In an effort to address the costs incurred by declining enrollments while still maintaining quality education, 2 small Iowa school districts explored 84 sharing alternatives. The utility (fitness/usefullness) of each alternative was rated by the school board, school staff, and a community sample from each district via a specially constructed…

The major thesis of this paper on declining resources and enrollment is that the management of decline, or, as the author calls it, "contraction," is not simply an economic and technical problem; it is basically a conceptual and political one. The author first considers the effects of contraction on schools, buildings, and courses,…

Planning by the University of Wisconsin system for rational management of projected enrollment and fiscal decline is considered. It is suggested that a change in a college or university's mission may be an instrument for enabling a particular institution to meet unusual problems of declining resources. The elimination and consolidation of courses…

The extension of the school's role in early education/care is considered here in terms of children ranging from four to eight years of age. The report reviews the historical and philosophical roots of current early childhood practice and the effects of and needs for early childhood programs. In the presence of current financial constraints on…

Strategies regarding retrenchment in higher education are examined in three papers and commentaries. In "Basing Public Policy on Student Achievement: A New Agenda Item," Francis Keppel recommends that the federal government undertake a program of acquiring data on student achievement in certain areas of the college curriculum to provide…

The ways that institutions of higher education are changing to accommodate the new realities of the 1980's--social developments and the forces of history--are the focus of this study. It is designed as a companion volume to the Carnegie Council's "Three Thousand Futures," and the information used was gathered in campus visits by staff members of…

As a result of the financial difficulties faced by independent colleges in the northwestern United States, the Northwest Area Foundation in 1972 surveyed the administrations of 80 private colleges to get a profile of the colleges, a list of their current problems, and some indication of how the problems might be approached. The three top problems…

In March of 1973 the superintendent of the Montgomery County schools appointed a task force of community representatives, principals, teachers, area and central office staff members, and county government representatives to develop recommendations on small elementary schools. The task force concluded that school size is not the determining factor…

A study of the decline in second language enrollments in Scotland's upper secondary schools is summarized. A survey conducted in 1998, sent to a random sample representing 25 percent of all secondary schools in the country, elicited administrator and language teacher opinions concerning factors influencing language enrollments. Some students were…

Nine major forces which will have influenced California public schools in the 1970-80 decade are discussed: reform initiatives; declining enrollment; declining public support; the Serrano decision; collective bargaining; Proposition 13; school integration; likelihood of an educational voucher system; and a proposed statewide spending limit. (MH)

Five state universities' programs to enhance persistence and graduation rates among minority students are profiled. For each, the graduation or persistence rate for a specific cohort is provided for all students, student athletes, and by ethnic group (American Indian, Asian American, Black, White, Other). Characteristics and goals of each program…

Nine brief essays address Spanish enrollments in Spanish courses in colleges and universities, discussing such issues as staffing imbalances, coping with unexpected rising or declining enrollments, enrollment implications in a small college, social and political influences on study of Spanish, enrollment management, and the changing motivations of…

Identifies reasons for the recent decrease in political science departments enrollments. Internal reasons are lack of focus in the curriculum, inadequate advising, and an emphasis on research at the expense of teaching. External reasons are a lack of trust and interest in the government and public affairs. (MJP)

Indicates science background is essential to student preparation for the Environmental Health Profession and provides examples of problems that occur because of the lack of scientific understanding. Reviews reasons for the declining enrollment in college science programs and discusses the challenge of recruiting students with the skills necessary…

This report presents the results of an examination by Rand Corporation of external environmental factors affecting the Northridge campus of Canlifornia State University. For institutions of higher education, especially public institutions, these external environmental factors may include fiscal, demographic, labor market, political, legal,…