Discusses "Doe v. Petaluma City School District," the only reported federal court decision dealing with "peer sexual harassment," and other sexual harassment cases. Cites major remedies available to victims of peer harassment in schools and the scope and extent of school district and/or employee liability for peer harassment.…

A federal court ruled that Kinko's Graphics Corporation, a national chain of photocopying stores, infringed on publishers' copyrights by reproducing excerpts from books and selling them in anthologies for college students. The firm was judged to be engaged in the publishing business and thus not covered under the law's provision of fair use for…

In a current Supreme Court case concerning whether a Georgia school district can be released from a 1969 court-supervised desegregation order, some social scientists are resisting a trend by trying to convince the court that mandatory desegregation of schools has proven an effective solution to inequality in racially segregated schools. (MSE)

Analysis of data from a national sample of over 4,000 child care workers indicates that (1) their wages are unaffected by government subsidies and regulations; and (2) wages have remained constant relative to other workers' wages despite substantial increases in child care subsidies. (SK)

This article notes that regulations governing service provision in residential programs for persons with mental retardation may become decontextualized and fail to address individual needs or specific situations. Ecobehavioral analysis of rule-governed behavior in residential settings is suggested for measuring the effects of regulatory rules.…

Despite welfare reform initiatives emphasizing job training, the complexity of dealing with county, state, and federal agencies and regulations often forces low income women to choose between working/training and keeping child-care assistance. Adult educators can advocate for policy changes in financial aid, child care, and other support services.…

Provides an overview of changes in Treasury Regulations as they affect school debt financing, including bond and note construction and acquisition issues, other types of equipment and property financing, as well as tax and revenue anticipation notes for working capital needs. (MLF)

The Justice Department's antitrust investigation of private-college collaboration on student financial aid (the Overlap Group) has closed, with charges against the Massachusetts Institute of Technology dropped and announcement of a new system by which institutions may share information. Institutions are skeptical about the practicality of the new…

Federal allocations for special education programs are below 10% whereas the federal contribution to state medicaid programs ranges from 50-80%. Third-party billing provides a more equitable distribution of the costs among federal, state, and local governments, in addition to including private-sector contributions. (MLF)

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires school districts to educate students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment (LRE). The IDEA does not require mainstreaming in all cases; however, in several recent cases, courts began to tip the scales in favor of inclusive programming for these students. Reviews cases…

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 has provisions covering telephone service, telecommunications equipment manufacturing, cable television, radio and television broadcasting, and the Internet and on-line computer services. Most critical for rural areas are universal service provisions that ensure reasonably priced services to all regions and…

This paper describes guidelines issued by the U.S. departments of Education and Labor to ensure that community-based vocational education programs operate in compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act. Federal guidelines are clarified in terms of student eligibility (especially as it relates to disabilities), documentation requirements, program…

A Dayton (Ohio) community college's 21 buildings were cooled by a network of 5 chillers, all of which used soon-to-be-banned chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). A reclamation program provides the college with reusable refrigerant and eliminates chiller replacement costs. Refrigerant from three of the old units is stockpiled for use in the two other…

School business officials may not be aware that their year-end Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports CAFRs) may not satisfy the reporting requirements of state departments of education or those of the U.S. Department of Education. Describes reporting anomalies, such as ghost expenditures, enterprise activities, the differentiation between…

Two attorneys discuss compliance issues surrounding the new rules concerning return of Title IV funds. They explain the calculation process and identify emerging legal issues and risk factors, including determination of student withdrawal rates, allowances for leaves of absence, the handling of inadvertent overpayments, and student grant repayment…