This instructor's manual contains seven units for a course to prepare students to pass the Wisconsin Commercial Driver's License test. The units cover the following: (1) introduction (rules and laws); (2) vehicle inspection; (3) transporting cargo safely; (4) transporting passengers; (5) air brakes; (6) combination vehicles; and (7) introduction…

In 1991, Minnesota enacted ground-breaking legislation that authorized school districts to sponsor a limited number of charter schools. Implementation of the program was politically contentious, and the issue remains highly charged. This document presents findings of a study that examined the charter schools that were proposed and operating in…

By the late 1980s, 28 states in the United States had instituted lotteries as a supplemental means of financing public education. This paper presents findings of a study that examined the claim that state lotteries enhance spending for public education. Regression analysis, conducted on data for the year 1987, compared lottery and nonlottery…

Noting that most school-based health care is provided at the secondary level, this report provides background and a rationale for implementing such services at the elementary school level. The first section of the report addresses several questions about school-linked health services, including: what are school-based health centers, why should…

This guide to education for gifted students in Arizona begins with a rationale for providing special services for high potential students. It then discusses the gifted student, screening and identification, the teacher, programs and services, financial assistance, resources, and parent involvement. In each of these topic areas, the guide outlines…

This guidebook is designed to assist concerned Michigan citizens, local governments, conservation organizations, landowners, and others in their efforts to initiate wetlands protection activities. Chapter 1 focuses on wetland functions, values, losses, and the urgent need to protect wetland resources. Chapter 2 discusses wetland identification and…

States are in the leadership position to effect pervasive and comprehensive changes needed in the educational system. There exist five key dimensions for analyzing initiatives resulting in systemic changes: (1) infusiveness, building upon existing knowledge; (2) pervasiveness, effecting improvements in all key components of the system, including…

In September 1991, the National Conference of State Legislatures surveyed the legislatures in 44 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia to identify priority issues for the 1992 session. The survey covered almost 1,000 issues in 18 topic areas. This report of the survey results includes sections on each of the following topic areas: (1)…

This paper examines legislation, court decisions, and state and local policies affecting the use of corporal punishment in schools, and speculates on the particular context presented by small or rural schools. There are no universally applicable federal statutes dealing with corporal punishment in schools. Decisions by the Supreme Court and…

Through a synthesis of ongoing case studies covering over 500 schools, this report highlights the story of school reform in the Chicago Public Schools (Illinois) at the elementary school level. The analysis draws on a case-study syntheses of field research over the past 3 years, new analyses of survey data from principals and teachers, and…

This paper, first in a series of special reports concerning disability and the family, presents a review of the relationship between abuse and disabilities, arguing that roughly 25 percent of all disabilities are caused by child or spousal abuse. A national survey revealed that 12 states have legislation addressing these issues, and the paper…

State legislation that has contributed to the reduction of Arkansas' tax base is described in this paper. Amendment 59, adopted in 1980, has reduced the state tax base by millions of dollars. At the end of 1992, the majority of school districts have equalized their real, personal, and carrier and utility property. Act 34, the current foundation…

This paper presents findings of a case study that examined the influences that shaped an Ohio governor's education reform proposals from a vantage point inside the governor's office, during the late 1980s. Data were obtained through document analysis (of the period from fall 1987 to January 1989), interviews with the governor, and a literature…

This book introduces the basic elements necessary to comply with specific state reporting statutes on child abuse. It analyzes the reporting statutes of all 50 states (including the District of Columbia) and outlines those requirements imposed on mandatory reporters employed in public schools and in other professions. Federal court cases are also…

In 1986 the Kentucky General Assembly passed legislation directing the Legislative Research Commission to appoint a special subcommittee, the Special Subcommittee on Essential Skills Testing, to study the Kentucky Essential Skills Testing Program (KEST) and to make recommendations concerning the program. This report presents the findings and…