Argues that the Targeted Research and Development Program on Reading's use of the convergence technique may lead to research directed toward very limited goals and suggests a means of including a wider variety of research approaches. Bibliography. (RW)

Three members of Congress discuss Federal programs for educating the Spanish speaking. (JF)

Four functions of federal project officers in managing program evaluations with support from contract research firms are described: (1) articulating evaluation requirements; (2) providing for fairness in contract awards; (3) monitoring ongoing studies; and (4) transmitting evaluation results to decision makers. (Author/PN)

Demand is intensifying for highly skilled workers qualified for jobs in high technology companies. Training (and retraining) for these jobs is being offered and supported by various groups/programs. Discusses cooperative and federal programs, internal retraining, contract training services, and vocational school training. Examples of such programs…

Attempts to cut government costs have unfairly focused on social security, disregarding its importance to older Americans. The program also has been perceived erroneously as being on the verge of bankruptcy. Both Congress and the nation, however, must seek solutions to the cash-flow difficulties of the system. (Author/AOS)

Data from reports of the federally funded Child Service Demonstration Centers (CSDCs) are said to show that only three CSDCs adhered to all criteria in the federal definition of learning disabilities. The author suggests that LD should be adopted as a generic term for all mild handicaps. (CL)

Principle work of 23 state geological surveys is summarized. Work includes mapping/estimating coal resources, centralizing data in National Coal Resources Data System through cooperative programs, exploration drilling, and others. Comments on U.S. Geological Survey activities, coal-related conferences/meetings, and industry research activities are…

Examines historic functions of young people in the labor force and discusses how social, demographic, and economic changes since the late 1950s have pushed youth into consuming goods and services and prevented them from entering the primary labor market. Focuses in particular on the economic plight of minority youth. (GC)

An evaluation system was designed which directly addresses federal legislation for accountability in vocational education programs. Six criteria were included; three focus on interim evidence of project success, and three address final evidence of project effectiveness. (Author/GK)

William J. Bennett, chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities, discusses his views on the role of the humanities in the classroom and on the future direction of the Endowment in an interview with Linda Chavez. (GC)

Shows how evaluation design and federal involvement in Youth Employment Demonstration Projects unintentionally cause a negative appraisal. Indicates the problem stems from interaction of the contract research corporation, the educational research establishment, and the federal bureaucracy, rather than a specific methodology or bureaucratic…

The collaborative effort between university researchers and a CETA sponsor aimed at "knowledge development" in employment and training services for disadvantaged out-of-school youth is described. Discussion is included concerning the feasibility of experimental evaluation for youth employment programs in a local setting. (Author/GK)

This article describes the breadth of federal support for educational knowledge production and application. Support from the Education Division of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare is discussed in detail. (Author/MC)