Despite favorable outcomes resulting from a progressive 1972 special education law, many Massachusetts residents are concerned about Chapter 766 outcomes, costs, and the rising proportion of eligible students. Recently, the Massachusetts Legislature redefined the concept of a "special-needs child" and crafted a comprehensive Educational…

The Texas experience with county education districts demonstrates that regional school taxing units can increase equity without new state money, eliminate the high-wealth advantage without forced consolidation, generate "state aid," support other state policies, set rate and expenditure limits, and establish an equal, uniform property…

Prospective charter schools in California must address educational design, outcomes, assessment methods, governance, staffing qualifications, health and safety procedures, racial balance, admission requirements, retirement benefits, employees' rights, financial audit procedures, expulsion and suspension procedures, and attendance alternatives.…

Reports that some local and regional censorship groups are backed financially by national religious groups. Examines their impact on public and school libraries, recounts their influences on federal legislation, and reviews the status of state legislation. A sidebar discusses the American Library Association's role in aiding librarians. (JMV)

Reviews recent case law and state statutes for dealing with a pregnant woman's actions which negatively affect her infant. Explains how statutes and case law are applied in civil law to remove a child from the mother at birth and in criminal law to punish a mother while pregnant. (MM)

Traces the roots of outcome-based education in mastery learning. Considers such obstacles as lack of reform preconditions, poor understanding of program features, teacher resistance, teacher domestication, staff mobility, and routinization. (SK)

Comparison of 1983-84 state survey of mandated staff development with a current study shows that, although state support for education has significantly increased, funding for staff development has not. No correlation was found between per-pupil expenditures and funding for mandatory staff development. (SK)

Results of a nationwide survey of state definitions of giftedness are presented and compared with several federal definitions as well as with state definitions five years earlier (1985). Results indicated that most states use some modification of one of the federal definitions. (DB)

Reviews and analyzes the major educational reforms initiated in Connecticut during the last 10 years, employing economics terminology. Describes selected initiatives from the 1986 Education Enhancement Act. Discusses the effects of four state commissions with input from key interest groups on Connecticut educational policy. State board of…

Discusses attempts to make English the official language of the United States, examines the pros and cons, and describes the impact of these efforts on libraries. An example at the Monterey Park Public Library (California) is examined; meeting the needs of all members of the community is addressed; and possible future outlooks are suggested. (four…

This discussion of findings from the State Parental Leave Study of the Families and Work Institute identifies major issues in the debate over legislated parental leave. The effects of passage of state parental leave laws in Minnesota, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin on employees who are parents, employers, and federal legislation are also…

After the first year of Kentucky's school reform act, a superintendent advises others whose states might undertake school reform to expect delays and revenue shortfalls and to lobby for professional development funds. (MLF)

Efforts to achieve uniformity in state adoption laws are confronted by a lack of consensus on six major issues: (1) parental consent and interests; (2) children's interests; (3) the nature of the actual adoption transaction; (4) adoptive relationships as substitutes for biological relationships; (5) confidentiality and anonymity; and (6) the…

The Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (1990) permits 1,000 low-income students to attend private, nonsectarian schools that are paid $2,500 for each student enrolled. A lawsuit raised three state constitutional issues involving the state education clause, the public purpose doctrine, and the legislative process. This article analyzes the case and…

The paper details recent studies of campus crime; addresses the student-college relationship as it relates to criminal victimization of students by third parties; discusses recent developments in state legislation pertaining to crime on campus; and examines the response of institutions of higher education to the campus crime epidemic. (DB)