The Chronicle contains two major articles and several smaller articles concerned with education of the gifted. "Special Educational Services for Gifted Students in Arizona: Description of Programs and Analysis of the Short-Term Impact of the State's Legislative Mandate," by S. Cohn and V. Riccardo, reports on a survey of all Arizona…

The doctrine of "fighting words" was first articulated by the United States Supreme Court in 1942 in the case of Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire when it declared one classificaton of language as outside the bounds of constitutional guarantees. Since then the Court has continually redrawn the line defining which speech is constitutionally…

The effects of New Hampshire's guardianship law on other disciplines in dealings with disabled persons are examined. Transdisciplinary efforts to promote more normalizing methods of protection are noted, and the bias underlying many service systems (that disabled persons do not have a right to make wrong choices) is exposed. A multi-layered…

This report presents information on the historical status and geographical location of elementary schools in rural Alaskan communities from 1867 to 1980. Section I, a historical perspective, provides a summary of major educational systems in Alaska and a chronological summary of major educational legislation in the state. Section II, which makes…

A recent study (Cook, 1989) involving 58 randomly selected South Carolina elementary schools indicated that none of these schools could be characterized as having an "open climate." This paper suggests that this situation may have its origins in the educational reform movement of the 1980s, first ignited by the publication of "A…

California's 50% law requires that at least half of a community college district's expenditures per fiscal year be spent on instructional costs. These costs include the salaries of certificated instructors, salaries of such classified instructional personnel as aides and assistants, and employee benefits. A district's general expenditures include…

This guide to the administration of the Library Systems Act for the State of Texas begins by presenting the text of the Library Systems Act. The relevant regulations from the Texas Administrative Code are then provided, covering such topics as standards for accreditation of a major resource system of libraries, minimum standards for accreditation…

In California, the desire to do something about child abuse, fanned by repeated and often sensational media coverage, has led to an understandable but counterproductive overreaction on the part of professionals and citizens reporting suspected child abuse. Child protective agencies receive an average of one report a minute. There are over 300,000…

This report outlines state legislative initiatives to develop family-based child welfare public policy. Emphasis is placed on legislation to ensure that "reasonable efforts" are made to reduce the need for out-of-home placement of children. Also included is an update of state implementation of permanency planning initiatives related to agency…

This handbook is designed to assist schools in organizing and managing an effective school improvement council. It is divided into six sections. Section I describes the benefits of a school improvement council from the perspective of the school district, parents and citizens, teachers, the school administration, and students. Section II provides…

The passage of the Jarvis-Gann initiative (Proposition 13) in California made it illegal for community colleges to tax local homeowners for the purpose of increasing revenue. The impact on the colleges of decreased local revenues was drastic, though less than had been predicted. In 1979, the districts received funding which was 85% of the level of…

The booklet is intended to aid educators and parents in the planning, development, and evaluation of differentiated curricula for gifted and talented students. A rationale for gifted/talented education is provided which stresses such principles as: "Equal does not mean the same" and "Ceilings are for rooms, not people." The…

This report describes the activities of the United States House of Representatives Subcommittee on Health and Long-Term Care in its effort to examine abuses in the sale of nursing home insurance. Earlier Congressional studies of abuses in the sale of health insurance to the elderly are discussed as background material for the present…

The paper explores policy options for beginning, expanding, or establishing services for disabled and at-risk infants and toddlers in a state. An initial section outlines characteristic advantages and drawbacks of options in three areas: legislative action (mandatory, phase-in, and non-mandatory legislation), executive action, and interagency…

This report contains findings of a nationwide study of youthful offenders tried in adult courts. Data were gathered from more than 3,000 counties for the year 1978. The report is organized into six chapters. Chapter 1 introduces the study and explains its methodology and the background of the problem (covered in more detail in Appendix A). Chapter…