Discusses the Tadpoles Project at Schofield Middle School in Aiken, South Carolina. A basin was excavated to create a pond so that students could study various disciplines in a wetlands setting. Presents guidelines for obtaining support for such an effort. (NB)

Discusses the challenges involved in evaluating federal education programs that provide funds to schools and districts, such as Title I, but do not require a fixed set of activities, reflecting on previous evaluations of federal education funding streams, analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of various evaluation designs, and making the case for…

Examines the historical development and current status of federal support for vocational education at the postsecondary level. Considers the role federal laws have played in creating current postsecondary vocational education programs. Discusses the federal government's potential for supporting enhanced growth and quality. (Contains 39…

Faced with declining state support, New England's public higher education institutions are stepping up private fund raising. In comparison to U.S. leaders in voluntary support, New England's public institutions have not fared well, for a number of reasons. Fund-raisers must persuade donors that their contributions will not result in reduction of…

A survey was taken of 432 special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs) for opinions on the efficacy of educational services in and around London for special needs children, with regard to the Code of Practice mandated by the 1993 Education Act. Results indicated mixed reactions, such as lack of understanding of Code provisions and excess time…

Offers advice on how to implement an online learning program. Includes a description of the planning process, funding requirements, teacher training, technology requirements, access options, and management and control issues. Describes some common types of online learning programs and virtual schools. Includes excerpts from "Guide to Online School…

Profiles charter schools in the Broward County (Florida) School District. Identifies when schools were chartered, the length of the charter, the nature and extent of student participation, average daily attendance, student withdrawals or transfers, and the results of norm-referenced tests, state achievement tests, and college entrance exams. Also…

Issues concerning intellectual property are reviewed from the faculty perspective. General issues discussed include patents and the reason for their pursuit, important dates, patent literature, and handling inventions. Faculty issues include sources of research support, publication, the responsibility of students in research, recordkeeping, and…

The findings of an annual report by the National Association of State Scholarship & Grant Programs, which each year surveys the state agencies responsible for student aid, calls spending increases in need-based aid for undergraduates "a very positive reversal of the slow growth rate" for such aid. (MLW)

Planned giving in a small college needs to be conducted differently than in a larger institution. Keys to success include commitment from trustees, realistic goals, appropriate program scope, adequate budget, well-conceived marketing strategy, effective volunteer involvement, and internal communication and understanding. (MLW)

Suggests that policymakers and educators take advantage of the present opportunity to alter fundamentally the nation's understanding of the role and importance of education research in achieving education improvement. Discusses the need for restructuring the federal research program and calls for the creation of the National Institutes for…

The recent history of trends affecting the affordability of college are summarized. A better balance needs to be established between loan and grant support for students. The Stafford Student Loan Program (formerly the Guaranteed Student Loan Program) and the Reishauer HELP program are discussed. (MLW)

Description of the effects of the revolution, U.S. government policy, and natural disasters on the economic climate in Nicaragua focuses on problems faced by the country's libraries and library school. Support and funding provided to Nicaraguan libraries by American library groups are reviewed, and attitudes of Nicaraguan librarians toward the…

Reports that record enrollments have prompted a rethinking of the nation's higher education policies. Cites several explanations for overcrowding: an increase in the number of students continuing their studies, German students take longer to complete studies, and older students are reentering the university. (RT)

Reviews a list of recommendations developed by the Council on Research & Technology (CORTECH). Suggests summer internships for math and science teachers, more funding for higher education, increasing the number of minorities in science, providing corporate continuing education, and increasing communication between industry, government, and…