This book represents a collection of 7 works by authors arguing for the support of public spending on the arts: (1) "Introduction: The Value of Economic Reasoning and the Arts" (Harry Hillman-Chartrand), examines the changing social perception of the arts over time, and describes the interaction among the sectors of the arts; (2)…

A group-process approach to standard setting was compared to an independent approach for a medical specialty certification examination. Both approaches used the Angoff (1971) standard-setting method. In the group-process method, reviewers discussed items and their ratings during the rating process; in the independent condition, reviewers provided…

This report describes research that examined ways of reducing the costs of technical and vocational education programs, particularly in developing countries. The report is organized in three sections. The first section offers an extensive survey of recent and current literature, augmented by perspectives obtained from interviews with key…

In response to increased federal requirements for mandated services under child support reforms, several states have begun privatizing child support enforcement services that were traditionally delivered by public agencies. This report to the U.S. House of Representatives examines: (1) states' rationale for full-service privatization; (2) how the…

This report provides administrators, school boards, and policymakers with data to help them in the decision making process related to distance education systems. A literature review covers theories of distance education, distance education today, the economics of distance education, distance education and technology, transmission systems, and…

An analysis was made of the relative cost-effectiveness of two incentive programs for recruiting military personnel: enlistment bonuses and educational benefits. In comparing these alternative recruiting resources, the study considered the effects of such programs on the service history of recruits, including reserve component accessions, as well…

The items featured in this annotated bibliography touch on several aspects of the multifaceted class-size debate. Allen Odden reviews the literature and contends that class-size reduction should be used "sparingly and strategically." C. M. Achilles and colleagues examines two different class-size situations and find student test…

The practical issues of financial, human, and political costs involved in the restructuring efforts undertaken by five Washington State secondary schools, each of which is a member of the Coalition of Essential Schools, are addressed in this paper. The crux of the restructuring problem is to develop ways to provide staff members with the needed…

Cost issues associated with year-round schools (YRS) are examined in this paper, which asserts that the cost of operating a YRS program depends on a district's classroom space and student population. YRS is recommended if there is a need to utilize classroom space or school facilities more efficiently to accommodate a student population that…

The Grounds Shop of the Chesapeake Public School Division (Virginia) Department of School Plants was evaluated in 1995-96. The goals of the grounds maintenance program are to provide safe and attractive grounds for students, parents, and staff of the school district. The evaluation examined the extent to which these goals are being met by using…

Financial estimates for achieving the six national education goals proposed at the Charlottesville Education Summit are provided in this paper. Specific objectives under each goal, as outlined by the National Goals Panel, are assessed. A conclusion is that although the cost estimates have involved huge assumptions and sometimes wide variations,…

Year-round schools operate 12 months rather than the traditional 9- or 10-month schedule. On a multitrack year-round schedule, attendance is staggered so that some students are on vacation while others attend school the usual number of days (about 180). Year-round schools can usually accommodate more students and offer an alternative to…

A study examined the effectiveness of IBM's (International Business Machines') "Writing to Read" (WTR) program in teaching kindergartners and first graders to read. Scores of 257 kindergarten students (enrolled in 2 experimental and 2 control schools) on the California Achievement Test were used to determine if the WTR program was more…

Issues in economies of scale and optimal school size are discussed in this paper, which seeks to explain the curvilinear nature of the educational cost curve as a function of "transaction costs" and to establish "optimal size" as a relative concept. Based on the argument that educational consolidation has facilitated diseconomies of scale, the…

Problems in educational cost accounting and a new cost accounting approach are described in this paper. The limitations of the individualized cost (student units) approach and the comparative cost approach (in the form of fund-function-object) are illustrated. A new strategy, an activity-based system of accounting, is advocated. Borrowed from…