiscal crises. Many states have moved to all- or majority-voucher…

The Food Stamp Program (FSP) provides millions of Americans with the means to purchase food for a nutritious diet. This report presents characteristics of food stamp households nationwide in fiscal year 2001. Information on household characteristics comes from FSP household data collected by the federal Food and Nutrition Service for quality…