Secondary vocational-technical education programs in Mississippi are faced with many challenges resulting from sweeping educational reforms at the national and state levels. Schools and teachers are increasingly being held accountable for providing true learning activities to every student in the classroom. This accountability is measured through…

In this article, the authors describe the extraordinary perseverance, and a series of legislative efforts of Indian education advocates in implementing a bill known as Indian Education for All (IEFA). The bill established three primary objectives with regard to Indian education in the state: (1) Every Montanan, whether Indian or non-Indian, is to…

This report summarizes the key laws, policies, and regulations and current or persistent issues associated with Tennessee public education. Two major questions directed the inquiry: What were the principal educational policy developments in Tennessee in the 1980s and 1990s? and What major educational challenges and issues currently exist in…

Within the public elementary/secondary school systems of the United States there is tremendous diversity in educational funding provided by the federal government, states, and localities. An issue of intense interest to education policymakers is what influences the level and composition of state and local spending. This publication contains…

In 1995, Arkansas enacted two new bills that changed the way in which schools were financed. Act 916 required all school districts to levy a 25-mill tax based on an assessment ratio of 20 percent of use value on all property for maintenance and operation. The act also revised biennial appropriations for the State Department of Education,…

This report describes and analyses state support for higher education in fiscal year 1996. The report provides an analysis of funding trends nationwide; a national map showing percentages of 2-year gains for all states; a table showing appropriations amounts by state for the most recent 3 years as well as percentage changes; a table showing state…

Arkansas' new finance law, Act 917, is difficult to understand because it has not been logically organized. This paper explains in detail the following provisions of the law: average daily membership (ADM) computation; local share; minimum and maximum millage; state support (including how priorities are set and the forms of state aid not covered,…

This report to the Mississippi Legislature presents the findings of a review of the central office of the State Board of Trustees of Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL). The review committee sought to determine if the accounting practices and external controls over the IHL central office ensured an adequate level of accountability for public…

This study examined the enrollment rates and policies related to non-resident first-time-in-college (FTIC) students at State University System (SUS) institutions in Florida. It found that non-resident FTIC students were not taking SUS admission spaces from qualified Florida residents in any great numbers. Nevertheless, it recommends that: (1) the…

Legislative mandates in California and at the federal level require written parental consent for surveys of children and youth on: sexual behavior and attitudes; illegal, antisocial and criminal behavior; and psychological problems. Active parental refusal and nonresponse to requests for permission threaten the generalizability of information…

The system for financing education in Illinois fails to deliver sufficient resources to the school districts that need them most. Although no individual or administrative unit acts to deprive particular groups, the system as a whole does. Using Census figures, state and local tax records and information from the Illinois Board of Education, this…

This report summarizes the work of Minnesota's Legislative Commission on Children, Youth, and Their Families (LCCYF). The commission was established in 1991 to study state policy and legislation affecting children and their families, and to make recommendations to promote the present and future well-being of these groups. The report begins with an…

This paper provides an overview of the legal considerations involved in the search process for administrative and faculty personnel and the results of a survey of search processes at 89 colleges and universities. It includes excerpts from 10 federal laws concerning non-discrimination in the workplace requirements along with examples of applicable…

This report addresses the legislation passed by the 1990 Minnesota Legislature concerning the African American Youth Treatment Planning effort for providing five recommendations on prevention, treatment, and aftercare of drug abuse for this population. Based on a literature review and needs assessment that entailed a demographic and socioeconomic…

The impact of testing and promotion standards on students in urban schools was discussed by urban school superintendents from New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Pointing to research that suggests that standards alone are not enough to boost achievement, many educators recommend coupling more rigorous standards with appropriate remedial programs, staff…