State legislatures have become increasingly willing to experiment with school choice. Since 1985, more than half the states have passed school choice laws. This article reports on a survey conducted in the summer of 1991 and updated in the fall of that year that focuses on state choice statutes. Six categories of school choice laws are discussed:…

This instructor's guide contains the materials required to teach four competency-based course units of instruction in installing compressed natural gas (CNG) systems in motor vehicles. It is designed to accompany an instructional videotape (not included) on CNG installation. The following competencies are covered in the four instructional units:…

This paper traces the historical context of the passage and implementation of Vermont's Act 230 in 1990, which initiated a new special education funding system to increase equity, predictability, and flexibility in program design as well as to ensure placement neutrality. Specific objectives of the funding system included increasing the use of…

This booklet contains guidelines for implementing a planning process that enhances the transition-related results of New York school districts' individualized education programs (IEP) for students with disabilities. The guide highlights applicable federal and state law and regulations and provides a logical process that addresses transition…

This study sought to determine whether school boards from central region states with aggressive legislative education reform initiatives differ from school boards from nonreform states. Reform states, defined as states that have enacted statewide choice legislation, included Ohio, Minnesota, and Iowa. Nonreform states were Wisconsin, Michigan,…

California state legislators are showing a lack of long-term leadership and vision in their planning for the state's higher education needs as indicated in their recent decisions regarding increased tuition and fees. California's public higher education system stands at the nexus of two powerful trends: the long-term social, demographic,…

This paper presents an overview of Florida's fiscal status and the state of its educational fiscal reform. Five areas of concern are identified regarding educational finance--adequacy of funding, educational reform initiatives including accountability, equity, alternative tax sources, and communication. These issues indicate a highly unstable…

Findings of a study that sought to determine teachers' and principals' perceptions concerning state-mandated testing are presented in this paper. Data were gathered through interviews with 30 fifth- and sixth-grade teachers and 12 principals in 3 states--Tennessee, Illinois, and New York--where statewide testing has been implemented for 30 years,…

This paper addresses legal, cost, and policy aspects of meeting the educational needs of children with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) in Vermont. The first sections address the increasing incidence of TBI and implications of technological advancement. The next section stresses the importance of states establishing and maintaining statewide…

The severity of the silent epidemic of lead poisoning and its long range effects on young children in impairment of intellectual ability, short-term memory, concentration, and reaction time have been recognized. A 3-year strategic plan for preventing childhood lead poisoning in Illinois was developed by a planning committee working through four…

Many activities that take place in the library, including circulation and interlibrary loan and reserve requests, result in the creation of records linking clients to specific kinds of information. Several groups, including law enforcement officials, have attempted on various occasions to gain access to these records. This research paper provides…

When New Jersey passed the Quality Education Act to equalize expenditures between rich and poor school districts, it added a level of regulatory oversight to the "special needs districts," the 30 poorest districts in the state. This paper describes that oversight system and the additional paperwork burdens it created for those districts.…

In 1991, the Sex Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS) developed guidelines for presenting age appropriate, comprehensive sexuality education. This publication reports on a 1993 study, using these guidelines as a framework to assess sexuality education curricula and guidelines in the United States. A survey instrument was…

Presented are the results of a study by and recommendations of the Virginia State Crime Commission to develop a program of appropriate education for jail inmates with disabilities. Four public hearings resulted in seven findings, including the following: federal law requires the states to provide special education to handicapped inmates;…

The study examined student access to higher education in Florida by analyzing the state's current policy regarding student access and articulation, the statewide articulation agreement and the uniformity of its application, the limited access programs and their effect on student mobility, enrollment funding policies and their effect on student…