Findings of a study that examined the effectiveness of Alaska's Public Employment Relations Act (PERA) on labor relations between school employees and local school districts are presented in this report. Methodology involved: (1) document analysis; (2) interviews with members of professional organizations, district administrators, presidents and…

Widespread educational reform will occur only if encouraged by a coherent policy environment that explicitly supports fundamental change and unleashes the imagination and energy of students, teachers, parents, and community leaders. To prepare students well for the 21st century, our education system requires an interdisciplinary environment, a…

In 1990, the Arizona legislature initiated the Arizona School Restructuring Pilot Project. This report identifies local- and state-level barriers encountered in the first 2 years. Outcomes are presented for the 15 pilot schools--11 elementary and 4 high schools--that were selected in a competitive grant process. Data were collected through school…

Although overall crime rates in Texas are decreasing, violent crime rates among juveniles in the state are on the rise. This document describes the scope of the school violence problem in Texas based on available data. It describes current national and Texas policy initiatives and programs related to school safety and violence prevention.…

Strategies for reducing by one-half the school dropout rate in the southern United States are presented in this report. Sixteen recommendations made by the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) are discussed. These involve the following general areas: setting local goals, focusing on student outcomes, improving the reporting system, and…

A framework for New York communities interested in establishing drug-free school zones is provided in this guidebook. Chapters 1-4 present background information to familiarize the reader with drug-free school zones, relevant alcohol and drug abuse policies and concepts, and school/community partnerships. Chapters 5 and 6 offer guidelines for the…

Political influences in teacher education policy-making are examined in this paper, which identifies the political players involved and describes current state and national teacher education policy issues and activities. Methodology involved document analysis and interviews with one state education agency staff member from each of the following…

A critical and comparative study of recent changes in the New Zealand educational system is provided in this book. These changes have been largely inspired by the New Right, yet they have been introduced by a Labor government with an apparent commitment to equality of opportunity. For Western societies impacted by New Right policies the New…

Review of doctoral degree programs in Texas public colleges and universities is discussed. Attention is directed to review procedures and strengths and weaknesses in the state's doctoral programs in educational psychology, counseling and guidance, and student personnel services. Doctoral programs were reviewed because of their high cost and a…

This brief publication provides general background on issues related to using microcomputers for instruction and suggests ways in which computer technologies can be included in state education improvement plans. Specific computer assisted instruction (CAI) uses mentioned are individual drill and practice and developing higher order skills. Three…

This history of the development of the Virginia Community College System, with its 23 community colleges and central office, explores how a broadened base of higher education was accomplished through an evolutionary process and shows that certain people in the state advocated some sort of broadening long before the actual development of the…

This report summarizes a state senate committee's assessment of school performance in Alaska and its conclusions and recommendations to the legislature. Chapter 1 describes Alaska's school districts, school enrollment, and educational expenditures. Chapter 2 discusses school reform in America in 1983-87, Alaska's comparative lack of reform…

The purpose of this Children's Defense Fund (CDF) briefing book for child advocates, community activists, professionals, policymakers, parents, citizens, members of the media, and political leaders is to dramatically increase public consciousness about children's needs and solutions to those needs. The book uses the election year process to build…

Part of a series of classroom aids designed for real estate instructors, this instructional packet was developed to help real estate students understand where the power to condemn property comes from, which entities have this power, what the condemnation procedure is in Texas, and how property rights are best protected. First, information about…

This report describes how, in the aftermath of Hurricane Hugo, the South Carolina Department of Mental Health activated its Emergency Preparedness Plan to assist mental health centers and their staff in providing crisis counseling services to the general public. The first section explains the history and structure of the involvement by the…