The provisions of "sunshine" or "open meeting" laws are discussed to assist governing boards and chief executive officers of public universities and colleges. These laws stipulate that the business of the public must be conducted in public. Topics include: the legal constitution of a meeting, personnel matters, collective…

Hearings were held in Massachusetts and Washington, D.C., to receive testimony concerning the Parental and Medical Leave Act of 1987, a bill intended to promote the economic security of many families by providing for job-protected leave for parents upon the birth, adoption, or serious illness of a child, and temporary medical leave when a child's…

An overview of the process of university participation in state politics is provided, including the way in which a university interacts with the governor's office and the way it competes with other universities and other agencies for budget dollars. The following 23 articles are included: "The Influence of State Constitutional Conventions on the…

Summaries of conference presentations on college savings and prepayment plans and related tax, policy, and social issues are provided. The conference objective was to communicate the issues to constituents with the most at stake: parents, students, and relatives; state and federal legislators and staff; and developers of plans for higher education…

It is the theme of this paper that economic prosperity and public education are inseparable; yet, both are lacking in Louisiana. The lack of excellence in education is a liability for stimulating and accelerating the growth and diversification of business and industry. In particular, educational mediocrity is evidenced in the following: (1)…

In 1987, exacting sessions in the Texas State Legislature over higher education appropriations, and a subsequent veto by the governor of a 7% increase in community college funding, convinced officials in the Dallas County Community College District (DCCCD) that a heightened legislative focus was necessary. A study was conducted to determine the…

An overview is provided of apprenticeship programs offered by the California community colleges. First, the report describes apprenticeships, indicating that modern programs include school-based supplemental instruction to ensure that apprentices possess skills and knowledge beyond just the manual tasks related to the occupation that are learned…

An exploration of the decision-making processes of state legislators on public school finance issues focuses on major school finance changes that occurred in Michigan in 1973 and in Washington and Missouri in 1977. Roll call votes, primarily in the lower chambers of the state legislatures, on both selected amendments and the complete versions of…

Legislation enacted in 1978 and 1982 in New Jersey stipulated that a uniform recordkeeping system be established to gather information on reported offenses against persons, school buildings, and property. This report details the extent of violence and vandalism in the public schools of the state for the first 6 months of 1983. Of 593 districts,…

The political and legislative factors that weakened the role of the Florida Board of Regents over a 3-year period (1978-81) are traced in this report. The first section provides background on the functions of the Board from 1968 through 1978, a period characterized by a trend toward centralization and the reduction of university control.…

This report is a comparative analysis of K-12 school planning and design criteria. A state-by-state survey was conducted to evaluate the degree of state government involvement and the differences in each state. A questionnaire sought information on funding, state planning requirements, site and building sizes, pupil/teacher ratios, building design…

In 1984 the Texas legislature passed an educational reform bill, House Bill 72 (HB 72). The prime objective of HB 72 was to achieve greater equalization of the state's school finance system; it was intended to affirm vertical and horizontal equity and equal opportunity/wealth neutrality as goals of the state system. This study analyzes the results…

This analysis of the employment issues covered in California Assembly Bill (AB) 1725 includes general background information, relevant recommendations by the Commission for the Review of the Master Plan for Higher Education, the fundamental positions of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, and a discussion of seven…

Researchers analyzed 127 public school teachers' strikes in New Jersey during the 36 school years from 1945 through 1981, presenting their data in over 60 tables. Data were collected from newspapers, magazines, and journals; through personal interviews; and via a questionnaire survey of affiliates of the New Jersey Education Association and the…

The Comprehensive Education Reform Act of 1984 (CERA) provides the mandate and framework for the Tennessee Career Ladder Program for teachers and administrators. The development and structure of the Tennessee Career Ladder Plan for teachers, a five level program which provides for teacher certification based upon performance, is discussed in this…