Idaho has made substantial progress carrying out its State School Improvement Plan under the direction of the Idaho State Board of Education and the Idaho State Department of Education, and with funding under the Goals 2000: Educate America Act. Three major areas of accomplishment provide the basis for continuing improvement activities. The first…

The issue of whether scientific research is included within the system of protected expression afforded by the first amendment is addressed. Examined is the applicability of constitutional doctrine to state action to prohibit, burden, or decline to fund research because the area of inquiry itself is considered inappropriate or suspect. (AF)

Examines problems faced by first year teachers, focusing on the shortage of well-qualified minority group beginning teachers. Recommendations for inducting and retaining an ethnically diverse teaching force are offered, emphasizing the roles of public school educators, university personnel, state legislators and agencies, and advocacy and…

Identifies roles and strategies that district and state agencies can use to support action research at the school level. Districts can pool resources, develop collaborative relationships with other agencies, and improve funding. State governments have similar roles, and can help disseminate best practices across regions. (SLD)

Discusses the impending shortage of school librarians. Topics include state hiring mandates that don't require certified media specialists; certified library personnel shortages; staffing ratios; support staff; access to library education programs, including distance education via the Internet; and future concerns. (LRW)

Written under the joint auspices of the Educational Excellence Network of Vanderbilt University (Tennessee) and the National Conference of State Legislatures, this book contains nine chapters, by leading educators, divided into five sections that explore the major issues in education reform. Following a foreword by John Martin and an introduction…

This report envisions Texas schools using one another as resources and the campus planning process as a vehicle for implementing research-based concepts and practices in the middle grades. Since Texas' restructuring effort will not succeed without commitment to staff development from all levels of the education community, the need for teacher and…

An administrative manual prepared in compliance with the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act, and to supplement the State Plan, was distributed to all local educational agencies in Missouri to communicate the need for actively encouraging the enrollment in school of homeless children and youth. The manual includes the following: a summary…

A comprehensive strategy for allocating New York's resources for combating illiteracy must be adopted. The state's education department must become more active in coordinating literacy education efforts by publishing and circulating a directory of all public, private, and volunteer literacy services currently available. The state education…

The study examines changes since 1987 in the involvement of state departments of education (SDEs) in school/college collaborations and their support of such collaborations. It also investigates the roles of SDEs and others in initiating collaborations, strategies for intervention, aids and barriers to collaboration, relations with higher…

This report offers task force recommendations to provide greater support and understanding for adolescents and young adults. The Commission report and recommendations focus on the issues of teenage pregnancy, drug and alcohol abuse, juvenile delinquency, dropping out of school, and suicide. Part 1, "Growing Up in Texas," begins with an…

State control over education appears to be increasing as a result of state efforts to develop specific programs in response to calls for educational excellence. Missouri's Excellence in Education Act of 1985 was just such an effort and was aimed particularly at improving teaching by attracting and retaining teachers of high quality. The act…

Changes in foreign student services and tuition and admission policies affecting foreign students from 1983 to 1985 were surveyed at 681 public colleges and universities. With annual percentage increases below 1%, most colleges had stable (42%) or declining (30%) foreign enrollment since 1983. A third of the schools did not maintain foreign…

Strategic planning is a technique that has been developed to help managers and leaders address the need for organizational transformation in response to societal change. Its elements include external environmental scanning, internal capacity analysis, participation and involvement, mission and strategic goals, implementation/linkage plans, and…

The Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) of the U.S. Congress was asked to analyze various technological options for distance education, examine current developments, and identify how Federal, State, and local policies could encourage more efficient and effective use of technology in education. This report complements OTAs assessment of use of…