Governors who put education at the center of their agendas and aspirations act in a long-standing tradition of American political leadership. Among those who did so are leaders who made an imprint on U.S. history both during their gubernatorial terms and afterwards. This paper describes how governors and gubernatorial aspirants can exercise…

A look at present, past and future relationships between the government and higher education. (Editor)

The Reagan administration in California used what some considered inflammatory rhetoric and seemed rigid, but in actual dealings it impressed many observers as flexible and willing to compromise. (Author/IRT)

The possibilities of successfully suing a state entity have been narrowed by the Eleventh Amendment, the definitional exclusions imposed by the Supreme Court in its interpretations of section 1983's legislative history, and the inapplicability of the doctrine of various liability to section 1983 suits. Such narrowing of the permissable scope of…

A study of communication between superintendents and legislators in Illinois revealed that superintendents seldom speak to legislators. Survey forms were sent to the 39 legislators on education committees: 29 legislators completed the survey, and 21 of these were interviewed indepth. (MLF)

Reports a study that examined the attitudes of Georgia citizens and legislators toward funding for specific health care services and national health insurance. Legislators were less in favor of national health insurance than were citizens. Both groups set a high priority on providing a wide range of health care services to everyone. (SM)

When dealing with the issues of quality control and the rights of parents to direct the upbringing of their school-aged children, one of the key factors that affects parental rights is compulsory attendance laws. Put another way, insofar as parents must educate their children, whether in regular public or nonpublic schools or by homeschooling…

This bimonthly newsletter provides information about the progress of the Honor States Grant Program, a governor-led effort to improve college--and work-ready graduation rates. This issue explores efforts by governors and state policymakers to experiment with alternative compensation policies that can improve teacher quality. Compensation…

The study examines the extent to which elementary education teacher preparation programs in 36 randomly selected colleges and universities in the six Southeast Region states integrate content related to students with disabilities. Findings indicate that a variety of strategies are utilized to integrate disability content into teacher preparation…

This guide provides an introduction to state government in North Carolina. It has three aims: to provide information about the organization and function of state departments and agencies; to provide content on ideas and issues relevant to democratic government; and to provide information that establishes a foundation for participatory citizenship.…

This directory of Puerto Rican elected officials in the United States is intended to serve as a benchmark of Puerto Rican political participation and to encourage community leaders to run for public office. The survey conducted for this directory identified 123 elected officials in 11 states with Puerto Rican populations of 10,000 or more.…

The author examines state government leadership roles, major trends in state government, and the mutuality of interests of state governments and social work education noting implications for the profession through discussion of curriculum building and curriculum content. (Editor/JT)

Although the Nebraska gubernatorial race was the first statewide race in which both candidates were women, women's issues were seldom raised--even though both candidates thought the women's movement had helped to make their previous campaigns successful. Because each candidate opposed abortion, neither was endorsed by any of the major women's…

A study examined how Alabama legislators' ratings of news media for job-relevant information correlate with their views on news media adversary and consensus agent roles. Eighty-two questionnaires (out of 140 mailed) were completed by Alabama state representatives and senators for a return rate of 59%. Results suggested that lawmakers who believe…

To replicate previous studies indicating a consistent pattern of unequal treatment of women in newspaper coverage, a study examined how 21 Michigan newspapers treated stories involving male and female state officials over an eight-week period. In particular, the study focused on the amount of coverage, the context of the coverage, the length of…