The study compared the life outcomes of four groups of graudates (N=844) from the Maryland high school class of 1981: regular education/nonvocational, regular education/vocational, special education/nonvocational, and special education/vocational. Data were analyzed to determine how special education graduates differed from regular education…

Washington State has implemented a policy requiring school administrators to give their subordinates the opportunity to appraise their performance. Based on survey research and mailed interviews, this study collected data on activities at the state level that served to implement this policy. Other research questions sought information on the…

This overview of the current status of teacher incentive programs includes information on: (1) support for the programs and leadership for program development; (2) funding patterns; (3) evaluations of specific programs; (4) program objectives and participant attitudes; and (5) commitment to program development. Brief summaries are presented of the…

State-mandated practices for evaluation of principals are described. Most such programs draw on three bodies of literature concerning management and organizational theory, personnel evaluation, and effective principalship. In most evaluations, four concerns are constant: (1) supervision and staff development; (2) school and community relations;…

States' policies vary widely on paying friends and family rather than home care agencies to care for the elderly. This analysis explored two state programs which exemplify different payment options: Michigan, which pays clients' informal caregivers, and Illinois, which generally pays agencies to provide services. It asked how different payment…

The benefits, costs, and risks of prepaid tuition and state saving incentive plans to help families pay the cost of a postsecondary education are examined. After discussing why plans have been proposed, financing strategies and savings instruments currently available to families are reviewed. Three types of state plans have emerged: prepaid…

The National Apprenticeship Program is the term used to describe the coalition of management, labor, and government that supports the apprenticeship program in the United States and the aggregate nationwide of such programs and enrolled apprentices. Apprenticeship programs are operated by employers, employer associations, or jointly by management…

A study reviewed the curriculum and program development for vocational-technical education in Massachusetts. Data for analysis were gathered by the Division of Occupational Education, Massachusetts Department of Education, from division research, third-party evaluations of vocational-technical education, and reports from other state agencies, as…

These four annual reports detail Indiana's efforts to enhance computer literacy for teachers and assist in computer instruction in the schools. The consortium was given the responsibility by 1983 legislation to establish regional clearinghouses for computer instruction information, coordinate teacher training in computer instruction skills, and…

Examined are recent legislative initiatives related to the problem of adolescent pregnancy and parenting. A 50-state survey was conducted by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), and each state's legislative research agency provided information on bills and acts from the 1986 and 1987 legislative sessions, as well as programs and…

During the spring of 1987, the National Conference of State Legislatures awarded the Nebraska Legislature a cost-sharing award to study local school evaluation processes. Embodied in Legislative Resolution 181, which has the purpose of studying school evaluation procedures, the study attempts to provide legislators, educators, local school…

Based on 18 months of extensive research and study, the New Mexico State Department of Education developed the Staff Accountability Plan to address the issue of teacher accountability and certification. One of the provisions of the plan (a written assessment of general and professional knowledge for initial certification) will be fulfilled by…

The Urban Initiative of the New Jersey Department of Education commits large numbers of its staff to a variety of efforts to improve schooling in the State's urban areas. It also represents an effort to develop a programmatic response that is rooted in research to the problems of urban education. In broad outline, the initiative is a…

This hearing on legislation designed to encourage contributions of computers and computer equipment to elementary and secondary schools emphasizes California's experience with a state-level program. Testimony is included from the following witnesses: Kay Pacheco, Alameda County Office of Education; Michael D. Rashkin, Apple Computer, Inc.; Barbara…

The California Adult Student Assessment System (CASAS) is a comprehensive educational system designed to enable adult educators to develop and evaluate a life skills curriculum for competency based educational programs. The system comprises the CASAS Competency List, the CASAS Item Bank, the User's Manual, the Curriculum Index and Matrix, and…