Minnesota has been the first state to embrace many education reforms, but it is also characterized by low state standards and problematic desegregation and diversity proposals. This report examines why Minnesota is good on some education policies and bad on others. It also draws the lessons with the greatest importance for other states. The…

This paper examines the integration of technology into teaching and learning, focusing on Idaho State University College of Education's experiences with developing and administering a statewide assessment for certifying teacher technology competency and documenting the effects of technology integration on P-12 student learning. The paper examines…

This paper outlines school finance issues that have emerged due to litigation on the constitutionality of school funding at the state level. Such funding varies from state to state, ranging from 8 percent in New Hampshire to 74 percent in New Mexico; per-child expenditures range from $1,500 to $15,000. Beginning in the 1970s, poor school districts…

Medicaid is the key source of health insurance for those who would otherwise have to rely solely on emergency rooms and public health clinics for services. This report provides an overview of Medicaid programs and the newly enacted Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and outlines the implications of key program provisions for professional…

This report delineates system and campus success toward implementation of goals identified in the North Dakota Board of Higher Education's Strategic Plan for 1998-2004. It provides examples of North Dakota University System strategies and accomplishments in regard to educational excellence, technology and access, relevant programs, leadership in…

This publication provides sample components of the Ohio Career Passport, including the rationale and purpose of each. Section 1 contains examples of the letter of verification, a letter from a school or district administrator, which confirms that the individual is a student at the school. Written on school letterhead, it sends the signal to the…

This study examined the experiences of 15 elementary schools in Washington state demonstrating relatively slow improvement on the reading and mathematics sections of the Washington Assessment of Student Learning. Since the passage of educational reform legislation in 1993, Washington has undertaken a systematic overhaul of its K-12 public school…

This report examines research on teacher certification, reviewing every published study or paper, and many unpublished dissertations, cited by prominent advocates of teacher certification. It reveals shortcomings found in the research upon which teacher certification advocates rest their claims, suggesting that the teacher certification process is…

This document provides a layperson's introductory guide to researching primary legal materials, as well as using secondary research tools, in the Sarita Kenedy East Law Library at St. Mary's University (Texas). The guide includes the following sections: (1) Guide to Legal Abbreviations; (2) How To Find a Law Journal Article; (3) Legal Dictionaries…

The past several years have seen basic changes in policies and programs concerning poverty, work, and workforce development. The essence of the changes is putting work first, and many states and localities are building "Work First" into welfare-to-work programs funded under Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, and many are adopting…

This report describes the implementation and first 6 months of data collection of the required performance outcome measures for children receiving mental health services in Florida, as required under Florida's 1994 Government Performance and Accountability Act. This summary is of data received from August 1996 to January 1997 and includes data for…

While anecdotal information is available concerning the effectiveness of the Transfer: Making It Happen program, CPEC (California Postsecondary Education Commission) finds that insufficient quantitative fiscal and outcome information is available to assess the program. CPEC is unable to determine the success and effectiveness of this program and…

In the effort to improve essential components of the Basic Education Program (BEP), the General Assembly has adopted legislation directing the BEP Review Committee to perform a comprehensive review of the funding formula, identifying needed revisions, additions, or deletions. This year, through a series of full-day meetings, the committee has…

In April 2003, Colorado passed H.B. 1160, thus becoming the first state to enact a school voucher law in the wake of the landmark ruling in favor of school vouchers by the U.S. Supreme Court in June 2002. As expected, the Colorado law was immediately challenged in court. In December 2003, a state court declared the voucher program unconstitutional…

Recent revisions of the Florida School Code by the Florida Legislature include a major component focusing on proficiency in reading. In particular, grade 3 students who do not score at level 2 or higher on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) SSS Reading Test must be retained, unless exempted for special circumstances. This new…