This report describes how California is providing direct intervention to improve structures and processes in districts, which is intended over time to improve curriculum, instruction, and student achievement at the school level. For districts subject to federal Corrective Action under NCLB, California's approach is "top down" in that…

The Oregon educational system confronts a set of legislative challenges similar to, yet different from, the rest of the nation. Like the rest of the nation, distrust of government runs high, politicians are wary of raising or restructuring taxes, the economy is expanding, and the November 1994 state election shook up the political leadership of…

Lack of a comprehensive state policy on state government aid for postsecondary work force training has resulted in duplicate funding and competitive relationships between the vocational high schools and the county colleges in New Jersey. Major attempts by state government agencies and the legislature to influence the future of work force training…

This report evaluates school-based initiatives aimed at eliminating educational disadvantages at a small, rural state primary school in Meiki, New South Wales (Australia). Meiki is a small impoverished community of approximately 850 Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people. The community has a history of racial tension that directly affects the school…

since the economic difficulties of the 1980s and 1990s, community colleges have had to reconcile limited resources with open door admissions policies and a broad institutional mission. College budgets have not generally increased sufficiently to compensate for rising costs, with state-level financial support for higher education falling by 9.5% to…

The purpose of this study was: (1) to examine state legislature agendas for providing access to use of technology for educational purposes; (2) to review legislative policy concerns and priorities related to the role of technology in postsecondary education; and (3) to examine the effect of legislative views and actions regarding technology on…

Data in this report present information about the extent to which national, state, and local governments commit resources to educate youth. These estimates, in their 54th year of publication, are based on survey responses of state education agencies that provide information about public school enrollment and participation, employment and…

The United States Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision in the Rosenberger case, ruled that the University of Virginia had violated the free speech clause of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution by refusing to subsidize a Christian student publication. The magazine, "Wide Awake," was published by a student organization that…

This report uses data from the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study of 1993 to examine how undergraduate students enrolled in the 1992-93 academic year financed their education. The report begins with an essay that explores in detail the relationships between the type of institution in which students were enrolled and their total cost of…

This study examined the flow of all special education funds to Illinois school districts, in order to identify the financial incentives which influence school districts to educate children with disabilities away from their home schools. Background information on inclusive education precedes the study report. The study involved a review of federal…

This report identities significant characteristics and implications of state programs that provide financial aid to students in private, independent non-profit colleges and universities and describes one program in detail, Virginia's Tuition Assistance Grant (TAG) Program. Following an introduction in Section 1, Section 2 reviews the scope of…

This study examined efforts at the local level to reduce the fragmentation of services to students with and without disabilities through the consolidation or blending of federal and state categorical educational programs. Twenty-two state and local program administrators in California, Maryland, and Massachusetts were interviewed. Findings include…

Sweeping changes in the economy, the makeup of the labor force, and family structure have altered both the family and the workplace, and have changed the way society must respond to family needs. The supply of child care is inadequate to meet families' child care needs, and many parents cannot afford to pay the full fees for child care. Public…

This annual report summarizes the condition of higher education in New Mexico based on January 1, 1998, data. Highlights from the overview section note the following: (1) More than 100,000 students were enrolled in New Mexico public colleges and universities, with fall 1997 enrollments virtually unchanged from fall 1996; (2)continuing a trend, the…

The report was prepared by a task force appointed to examine issues related to the University System of Maryland (USM) ten years after its creation in 1988. The task force focused on key issues raised by stakeholders and higher education experts, including statewide goals and priorities for the USM; duplication and overlap of authority between the…