Questions about inequities in educational funding were raised in New Jersey when the legislature enacted the state's second major education-finance-reform law, the Quality Education Act of 1990 (QEA). This paper describes changes in revenues, expenditures, and programs in 11 diverse New Jersey school districts during the first year of…

Covering the period from July 1, 1991, through June 30, 1992, this report describes the goals and activities of the Governor's Commission for Children and Families, a commission formed to improve children and family services in Pennsylvania. The report begins with a brief description of the demographics and conditions of children in Pennsylvania…

This book asserts the need for two-parent involvement in child-rearing, even after separation and divorce. Following a preface by David L. Levy entitled "The Best Parent is Both Parents," and an introduction by Vicki Lansky, "How We Can Do it Better--Divorce American-Style," the book contains six chapters: (1) "Children as…

To assist journalism educators and legislators who wish to initiate passage of anti-Hazelwood laws, this paper reports on the first stage of a research project on nationwide efforts at getting state legislation passed to override the 1988 Supreme Court Hazelwood School District vs. Kuhlmeier decision. The laws of five states (Massachusetts,…

This policy brief clarifies the definition of charter schools and explores their place in school restructuring and reform by describing existing charter schools in Minnesota and California, examining legislative and contract guidelines, and discussing the future possibilities of charter schools. Charter schools are sponsor-created and…

This document is a handbook on school organization and finance in Washington State. It encompasses legislation passed during the 1990 and 1991 legislative sessions and school district fiscal data through the 1990-91 school year. The guide attempts to simplify the complex subject of school finance for use by educators, policy makers, and the…

A charter school is an autonomous entity that operates on the basis of a charter or contract between the individual or group (teachers, parents, and others) that organizes the school and its sponsor (local school board, county, or state board). Once granted a charter, the school receives educational formula-driven funding as though it were a…

This document consists of the first six issues of a newsletter, which discusses current knowledge about and concerns related to genetics and mental retardation. The second issue addresses the problem of genetic discrimination. The third issue considers genetic testing, screening, and counseling. The fourth issue addresses genetic privacy issues.…

A study identified misconceptions about resource allocation for teacher salaries that generate distrust among stakeholders, and the study examined an Arkansas legislative response to that distrust. Methodology consisted of three questionnaires. The first one was administered to the state financial director/coordinator in each state department of…

In 1989, South Carolina passed the Flexibility Through Desegregation Program as a means to provide exemptions from state oversight to those schools that had demonstrated sustained improvement. The first section of this paper provides an overview of educational improvement legislation enacted in South Carolina, specifically, the deregulated schools…

Findings of a study that examined the first 2.5 years of radical state intervention in the operation of the Jersey City Public Schools are presented in this paper. Control of the district was assumed by the state department of education in October 1989. The first section describes the historical background of takeover action in New Jersey and its…

This report examines the evolution of state laws that allow family daycare providers to operate daycare programs in their own homes despite local zoning ordinances restricting such programs. Such preemptive legislation is currently in force in 17 states, and under consideration in others. Following an overview of preemptive legislation for the…

A special publication compiled for the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB) consists of the School Code, plus numerous other statutes selected by IASB for their relevance to public school governance and administration, as enacted as of January 1, 1994. In addition to the School Code, laws from other sections of the statutes are added to…

The amount of state legislation dealing with child care issues has significantly increased in the last 5 years. This report focuses on state strategies for expanding and improving the child care system through incentives and support for employers and providers. State policymakers are exploring partnerships of public and private resources for…

A study was undertaken of proprietary school oversight and regulation in order to seek ways to improve state oversight of the proprietary sector. Twenty states participated in the study which used questionnaires sent to key state contact persons, telephone interviews conducted primarily with persons who had received the questionnaires and…