DACUM (Developing a Curriculum) job analyses were conducted for Kentucky state children's agency staff, both day treatment and residential teachers and administrators. Data were used to develop inservice programs, and the resulting job profiles were disseminated to local educational agencies providing services to state agency children. (SK)

Rhododendron Girls' State, a 5-day West Virginia citizenship and leadership program, offers female high school students the opportunity to directly experience the campaign and electoral process. Katie McGee White discusses her experiences as the first Girls' State governor in 1941, her love of politics, and how she encouraged her students to be…

Based on studies that detailed the benefits of quality early childhood education, the Alabama Pre-Kindergarten Initiative provides young children with enriching learning experiences to ensure that they will be ready to succeed in school. These experiences are critical for low-income children in economically distressed Appalachian counties.…

Equity consequences of school finance policy changes in Kentucky were studied. Findings indicate that Kentucky experienced marked improvements in equity as a result of school finance reform, including a narrower dispersion of pupil revenue and greater fiscal neutrality. Further adjustment could produce small gains in system equity, but at…

Describes the Wisconsin Technical College System's special needs staff leadership in supporting transition to technical colleges, increasing funding that colleges receive from the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, and supporting professional development activities for college special needs staff. (SK)

Describes how, with the stock market falling and tuitions at public colleges rising, states' prepaid tuition plans face potential difficulty in paying out their contracts. (EV)

Describes North Carolina's efforts to develop a school readiness definition and assessment plan, focusing on differentiating readiness from eligibility and giving equal weight to schools' capacity to educate all children. Presents selected findings from the statewide assessment. Describes dilemmas faced by the state and their resolutions.…

Describes South Carolina's new state early childhood program, First Steps to School Readiness. Includes a profile of the state's at-risk child population, noting poverty and education risk indicators, and describing key program components. The article discusses program oversight, local program partnerships, program funding mechanisms, and local…

"Test Scoring" provides insight into psychometric procedures as used by a professional testing company or in large-scale projects. The book contains an overview of standard test theory, a discussion of factor analytic theory, and an exploration of special applications and problems. (SLD)

Used a curriculum-based measurement (CBM) of reading aloud from narrative passages to predict performance on statewide achievement tests in reading and mathematics. Results for 51 students (third graders in the second year of the study) provide initial support for the use of timed oral readings to predict students' performance on statewide…

The Associated Medical Schools of New York consortium has established a multifaceted, statewide effort aimed at increasing the pool of qualified minority applicants. The programs include academic enrichment for precollege and college students, recruitment conferences, and a program to attract minority students to residency training in New York.…

Eighty-one Michigan families raising children with severe handicaps were interviewed prior to receiving a $225 monthly cash subsidy and one year later. Mothers reported significantly less family stress (particularly related to financial stress) and enhanced life satisfaction, regardless of marital status, employment status or education, child's…

The current status of college savings and tuition prepayment plans is examined, and the advantages and disadvantages of state and national program options are reviewed. The financial aid community's ability to support a national savings plan is discussed. (Author/MSE)

Describes the lack of education of Black prison inmates. Discusses relative benefits and costs of educational programs to inmates and citizens. Provides seven examples of successful state-run programs and comments on the future possibilities for laws requiring educational programs for all inmates. (JS)

In 1984, the Department of Education published the "Wall Chart," the first state-by-state national report card on educational performance. The history of the wall chart, new directions for developing state-by-state assessments, and recommendations for improving the usefulness of state rankings are discussed. (SLD)