A teacher explores the recent educational reform movement and discusses the studies of schools done by Sociologist Christopher Jencks in the 1970s. An important idea that can be extrapolated from Jencks' studies is that schools should function more like families than factories. This would empower teachers and make schooling more equitable,…

Recently the Oregon Legislative Assembly called for a new funding approach for regional programs for severely disabled students. The resulting resource-cost model, based on a state approved funding level by handicap and instructional delivery system or student placement, provides greater educational equity for disabled students regardless of…

Pressure for curriculum change comes from many sources--the federal and state government and individuals at the local level. Principals are responsible for balancing these pressures to ensure curricular integrity and coherence. After reviewing various pressures, this article explores principals' options for envisioning curriculum. (MLH)

Full-time professors at the University of Pittsburgh enjoy "real managerial authority" and cannot bargain collectively under state law, a Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board examiner has ruled. The examiner said Pittsburgh's faculty members could not bargain because they enjoyed similar working conditions to professors at Yeshiva…

The status of comparable worth pay in federal courts is reviewed, state activity on this issue as it relates to higher education institutions is discussed, and practical and institutional problems in implementing comparable worth pay policy at colleges and universities are examined. (MSE)

State reforms of teacher education formally adopted since 1986 are reported, including statewide initiatives by legislatures, higher education governing and coordinating boards, boards of education, and teacher certification boards. (MSE)

Prepared by an intellectual freedom committee, this issue is intended to aid librarians in thinking about intellectual freedom when confronted with the current creationism controversy. A manual containing documents and resources on intellectual freedom, a bibliography of pro- and anti-creationism materials, and results of a censorship survey are…

Summarizes public school finance in New York State, focusing on recent high levels of state aid. Discusses Speaker of Assembly's role as education advocate. This powerful Democrat formed a 1983 task force that studied financing, set priorities, issued a report, and produced a five-year plan to initiate further legislative action. Contains 2…

Small-business leaders have persuaded many lawmakers that nonprofit organizations--particularly colleges and universities--have used their tax-exempt status and government support to gain an unfair advantage over privately owned businesses. Computer-store owners, private chemical-laboratory owners, and travel agents say colleges should not receive…

The new Florida Master Teacher Program in which the state provides bonuses directly to qualified teachers is described. Three measurement issues in implementing the program are discussed: (1) evaluating a teacher's classroom performance; (2) evaluating a teacher's subject area knowledge; and (3) combining scores to determine which teachers…

Surveys some of the issues and practices of state-funded prekindergarten programs. (HOD)

This report updates developments relating to public school finance legislation in Texas during a special summer legislative session in 1984. Discussion focuses on House Bill 72, which increased teachers salaries, distributed state aid more equitably, increased equalization aid, mandated new programs, and increased state taxes. (TE)

An examination of statutes and case law reveals that in most states the employment of architects and engineers by public school districts is exempt from competitive bidding procedures. (MLF)

Discusses the effects on teacher salaries and employment practices of several Canadian provinces' cost-cutting measures; emphasizes British Columbia's "Public Restraint Act" and public employees' response to it. (MCG)

The Missouri legislature changed the state policy of requiring institutional accreditation by a regional agency as a prerequisite for state certification of the teachers graduating from that institution as the result of a Bible college's philosophical refusal to obtain accreditation from the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. (MSE)