During 1981, a study was conducted to determine whether vocational-technical school district directors and community college presidents in Wisconsin who worked under an appointed board and directors/presidents in other states who worked under an elected board perceived the effectiveness of elected and appointed boards differently. Questionnaires…

The Alaska School Effectiveness Project produced several reports in a series of reviews of research literature on such topics as the principal as instructional leader. Using an ERIC search and conventional library methods, the question raised was "Does active instructional leadership on the part of elementary school principals have a positive…

This issue of "Policy Notes" examines some of the issues surrounding research dissemination, or the means by which policy-makers become aware of and assimilate research knowledge. The articles in this issue provide added perspectives to the findings of an Institute for Research on Educational Finance and Governance (IFG) survey, in three states,…

Current public demands for increased educational quality can best be met at the state education agency (SEA) level, but the SEA is faced with the fact that no single, clearly acceptable definition of educational quality exists. As a result of this lack of consensus, the SEA must examine the policy options available before taking action. First,…

To understand and comprehend the extent of the present and potential impact of energy costs on New York State's educational system, a study sought to discover the record of schools in energy conservation; their participation in federal and state conservation initiatives; the factors that inhibit school participation in energy conservation…

During the year 1981, the National Advisory Council on Vocational Education (NACVE), composed of 37 members, conducted 4 full-membership meetings, in addition to meetings of committees of the Council. As a result of these meetings, the Council issued seven papers on the following topics: vocational education in correctional institutions; policy…

Ideas that have been developed in the decision support systems (DSS) literature that seem particularly relevant to institutional research, planning, and analysis (IRPA) are reviewed. In addition, a survey of practitioners in Canadian universities that provides new information on the rapidly changing current state of information technology,…

In 1979, El Camino College revised its faculty evaluation procedure, impelled by concerns over the severe consequences and resultant rarity of unsatisfactory ratings, the reluctance of faculty to evaluate their peers, and the high requirements of faculty time. The new procedure includes the following components: (1) options allowing tenured…

This document, developed by the Ninth Institute on Rehabilitation Issues Prime Study Group on Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD), is intended to provide basic information and guidelines to state agencies for implementing meaningful services to SLD clients. The publication is organized into five sections, with each section divided into…

The current status of state policy on minimum competency testing in Wisconsin, and the political process that produced that policy, are explored in this report. The document presents the preliminary findings of research conducted for a doctoral dissertation. The research methodology, mentioned only briefly, involved participant observation,…

The purpose of this report is to identify the issues that policy makers and practitioners ought to consider when formulating and establishing social policies and services for young children. The six chapters included are grouped according to three parts. Part 1 describes the context of social and family environments for children living in the…

A cross-national analysis reveals that women's status in contemporary society must be considered as a multidimensional phenomenon and that no one isolated factor best explains women's overall position. Using data from "The Handbook of International Data on Women" (Boulding and others, 1976), and from United Nations documents, a model to reflect…

Rural education may be the beneficiary of the current national focus on educational reform since concerns have centered on improving education for all students regardless of where they live, a direction not emphasized in most previous reform movements. The reforms bring challenges relating to teacher certification, curriculum, facilities, student…

The findings and recommendations of five task forces, composed of members of major Latino organizations and experts in Latino affairs, are summarized in this report on the public policy needs of Hispanics. The five areas of concern covered by the task forces are statistical policy and data needs; employment ane economic well being; social services…

Symposium participants concentrated on maintaining the economic viability of agriculture through improved agribusiness techniques including increased individual and collective marketing strategies and greater responsiveness to consumer demands. Related problems were decline of roads and bridges, competition with nonagricultural users for rural…