Supporters of the new direct student loan program are critical of the private loan-guarantee agencies that cover lender losses on defaulted loans, portraying them as greedy, inefficient, and plagued by conflicts of interest. In turn, the agencies and banks doubt federal capacity to manage student borrowing. (MSE)

Using a multilevel statistics framework, a study examined the role of multiple sites in evaluation of three programs: Greater Avenues to Independence (GAIN), Job Training Partnership Act, and Food Stamp Employment and Training. Although multisite evaluations have great potential, they are more difficult and expensive and have limited success in…

Disabled children placed in regular classrooms are supposed to get special services so that they can participate academically and socially without disrupting other students' learning. Since most states and school districts are adopting full inclusion to save money, such services are unlikely. Requiring all disabled children to be included in…

Six papers discuss the increasing role of federal Offices of Inspectors General (OIGs) in program evaluation. This issue presents an overview of such inspections, case studies from three federal agencies, and a review of questions and concerns about inspections by OIGs. (SLD)

Named as Title I director for the Espanola (New Mexico) School District in the mid-1960s, Gilbert Martinez redirected the early grants from equipment purchases to development of kindergartens, centralized elementary school libraries, and free lunch programs. New Mexico's program improvement mandates stress curriculum integration and evaluation…

According to data from 1987 Survey of Veterans, veterans' benefits increase schooling by 1.4 years, corresponding to annual earnings 6% higher than without benefits. The effect accrues primarily to the 77% of benefit recipients who attend higher education. (SK)

The directory lists federal programs for the deaf under the Office of Special Education Programs, the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, and the 10 regions of the Rehabilitation Services Administration. It also lists vocational rehabilitation offices for states, territories, and the District of Columbia. (DB)

Determines comparative benefits to public and private institutions as derived from Title IV federal direct student-aid policy. Postsecondary entrance rates for students (all incomes) have improved, but the goal of expanding educational opportunities for lower-income students has not been achieved. Findings uphold M.M. Chambers's inflationary…

Outlines five intervention strategies for improving disabled students' educational outcomes: ensuring appropriate interventions for all handicapped toddlers, ensuring success in primary grades, intervening early with children experiencing significant behavior and reading difficulties, providing access to the general curriculum, and encouraging all…

Reports on continued growth of Sallie Mae, the nation's largest financer of federal student loans. Notes the company's purchase of the USA Group, the nation's largest student loan guarantee agency, competition with the federal direct loan program, political contributions to legislators who set loan policies, and development of Laureate, a…

During the Bush Administration's first 100 days, Congress introduced the No Child Left Behind reform plan, Secretary of Education Rod Paige visited school campuses in 15 states, and the education budget was increased by 11.5 percent. Accountability for results, maximum local control, and results-driven funding are the new catchwords. (MLH)

Describes the use of the federal Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and how it can be used to make informed comparisons of institutions of higher education. (EV)

Examined benefits of the federal Comprehensive Child Development Program (CCDP) as a function of socioeconomic and welfare status. Found that more families in the CCDP left Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) than control families. The CCDP produced benefits for children whose parents were not receiving AFDC, who tended to choose…

Takes a fresh look at the humanities Ph.D. glut and suggests a unique approach that would put Ph.D.s to work while enriching society as a whole: something reminiscent of the Works Progress Administration (WPA). (EV)

Reviews "History and Educational Policy Making," which includes several essays written over time by one author. The general theme is history informing policy decisions. The essays provide capsule histories of particular federal programs, demonstrating how politics have intervened to dictate policies inconsistent with history or research results.…