Data from the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights showing that Indiana ranked first in the nation in expulsion and ninth in the nation in expulsions in the most recent available statistics cannot help but raise questions concerning why this is so. At a preliminary presentation of that data before the Indiana State Legislature in…

The 2001 Florida Legislature passed Ch. 2001-125, Laws of Florida, Section 40, which is often referred to as the Safe Passage Act. It requires all school districts to conduct a self-assessment of their school safety and security using best practices developed by the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA). It also…

This document articulates the guiding principles of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) for the creation, adoption, and implementation of higher education policy. The policy positions of the AASCU are founded on a commitment to supporting and advancing the best interests of students. Among the ideals on which the…

In the last decade, caseloads in Aid to Families with Dependent Children and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families have shifted dramatically up, then down. Existing studies do not explain the changes well or reveal policies behind the fluctuations or the important role of government quality in shaping welfare reform. This study uses…

This issue paper presents an assessment of Georgia's need for schools facilities--both current need as well as the additional need created by law HB 1187. This paper identifies the current unmet needs of the state, which are primarily in the fastgrowing systems. For the purposes of this paper, the current unmet needs are addressedseparately from…

This report builds on information prepared for and presented at the June 2001 meeting of the National Alliance on the American High School (the Alliance). It focuses on one layer of the education system, state policy, which was selected for study because major changes in practice are hard to establish and even harder to sustain when state policies…

Kansas Public Schools are required by state law to have a program of patriotic exercises that includes instructions relating to flag etiquette, use, display, recitation of the "Pledge of Allegiance," and observance of legal holidays. The Kansas State Board of Education (KSBE) has prepared this booklet as a resource for schools to develop…

This handbook provides arts specialists and gifted coordinators with procedures for identifying students who are gifted in drama. To be effective, the screening and identification process requires participation by personnel with expertise in the characteristics of gifted students, assessment, and drama. The handbook begins with an overview of the…

This report, third in a series on education finance, examines U.S. education budgets recently passed by state legislatures and contrasts them with proposed gubernatorial budgets. The generally strong economy allowed state legislatures to increase total state FY 1998 education spending by over $2 billion (1.5 percent) from governors' own proposed…

The concern about alcohol marketing and underage drinking has been heightened by recent findings in the scientific research community. Studies have established that alcohol advertising exposure influences a young person's beliefs about alcohol and his/her intention to drink. They also suggest that advertising may have a direct impact on youth…

Texas legislation allows public school districts to use a variety of contracting methods to obtain the "best value" for their construction projects. This resource document provides some of the basic framework regarding laws governing the award of construction contracts by school districts and institutions of higher education. Also…

This document highlights the policy and advocacy positions that the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) will assume in upcoming legislative and regulatory processes. Member institutions will find these policies predictive of advocacy efforts on their behalf; policymakers will find positions predicated on the needs of…

This report represents the fifth annual survey of programs linking state budgeting to public college and university performance. The 2001 survey once again obtained replies from all 50 states, and focused on performance funding and performance budgeting. After 5 years of surveys, some conclusions are clear, while others remain cloudy. The surveys…

This bulletin has been prepared by the National Education Association's Committee on Salaries, Tenure, and Pensions in cooperation with the Bureau of Education. Its purpose is to show the extent of the teachers' pension movement in a brief and summary way, and to collect in convenient form pension legislation for public school-teachers in the…

The 1968 Amendments to the Vocational Education Act, the report by the President's Committee on Consumer Interest, and legislation at the State level have been influential in furthering the consumer education movement. They have created a need for inservice training in consumer education for school teachers, counselors, and administrators. (AG)