The Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1981 provided for the consolidation of federal human service programs into block grants. A set of common issues has been proposed to provide a framework for evaluating the effects of block grant programs. These issues included funding, authority, administration, efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability. (DWH)

Describes the development and testing of a conceptual framework linking continuing professional education and performance that was used with a nursing education program. Provides evidence regarding the conflicting findings of previous research, suggesting that the question guiding earlier studies had been improperly framed. (JOW)

Describes positive results in instruction and in pupil's school readiness achieved within the extended-day kindergarten program implemented in Worcester, Massachusetts, public schools in 1972. (GC)

Intensive analysis of the policies and practices of two high-achieving schools confirms that a coordinated school-wide emphasis on reading pays off. Four references are provided. (Author/DCS)

Three studies involving 128 elementary students indicated that classwide peer tutoring, compared to teacher-mediated procedures, produced more student academic responding and higher weekly scores on spelling, arithmetic, and vocabulary tests. Findings were replicated with manipulations of content taught/tested. (CL)

Describes how the University of Kansas developed its 5-year teacher education program in the late 1970s and reports the program's design and current status. Presents preliminary observations on the results of the program. (MCG)

Volunteers can help extend and expand all types of programs. Issues and trends of volunteerism in the society and its agencies and organizations are explored. (DF)

Describes the development and activities of the National Migrant Referral Project (NMRP), which attempts to effect continuity of quality health care for migrant farmworkers and their dependents by facilitating the exchange of information within a network of migrant health providers. Outlines future goals and plans of the organization. (KH)

Highlights three advantages of the multiple-baseline design for evaluating work performance in vocational training programs: (1) allowing the trainer to determine the success of a vocational program without withdrawing training; (2) ruling out effects of history; and (3) providing a versatile evaluation procedure. (BH)

A follow-up study on a 10-year public school voice clinic program surveyed 39 parents of children seen at voice clinics and referring clinicians regarding the impact and effectiveness of the voice clinics. The program appears to have increased public understanding of voice problems and is useful in expediting management. (Author/CL)

The authors question the assumption that parent participation is critical to the success of early intervention programs and cite the lack of research support for this notion in programs for young children with cerebral palsy. They note that financial considerations may still dictate the need for parent participation. (CL)

Discusses differences among states in the regulation of family day care, points out why some homes are not regulated, and explores the issue of the effectiveness of registration. (RH)

A performance audit is a comprehensive examination of an organization or activity conducted by an independent evaluator to assess efficient use of resources (management audit) or effectiveness (program audit). (SK)

The combination of televised home instruction and traditional print media was more effective in facilitating parental training strategies with handicapped preschoolers than either method alone. (Author/CL)

The short-term effectiveness of a creative thinking program on creative thinking and self-esteem of 45 mentally handicapped students was examined. Findings revealed dramatic improvement in creativity test performance, with the greatest effect on verbal fluency. No significant effects were noted for self-esteem. (CL)