Administrators looking for budget relief might look for cost savings in pupil transportation. The basic school bus that meets federal standards, with no optional equipment, is the safest vehicle on the road. The best investment in a transportation program is driver training. Route and schedule changes might lead to an increase in efficiency…

Lists eight journal articles written by Charles Bunge that address the measurement of library reference effectiveness. Topics include determining goals; gathering data to determine effectiveness through user satisfaction; assessing reference output; costs and benefits; interpreting data; and the use of computerized forms to gather data. (LRW)

Describes the development of a Web-based union catalog for the New England Law Library Consortium (NELLCO) called DOM (Dom's Online Catalogs). Discusses early use of CD-ROMs; problems with using MARC records; search strategies; code samples; response time; and cost effectiveness. (LRW)

Electronic methods of transacting and managing business represent the future of college and university services. With proper planning, an all-campus card program offers many benefits and full cost recovery. The extensive Duke University (North Carolina) smart-card program illustrates the flexibility, utility, and cost-effectiveness of the concept.…

Presents a method for libraries with limited budgets to create reliable Web servers with existing hardware and free software available via the Internet. Discusses staff, hardware and software requirements, and security; outlines the assembly process. (PEN)

School nurses are essential and cost-effective for school districts. Local school districts and state and local health departments can work together to benefit children. Districts that have analyzed the cost-benefit ratio of school nurses have striking evidence of their cost-effectiveness. The more health services are made available to children at…

Techno-babble is the use of fancy terms to make new products look cutting-edge. Discusses five terms-their meaning, and strengths and weaknesses. Technology-support staff should relate complicated technical terms in simplified but not patronizing words. (MLF)

Information was collected on 63 adults with mental retardation in supported living residences, 55 in small group homes, and 152 in large group homes. Compared to small group homes, those in supported living residences had greater choice, participated in more community-based activities, and were considered at greater risk of exploitation. (Contains…

We describe 3 computer-based neuroscience laboratories. In the first 2 labs, we used commercially available interactive software to enhance the study of functional and comparative neuroanatomy and neurophysiology. In the remaining lab, we used customized software and hardware in 2 psychophysiological experiments. With the use of the computer-based…

Purpose - The classical form of dual vocational training in Switzerland is on-the-job training combined with theoretical education in a school. In order to be an attractive educational choice for both enterprises and pupils, the apprenticeship model has to be constantly adapted to the demands of the labour market. As a potential model for future…

Accurate, early screening is a prerequisite for indicated interventions intended to prevent development of externalizing disorders and delinquent behaviors. Using the Fast Track longitudinal sample of 396 children drawn from high-risk environments, the authors varied assumptions about base rates and examined effects of multiple-time-point and…

Graves (2005) suggested that academic freedom might impede efforts to improve institutional performance and achieve the goals set for learning outcomes, cost efficiency, and preparing students for the workplace. The author's initial response to threats to academic freedom and calls for efficiency is to bristle, because he views these as threats to…

Examines the politics of school budgeting. School managers operate with primitive accounting systems that can mask financial problems for years and are trapped by state, federal, and union mandates. Reforms include allowing districts flexibility to reallocate money; demanding both instructional leadership and financial expertise from…

This paper discusses methodological criteria for environmental education. The place of environmental education in the curriculum has led to its being considered as a dimension that should cut across different disciplines, instead of offering a corpus of contents by itself. Nevertheless, experience has shown that ecology has systematically filled…

Podcasting is an automated technology that allows listeners to subscribe and listen to digitally recorded audio shows. Once one subscribes to a podcast, the audio files are automatically downloaded to a computer?s media player by podcatcher software periodically throughout the day. Podcasting has been used primarily for disseminating recorded…