According to William Raspberry, U.S. schools are already doing a good job of teaching children who come to school ready for learning. The problem with America 2000 is that the $700-800 million price tag is too small; billions are needed for establishing child service centers and other support services to ensure optimal learning. (MLH)

This directory lists programs for deaf-blind children and youth, regional offices of the Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youth and Adults, and programs for training teachers of deaf-blind students. Programs are listed alphabetically by state, with contact information provided. (DB)

Drawing on a realistic model for evaluating compensatory education effects, Chapter 1 staff members have developed a workshop series aimed at improving the effectiveness of local Chapter 1 programs. Improvement efforts are to be data driven, research based, team centered, locally controlled, systematic, and focused on student outcomes. (20…

Describes mental health service needs in rural America and barriers to improving its quality and availability. Federal programs, especially the Office of Rural Health Policy, are described and policy recommendations for improving rural mental health care are presented. (DM)

Reviews key legislative changes that have been made in the Older Americans Act since 1965. Analyzes these changes within the context of the four stages of its evolution: (1) initial implementation; (2) rapid expansion; (3) consolidation and long-term care concerns; and (4) targeting and prioritization of services. (JOW)

Federal data on student-loan defaults in colleges, universities, and vocational-technical schools include number and proportion of borrowers in default on Stafford Loans and Supplemental Loans in fiscal 1988 and 1989. The data are used to exclude high-default institutions from federal programs. Dollar amounts of loans defaulted are not presented.…

Focuses on problems encountered in providing an equal education and services for the handicapped. Examines the role of federal funding under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and resolutions for state and local school districts' problems of fiscal accountability. Continued federal government oversight is needed. (12 references) (MLH)

Describes the approach of Southern Maine Technical College (SMTC) in managing required federal student loan entrance and exit interviews. SMTC offers group interviews each time the student borrows, and has also increased student attendance rates at exit interviews to 94% by adding incentives such as prizes underwritten by willing sponsors. (DB)

Description of the One-Stop Career Centers, an initiative of the Employment and Training Administration of the Department of Labor, soon to be available in each state, focuses on whether people with disabilities will be able to use these centers effectively to receive needed support and training. Strengths of and issues faced by One-Stop Career…

The U.S. Secretary of Labor outlines goals of her department and discusses the One-Stop-Career Center program as a major component for reaching these goals. (JOW)

Discusses the experiences surrounding the application for and reception of federal awards designed to assist new investigators in the transition from doctoral research to building a federally-funded research program. Details the extensive preparation needed to pursue such a grant and outlines the different phases of implementing the research…

Describes Individual Development Accounts (IDA), a federal program that combines low-income individuals' savings with matching funds for such goals as home ownership, education, and small business startup. Discusses their effect on community building and how extension educators can participate in establishing IDA programs. (SK)

Discusses the rise of the United States Film Service through the auspices of government relief organizations as part of Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal, the films which were produced by Pare Lorentz, and its demise brought about financial and political conflicts. (Author/AEF)

Describes two points of view regarding age-related public programs (Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security): that of devolutionists who would curtail them and safety netters who maintain the government's role is indispensable. Uses Relative Deprivation theory as a framework for teaching public policy about aging. (SK)

Describes efforts of the federally-funded TRIO Student Support Services program at Kankakee Community College in Illinois. The program helps simplify the educational process for low-income, first-generation, or disabled college students. Describes how the program helps students through encouraging career clarity, intensive academic planning,…