Twenty-three building and central office public school administrators identified internal and external system sources that they thought had influenced them to believe that effected school policy changes were or were not needed. A very large majority attributed major curriculum change influence to internal system sources. (SLD)

This article argues that it is essential to improve the U.S. health care system and to cut costs. If unchecked, health care costs could rise to 20% of the gross domestic product by the turn of the century, leaving substantially fewer financial resources for other costs such as education. (SLD)

This article discusses provision of special education services in Botswana, mainstreaming students with disabilities, early childhood education of children with disabilities, teacher training services, teaching styles, and rehabilitation of people with disabilities in Botswana. The nine principles of the National Policy on Care for People with…

The potential for conflict of interest in college and university trustees is high. A 1974 court decision (Stern vs. Sibley Memorial Hospital) established guidelines for trustees of nonprofit organizations, and a survey of 566 colleges and universities reveals how institutions are managing such conflicts through policy statements and…

Highlighting Massachusetts initiatives, examines the recent state movement toward adoption of curriculum frameworks and state assessments as vehicles for improving accountability and student achievement. Absence of standards guarantees stratified educational opportunities. Reform initiatives should include practitioners; avoid prescriptive,…

Various strategies used by state policymakers to influence small school districts are discussed. Incentives can be used to help small districts survive or encourage them to reorganize or consolidate. Disincentives, or "the stick," can withhold funding from small districts or establish impossible goals, resulting in consolidation while…

A telephone survey of school superintendents in Newfoundland (Labrador) found that 13 of 14 school districts had adopted sexual harassment policies. However, none of the policies contained all elements required to constitute a comprehensive policy; few procedures existed for informing new or current personnel of sexual harassment policies; and…

The seven articles of this special section explore evaluation in South Africa. Particular emphasis is placed on policy development in the areas of health, education, and housing and on efforts to alleviate the legacy of apartheid. Participative and quantitative efforts are described. (SLD)

Until society has addressed underlying factors in racial and minority-group inequities, it should attempt to make progress toward equity at all educational levels, including colleges and graduate and professional schools. Analysis of newly available empirical data suggests that following race-neutral policies at selective colleges would have…

A study investigated the effects of changes in institutional aid strategies on student persistence, exploring the implications of increased reliance on loans at a private university. Increases in grants and loans appeared to improve student persistence. However, students' increased loan burden should be considered. The study also suggests that new…

Institutions of higher education, as well as the Greek-letter organizations they host, are under increasing public and legal scrutiny. It is vital that student-affairs administrators understand and address the potential legal implications of having Greek organizations on their campuses. (Author)

This article describes critical events that have shaped gifted education, including: closing of one-room schoolhouses, the industrial revolution, the space race, the civil right movement, legislation for special education, growth in technology and information services, educational research, and advocacy. Missed opportunities and future…

This article describes critical events that have shaped gifted education, including: Renzulli's definition of giftedness, Sputnik, the Marland Report of 1971, and the development of the National Association for Gifted Children, the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, and the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children. (CR)

Survey of 74 Canadian universities suggests prior learning assessment and recognition (PLAR) is gaining legitimacy because of the government/industry agenda to prepare the workforce, growing emphasis on lifelong learning, changing demographics, and students' conviction that learning outside the classroom should be validated. Quality assurance and…

As the participation of children and young people in policy decision-making has spread in the UK, participation work is facing hard questions on its translation from principle to effective practice. The participation literature has been largely self-referential in its consideration of policy influence. This paper considers the potential usefulness…