In 1992, the Illinois Community College Board forged new ground in accountability for higher education by adopting a plan for the implementation of educational guarantees. Guarantees demonstrate the community colleges' dedication to providing exemplary programs and service. Guarantees ensure that graduates of community college technical programs…

This report describes the mission, features, and recent trends of Colorado's extended campus programs, beginning with the Statewide Extended Studies Program which is the state's vehicle for the delivery of off-campus instruction and continuing education throughout Colorado. The primary purpose of the program is to extend the instructional…

This report reviews the outcomes of a forum convened to examine policy and practice issues surrounding the annual evaluation of effectiveness of programs and services for students with disabilities. At the forum, alternative approaches being used by states to implement program evaluation were discussed, along with issues in gathering…

This state plan for education of students with disabilities in New York provides information on how the state's provision of special education programs and services in the least restrictive environment complies with federal law and regulation (especially the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act). The report describes planning and program…

This paper examines the complex web of state basic and categorical aid programs in New York, with particular attention to the components of basic aid. State aid to elementary-secondary education in New York is distributed through a four-point basic-aid program and over 30 categorical programs. The first part of the paper describes the components…

The purpose of this report is to inform New Jersey legislators, the governor, and other public officials about the status of child care in the state and to make recommendations that include government and private sector activities. An introductory section describes the structure of the New Jersey Child Care Advisory Council (CCAC) and lists the…

The First Impressions initiative was created in 1987 by Governor Roy Romer of Colorado to increase public awareness of the critical importance of the first 5 years of life, assist communities in developing effective programs for young children and their families, and influence early childhood policy and practice. In 1991-92, the priorities of…

This newsletter article describes early identification of children who have hearing impairments in Oregon. Oregon was selected to demonstrate a model system for early identification that had been developed in Utah. A new birth certificate was designed, which enabled the Oregon Health Division to screen for risk factors for hearing loss. A…

A Legislative Commission formed by the Nevada Legislature studied public elementary and secondary education in the state and made several recommendations. The state's Class-Size Reduction Program should be continued. The State Department of Education should study tracking of students in public schools. School districts should expand the…

This paper describes how the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is using constructivist theory and research to inform educational policy and practice. The state's most concentrated and comprehensive effort in this direction is Project Construct, a unified instructional approach for children ages 3-7. The project consists of…

This newsletter feature issue focuses on quality assurance and innovative efforts to enhance service quality for persons with developmental disabilities. Individual articles include: "Redesigning Quality Assurance" (Clarence J. Sundram); "Quality Assurance, Quality Enhancement" (Charlie Lakin et al.); "Challenging…

This 3-year plan for development of services for persons with developmental disabilities in Minnesota covers the period from October 1, 1991 to September 30, 1994. Such a plan is required under the federal Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 1990. The plan's first section describes and defines developmental…

This annual report summarizes activities of the Alabama Public Library Service for the fiscal year 1992. The following general areas are discussed: (1) agency services, including agency restructuring and personnel lay-offs, children's summer library program, the state union list of serials, automated systems, and production of a second edition of…

This report reviews legislative and administrative policies surrounding adult basic education, the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills program (JOBS) of the Family Support Act, and the Job Training and Partnership Act (JTPA). Recommendations are made for the development of an effective continuum of literacy services. Section A is a historical…

This is the first report from a 5-year study of the classroom level effects of state assessment reforms. The first year examines changes in the teaching of writing and mathematics in Kentucky elementary and middle schools as a result of the Kentucky Instructional Results Information System and the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA). This report…