The debate over how to prepare a new generation of teachers has reached a fever pitch in education and policy communities. This policy brief takes the viewpoint that quality alternative certification programs (ACPs) offer ways to develop a broader pool of prospective teachers while helping states address concerns about teacher development,…

Discusses the relationship of the Equal Protection Clause to the underlying premises of State educational finance decisions: (1) the Equal Protection Clause and local government generally, (2) the Equal Protection Clause and geographical classifications, (3) the Equal Protection Clause and geographical classifications of services or benefits, (4)…

Describes some of the activities which surrounded and influenced one instance of educational policy making at the State level in a recent assessment of public schools in Michigan. (DE)

Reviews major legal actions, from the filing (by the author) of the original 1956 lawsuit against the Little Rock (Arkansas) School Board, to the court order reopening the schools in 1959, to the present when the battle over segregation is still being waged and new lawsuits have been filed. (CMG)

An October 1981 Wingspread conference is reported that centered on four topics: tendencies in governance since the 1966 "Statement on Government of Colleges and Universities"; the faculty role in the budgeting process; the relation between academic governance and collective bargaining; the impact of statewide boards and systems. (MLW)

The history and purpose of the deferral requirements of the equal employment provisions of the 1964 Civil Rights Act are traced. The problems they have created are discussed and some possible solutions are suggested. Available from: the University of Baltimore School of Law, 1420 North Charles Street, Baltimore, Md. 21201. (LBH)

The standards movement is in a state of crisis. Although states have made progress in developing and implementing standards, some standards-driven reforms and takeover sanctions represent significant threats to students and educators. Principals should focus on new opportunities to become instructional leaders, help teachers use standards to…

Examines three decades of school finance legislation, highlighting emerging judicial constructs of equity and adequacy. Generally, court decisions have turned on adequacy, rather than equity considerations. There is a broad movement under way to secure, in law and practice, poor children's rights to equal opportunity and nondiscrimination. This…

Presents information obtained on the status of comprehensive state-level environmental education (EE) programs in the United States. Comprehensive state-level EE programs include a combination of program, structure, and funding components. As of early 1996, no state had implemented all 16 components of a comprehensive program. (AIM)

Discusses the historical developments and major policy shifts that contextualize higher education access for Hispanic and other underrepresented students in Texas. Describes the doctoral program of University of Texas-Pan American as an example of an effort to address the state's moral and economic imperatives of ensuring access to higher…

Initial findings from a five-year study of the educational reform process and its effects are reported. Findings derive from interviews with state and local policymakers and educators in 24 districts and 59 schools from 6 states. Areas discussed are politics of reform, state role, student standards and teacher-related policies. (IAH)

Instead of decoding sentences, good readers build meaning by integrating their knowledge with the text. Reading assessment must shift from traditional quantifiable tests to a portfolio system incorporating multiple measures and indicators of expertise. Michigan and Illinois efforts to translate interactive reading theory into assessment practices…

True educational reform is the creation of a renewed identity at the school and classroom level when teachers and students interact in new, more productive ways. This article describes California's educational reform movement, presents evidence of successful change, and identifies where continued work needs to be done. (TE)

The desire for students to graduate with more than basic skills has fueled interest in performance assessment methods such as essay writing, group science experiments, or portfolio preparation. Officials in Vermont, California, Kentucky, Maryland, and other states are betting that performance assessments may prove as powerful a classroom influence…

In 1987, Connecticut Department of Education initiated the CORE Institute to administer its Cooperating Teacher and the Beginning Educator Support Teacher Program. Although findings of a state program evaluation survey were positive, a subsequent case study of the cooperating teacher/student teacher relationship disclosed possible difficulties…