This report contains 121 tables that estimate the costs of production of various commodities on United States farms in 1986. The report first assesses costs and returns on a per-unit basis, such as one acre or one animal, under three sections of a budget: cash receipts, cash expenses, and economic costs. The budgets are based on national…

In this overview of employer-supported day care in Canada, several issues are discussed in English and French. Topics include: (1) development of employer-supported day care (ESDC) in Canada; (2) benefits of ESDC; (3) types of ESDC; (4) types of employers and reasons for establishing or supporting child care programs; (5) users of ESDC programs;…

This document presents Congressman Claude Pepper's report on the Medicare Home Care Benefit. Section I traces the history of home health care in the United States. Section II offers statistics and general background information about older Americans and Medicare. The beginning of the Medicare home care benefit and its present operation are…

The design and implementation of the Food Stamp Program's Simplified Application Demonstration Project are analyzed. The project was developed to test strategies which could reduce administrative costs and errors in the Food Stamp Program. This evaluation report presents data in the following categories: (1) administrative cost savings; (2)…

In response to a request from the chairman of the Congressional Select Committee on Aging, the General Accounting Office (GAO) investigated the potential effects of legislative proposals to provide catastrophic coverage to Medicare beneficiaries on beneficiaries' out-of-pocket health care expenses. The GAO reviewed GAO and other reports to…

At the request of Senator John Heinz and Representative John Edward Porter, the General Accounting Office (GAO) assessed the nature of increases in the costs of medical malpractice insurance over the years, how various states have tried to deal with medical malpractice problems, and what federal and state actions may be warranted. This report…

By examining prenatal care opportunities and health resources for low-income families, this paper investigates both the extent to which available health care in Virginia emphasizes a preventive approach and the extent to which Virginia's medically needy children have access to medical care. Statistics indicate that, as compared with the country as…

Coal, at one-third the cost of natural gas and one-fifth the cost of oil, is our cheapest source of energy and is also in abundant supply. Because of significant technological advances, coal-fired equipment now approaches the clean and automatic operational characteristics of gas- and oil-fired boilers. For these reasons, and because schools are…

This report re-evaluates evidence on the issue of age ranges served of handicapped children in Illinois schools, analyzes additional research on the issue, and estimates the cost that would be incurred if the current 3-21 year range were to be lowered to birth. A literature review addresses two broad areas: the identification and effectiveness of…

This paper examines some of the theoretical and practical issues confronting educational administrators who must make decisions regarding the implementation of microcomputers in their schools. A conceptual framework is offered for understanding the stages involved in the innovation decision process. Several attributes of innovations are discussed…

Article describes an operational, computer based planning model termed SHOT (Selection Hierarchy Optimization Tool). (Author)

The provost of Michigan State University discusses erroneous methods of increasing efficiency and other problems in pursuing efficiency at large institutions. He lists 14 actions tried at MSU to improve efficiency and effectiveness. (Author/MLF)

The technological mode of thought is inappropriate to comprehend the forms of cultural life in all its richness and variety. Unless accountability measures are concerned with the immensely diverse schemes and patterns by which people give meaning to their lives, schooling will be based on an impoverishment of reality. (HMD)

Notes on various topics, such as how the Virginia Higher Education system can cut costs; the University of South Carolina's personnel recruitment system; a cooperative program between a college and a hospital; and preparations for tornadoes at an Indiana college. (JF)