A literature-based model of the legislative politics of policy innovation is examined in light of Minnesota's experiences with the school choice issue. A revised model, reflecting case-study findings, is presented. The leadership area is identified as the arena where lawmakers can exert leverage on restructuring public education. (SLD)

Under the Kentucky Education Reform Act, Kentucky has redesigned curricular policies and instructional practices and has set in motion a process for restructuring teacher education by defining new standards for effective teaching and new requirements for certification. Guiding principles to prepare a teaching force able to implement school reform…

In Austin, Texas, an urban district where more than half the students come from low-income families, the annual dropout rate has gone down, and the scores on statewide standardized tests have gone up. A key element in the turnaround is state-mandated, site-based management, a system that decentralizes decision making and involves strong leadership…

A study interviewed 360 parents in three California school districts that did exemplary jobs in informing parents of the option of requesting a waiver from English immersion requirements of Proposition 227. Results clearly show that the best informed parents in an atmosphere of complete disclosure were those who chose a waiver and bilingual…

Provides an overview of library automation in Minnesota. Topics include regional public library systems; library automation vendors; multitype library systems; postsecondary and academic libraries; state government libraries; the Internet; telecommunications and statewide online system legislation and funding; and state library agency involvement…

Surveys parents, students, teachers, and administrators in one Ohio school district about Senate Bill 55, which prohibits promoting to fifth grade any fourth grade student who fails the fourth grade proficiency test. Argues that legislators determined what is best for students without educators' input, and that the public still has a lot to learn…

Examined how teachers were impacted by California's Proposition 227, highlighting changes in teaching styles and beliefs about the proposition and its effectiveness. Teachers had to change their teaching strategies to accommodate the new curriculum. They were not sufficiently trained for immediate implementation of English-only education. Teaching…

"Chronicle of Higher Education" presents an abundant source of news and information for college and university faculty members and administrators. This January 9, 2004 issue of "Chronicle of Higher Education" includes the following articles: (1) "Regional Accreditors Penalize 13 Institutions in New England and the…

National surveys that have tracked weight and physical activity in the United States for more than 40 years have shown a continuing increase in the number of overweight children and adolescents. Overweight children and adolescents are showing an increase in diseases related to overweight: Type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and…

The establishment of Maui Arts & Cultural Center (MACC), a community arts facility that prioritizes education at the top of its mission, has been a significant factor in the growth of arts education in Hawai'i. This article describes the role such a facility can play in the kind of educational reform that people envision, and the author's…

After four years of failed attempts, lawmakers in the State of Florida sanctioned charter schools in 1996. This paper traces the political origins of the charter school movement in Florida and the USA as a whole. Examining legislation and reforms at the federal level, as well as state legislative proceedings, this paper identifies key political…

State policies pertaining to the education of American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian students vary considerably in their scope and type among the states. This StateNote report examines policies found in state statutes. Additionally, states that have tribal colleges--independent colleges that are operated by the tribes--within their…

A September 8, 2006, ruling by the New Hampshire Supreme Court that the state's current education financing system is unconstitutional was the latest in a long string of court decisions, legislative responses, and subsequent court opinions that have made school funding one of the state's most contentious issues. This report summarizes how the…

Virtually all state charter school legislation addresses teacher rights and working environment. Relationships with teacher unions are either specified in the law, or approval of the charter requires suitable provisions for employee hiring, firing, grievances, etc. Charter school evaluation almost without exception includes some references to…

Senate Bill (SB) 2042, authored by Senator Marion Bergeson, was passed to establish a new system for providing teacher preparation within the state of California. The credentialing reforms introduced in SB 2042 follow a tradition described by Irving Hendrik and stake their own claims regarding the locus of control over teacher quality, the role of…