The history of equity concerns in Texas public school finance, spanning over a century, is reviewed in this report. Three issues related to three reform eras are discussed: equitable availability of public schooling, equal resources for schools, and school effectiveness. State responses to the issues included equalization of opportunities in rural…

This five-section handbook contains provisions of the education law, commissioner's regulations, and related state education department policies and guidelines that form the legal basis of occupational education programs in New York. Section 1 of the handbook provides a brief description of why a restructuring of the occupational education program…

This paper clarifies core concepts in a Kentucky judge's decision that the State General Assembly has failed to provide an efficient system of common schools. Connecting "efficiency" of educational systems to "equality of educational opportunity," the paper argues that the realization of a constitutionally sound, efficient…

This study gathered information on services related to special education that are provided to meet the needs of students with disabilities. The study utilized an historical and legal approach, through analysis of: related services litigation at the judicial and state education administrative level; policy interpretations by the State Policy and…

State budgeting for higher education is a complex, multifacted process which is influenced by conditions outside both state government and higher education including the historical traditions, political culture, economic and demographic aspects of a state. Noted is the need of higher education to compete with other policy areas for resources and…

This study is a replication of a 1983-84 study of state activity in the area of staff development. Survey questionnaires were mailed to the Chief Educational Officer in each of the 50 states; responses were received from all states. The study compares changes since the 1984 study and focuses on five basic objectives: (1) Which states through law…

The text of Colorado House Bill No. 1187 concerning the reorganization of higher education is presented. The legislation covers: duties and powers of the Colorado Commission on Higher Education and an advisory committee; financing the postsecondary education system; duties and powers of the Commission with respect to appropriations, capital…

This guide is designed to help South Carolina's school administrators implement the school improvement process mandated by the state legislature. The first chapter introduces the educational philosophy produced by the research on effective schools. Six indicators of effective schools (positive school climate, instructional leadership of the…

This paper: (1) describes the recently implemented Texas plan for school reform; (2) delineates a major component of Texas reform, the career ladder. In response to a nationwide call for raised educational standards, Texas passed HB 72, a comprehensive education bill implementing a comprehensive "career ladder" model for the testing,…

Three key political decisions made in Tennessee higher education that have brought about major changes in structure and have implications for the future are discussed. The decisions are: creation of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) in 1967, the creation of the State Board of Regents (SBR) in 1972, and the establishment of the…

The rights of victims of crime or violence in school settings are analyzed in this book. The first chapter looks at the scope of the problem and outlines the rights already established for those accused of crimes. The second chapter focuses on efforts to make educational environments safe, including a 1982 amendment to the California Constitution.…

Teacher improvement programs must comply with federal and state constitutional requirements for due process, equal protection, and freedom of speech, as well as state and federal laws covering collective bargaining, civil rights, and the authority to institute improvement programs. This booklet explores these legal considerations, focusing on…

Information is provided to help coordinate the mission statements of New Mexico's 23 state colleges and universities. After introducing the legal and statutory basis for the mission statements, the official mission statements of the 23 public institutions are presented. The mission statements are compared with state laws and statutes that are…

The research on which this paper is based examined the legislative process resulting in Minnesota's tuition tax concession statutes through a study of four decision events: the 1955 passage of a tax deduction, the 1971 adoption of a tax credit, the 1976 increase of the 1955 deduction allowance, and the 1981 retention of this deduction in a climate…

Since 1975, the Center for the Study of Higher Education, the Pennsylvania State University, and the National Council of State Directors of Community and Junior Colleges have cooperated in an annual study to identify and analyze pertinent state legislation affecting two-year colleges throughout the United States, to examine the issues which…