An assessment of the cost-effectiveness of an initiative to target 823,278 defaulted student loans in the Debt Collection Service (DCS) for consolidation into the Direct Loan Program concluded that it was not cost-effective. The study found that the Department of Education's cost to consolidate about 80,000 DCS borrowers into the program would be…

This document records the oral and written testimony of persons who testified at a hearing on how vocational rehabilitation for persons with disabilities, particularly severe disabilities, can be improved. Witnesses included directors of federal and state rehabilitation services departments, and officials of rehabilitation provider organizations…

With an aim to contributing additional information to the public debate about affirmative action, this report discusses the distribution of federal resources from the Department of Education for programs intended to bring about access and opportunity to underrepresented groups in higher education, specifically allocation of such funding to…

The National Science Foundation's Undergraduate Faculty Enhancement Program (UFEP) awards grants on a competitive basis to project directors at colleges and universities, professional societies, industry, and other qualified organizations to conduct regional or national seminars, short courses, workshops, conferences, or similar activities for…

This paper examines the impact and implications for the nation's 104 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) of the final regulations published in the April 29, 1994 "Federal Register" and traces both the legislative and regulatory history of Part H of the Higher Education Act provisions. The analysis addresses specific…

This brochure contains suggestions for individuals repaying student loans on how they might benefit from Direct Loans, a program which consolidates multiple loans into a single account and offers favorable repayment terms, convenience, financial flexibility, and competitive interest rates. The brochure contains information on factors to be…

As of December 1995, at least 28 federal programs administered by 15 federal agencies provided funds that either were specifically designated for telecommunications projects in rural areas or could be used for that purpose. Interviews with community leaders and rural development experts identified specific actions that must be taken to lay the…

If Congress passes legislation consolidating federal funding for vocational education, job training, and adult education, states will be free to combine federal funding with state programs to create more coherent and effective systems. If such legislation is stalled, states have the power to reform the patchwork that now exists, but doing so…

This sourcebook provides information about multicultural access to federal projects, grants, and research and career enhancement opportunities for individuals, institutions, and agencies concerned with disability and rehabilitation. The sourcebook is divided into three sections. Section 1 contains a description of the U.S. Department of…

Over the past several years, outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases have drawn greater attention to the problem of low immunization rates in the U.S. In response to this problem, the federal government created the Vaccines for Children program as a foundation for a new national immunization policy to ensure proper and timely immunizations for…

This study identified federal programs designed to assist people with disabilities, with a special emphasis on programs promoting employment. The study focused on the extent to which information, eligibility, and services were coordinated under these programs and the efficiency of federal programs in promoting employment among people with…

The Matrix of Community-Based Initiatives indicates in graph format the collocations of major public and private comprehensive community-based violence prevention and economic development initiatives that could assist in delinquency prevention efforts across the country. These initiatives, which are guided by varying goals, differ in the scope of…

The overall economic well-being of U.S. rural communities is on the decline. Rural America is now dependent on a highly diversified economy, and its problems will not be resolved through improved farm income alone. Various weaknesses in rural development policies must be addressed. The narrow policy focus on attracting manufacturing industries to…

This report summarizes provisions of the budget reconciliation bills moving through Congress relating to postsecondary education including student loans and tax proposals. The House and Senate postsecondary education and tax authorizing committees reported reconciliation bills in June, 1997. These bills carried out the terms of the 5-year balanced…

The Government Information Locator Service (GILS) is an innovative networked-based approach to assist users in locating government information resources. This document reports the results of an evaluation study begun in September 1996 and completed in June 1997. The goal of the study was to understand how: GILS serves various user groups; GILS…