State-mandated assessment of student outcomes has emerged as a new feature in the higher education landscape. Many states have linked an institution's response to eligibility for incentive funds or other tangible rewards. The actual effects of these initiatives were studied in five states: Colorado, Missouri, New Jersey, South Dakota, and…

Summarizes articles on St. Louis desegregation plan in this special issue, referencing occupations and races of contributors. General conclusions drawn from these authors' analyses, and from other articles in the issue, include the following: (1) desegregation does not have an adverse effect; (2) state leadership is needed; (3) cooperation is…

Block granting disburses mental health funds largely at the discretion of state mental health authorities, and state priorities typically focus on the most severely ill persons. Rural centers may suffer because multipurpose programs responding to a wide range of community needs are excluded from the mental health service delivery concept. (JHZ)

Suggests that increases in state control necessitate new governance skills of community college leaders. Examines various state organizational structures and the nature of state control, emphasizing legislative intervention, state involvement in operational matters, and state-level governing boards. Feels that state coordination can enhance…

The thrust of most state initiatives is to encourage higher education institutions to undertake their own local assessment. Two kinds of state-wide testing are emerging: (1) basic skills assessment of entering students for access, placement, and remediation, and (2) testing to improve the curriculum. (MLW)

Summarizes public school finance in New York State, focusing on recent high levels of state aid. Discusses Speaker of Assembly's role as education advocate. This powerful Democrat formed a 1983 task force that studied financing, set priorities, issued a report, and produced a five-year plan to initiate further legislative action. Contains 2…

Surveys some of the issues and practices of state-funded prekindergarten programs. (HOD)

Concern about the quality of public colleges and universities and the effectiveness of mechanisms for governing and financing them have led states to launch reviews of their higher education systems. The experiences of four states (Arkansas, Kentucky, Michigan, and Minnesota) are described. (MLW)

Discusses the effects on teacher salaries and employment practices of several Canadian provinces' cost-cutting measures; emphasizes British Columbia's "Public Restraint Act" and public employees' response to it. (MCG)

Policies now being enacted by many states to reform teacher education include testing, alternate routes to certification, scholarships and loan forgiveness, incentives, and overhauling certification packages and institutional standards. However, these policy initiatives are not likely to provide many lasting benefits, based on performance to date.…

Never before in U.S. history has the quality of human resources--the skills and education of its people-been so important to the economic prospects of states and their residents. Within the next 20 years, the nation will lack 14 million people with postsecondary education unless states realize significant improvements in high school and…

This book articulates a process by which schools and districts can design their own standards-based system of education and provides models for implementing standards-based education. Chapter 1 describes the history of and impetus for the standards movement. Chapter 2 addresses such issues as: Where will the standards come from? What type of…

Public schools in the United States will face significant infrastructure needs within the next few years. Some of the numerous issues surrounding these needs, as they affect Nevada's schools, are detailed in this report. Current practices in Nevada have followed those of other quickly growing school systems in which funds are being diverted from…

The link between educational expenditure and student achievement remains a lively topic of debate after almost 30 years of study. This paper is designed to help legislators and other state policymakers understand a complex and technical area of research that will play an important role in state funding decisions. The paper examines why the…

This Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) report was designed to assist the California legislature in developing a long-term state strategy--or master plan--for improving the state's K-12 education system. A K-12 master plan would serve two purposes. In developing the plan, the legislature would create a forum to review the state's existing…