Attempts to resolve the dual standard in state treatment of aliens: minimal review of measures limiting participation in important "governmental functions" to citizens, but stringent scrutiny of measures disadvantaging aliens in other contexts. Available from Harvard Law Review Association, Gannett House, Cambridge, Mass. 02138; sc…

Describes the impact of California's Proposition 13 on the finances of one California school district. (IRT)

Presents a brief outline of the characteristics of effective staff development programs and lists seven sources of help for school districts and staffs designing staff development programs. (JM)

Presents recommendations for parents and educators who want to affect state policies and legislation for children. (MP)

Briefly explores the impact on library services of Proposition 13 and similar measures and suggests that the consequent proposals to charge user fees may threaten the entire concept of the free public library. (Author)

The author analyzes the direct and indirect costs of collective bargaining and concludes that indirect costs, although difficult to assess, may have greater long-range implications for negotiations. Some suggestions are offered for reducing the length of the negotiations process and thereby reducing indirect costs. (Author)

Discusses the problems of public financial disclosure in two states. In New York, the governor has ordered that scientists employed by the state must comply; in California, state law requires financial disclosure and prohibits "conflict of interest" financial activities of employees of state agencies, interpreted to include universities…

Reviews current sources of information in public-sector labor relations, analyzes why a national information source would be beneficial to practitioners, and points out the problems associated with publishing such a service. (Author/JG)

A guide to assist library/media specialists in developing a campaign for the improvement of learning opportunities for students through increased public support and commitment for school library/media programs. (Author)

A Louisville elementary school has a brighter future, thanks to the Kentucky Education Reform Act. Kennedy School's reform efforts predated the 1990 state law, but teachers and administrators credit KERA with providing appropriate resources and a psychic push toward success. Although the school suffered a performance drop in 1996, it has made vast…

Charter schools are hot; over 30 states will have them on their books by the end of 1996. Research shows that charter schools are generally small; focused on interdisciplinary curricula or technology or back-to-basics; serve diverse student populations; feature innovative instruction; and are inadequately funded and housed. Effects on student…

Depicts the current state of teacher certification, asserting that state laws giving teacher education programs a monopoly are the core problem. Advocates a competitive certification model. (Contains 23 endnotes.) (SK)

Examines the implementation of Short-Lived Unanticipated Grants (SLUG) in Connecticut to determine to what extent the political process distorted the reform. Describes the SLUG proposal and its estimation in the median-voter model. Describes evidence of special-interest behavior of the school bureaucracy. Questions use of median-voter model to…

Whether joint custody should be mandated by state law as the norm for divorcing couples is hotly debated between fathers' and mothers' rights groups and among mental health and legal professionals. This debate is traced, and the public policy implications of recent joint custody research are discussed. Policies for strengthening coparenting after…

Estimates impact of liberalization of New York State abortion law in 1970 on adolescent childbearing in New York City. Analyzes monthly data on number of births to White and Black adolescents from 1963-87. Findings indicate that level of births to Black adolescents fell 18.7 percent and births to White adolescents fell 14.1 percent after the law…