The problem of ensuring quality in mass education systems is as old as the systems themselves. Responses to this problem reflect the political and cultural organisation of different nation states. In the USA the problem has to be dealt with at a local level. The federal government is very restricted in powers in the field of education and social…

This research review suggests that welfare reform policy should recognize the differences between rural and urban poor families. The rural poor are more likely to be employed, married, and non-Hispanic white. Rural-urban labor market differences are also likely to influence the effects of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity…

The five former Soviet republics of Central Asia (Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan) have become separate states, developing at different rates and in different directions, and with different political and economic regimes. As a result, the cohesion of the region has broken down and economic development is…

In attempting to provide answers to the questions posed by the British Columbia Council on Admissions and Transfer, the consultant examined practices of credit transfer between and among both public and private institutions in selected jurisdictions outside British Columbia and discussed the questions with representatives of public and private…

Several years after the passage of NCLB, there are persistently low-performing schools in every state that face increasingly strong consequences for failing to improve student achievement sufficiently. Schools failing to make AYP for five consecutive years must engage in restructuring to improve student learning. Districts have several options for…

This paper outlines the issues relating to teacher education and teacher supply in Malawi. Malawi has a severe shortage of teachers. Over the years, particularly since EFA the student numbers has gone up yet the teacher supply has not followed the increased student numbers. This paper outlines the broader picture as a basis for further…

This collection of six case studies is a by-product of a European-focused study that sought to understand the policies focused on children from birth to age 3, whether directly affecting the children or reaching them indirectly through their parents. The study examined the social infrastructure in which the specific "under-3" policies…

To inform policymakers as they deliberate over the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) reauthorization, this guide reviews what states have done with the flexibility afforded them by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act. The first section examines how states have shaped their welfare reform strategies…

This paper examines the discourse on Aboriginal higher education in Australia from the 1960s through the 1990s through an analysis of educational reports and government policy documents on tertiary education. Early in this period, the focus was on education as "welfare," but the emphasis shifted towards equity in higher education policy during the…

This documents consists of two monographs, first published in 1973 and 1975, which examine the purpose and functions of institutional policy in dealing with the problems and issues affecting higher education. Their focus is conceptual, and the discussion looks to the philosophical, historical, and sociocultural underpinnings of institutional…

This paper provides an early analysis of child care subsidies under welfare reform. The paper reviews the literature on child care subsidies and discusses the potential for such subsidies to be an effective part of the effort to make low-income families economically self-sufficient. The paper then uses data from the National Survey of America's…

The history of comparative higher education for purposes of policy analysis is chronicled from its origins in comparative political science and public administration. Methodology is discussed, and some recent studies are examined. It is concluded that comparative higher education has not gone far beyond the descriptive stage, and must take…

This article examines major issues in the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act noting key features of the last (1992) reauthorization and current issues such as the rising cost of college, college outcomes assessment, eligibility of students in remedial courses for federal student financial aid, accreditation, and the future of the student…

The No Child Left Behind Act reflects a decision by Congress that federal money not be squandered searching for local solutions, but that scientifically based research be utilized to ensure that every student meets academic standards. The school improvement process requires that local stakeholders cooperatively plan an improvement process, and…

Describes a study of the location of decision-making authority in state community colleges at the college or governance board level. Examines differences in authority for academic, personnel, and administrative matters. Suggests that decision-making authority generally rested at the local level, although personnel decisions were more likely to be…