This report discusses the outcomes of a study that investigated state appeals processes for students with disabilities who fail state-mandated graduation exams. State Web sites were studied to determine the extent to which there are other options for demonstrating skills, to check the availability of these to students with disabilities, and to…

This document comprises the 12 issues for 2000 of the "Child Support Report," which explores problems related to child support enforcement, reports on federal and state government child support enforcement initiatives, and summarizes research related to child support. Featured regularly are editorials and information on events of…

This paper uses data collected from the 50 states in year 2000 by the Consortium for Policy Research in Education (CPRE) to describe how states are holding schools accountable for student performance. The data collection process focused on policies in place during the 1999-2000 school year. Profiles prepared from this data represent the policy…

The Arkansas Advanced Placement Incentive Program served as a charter for the establishment, organization, and administration of a program designed to improve the course offerings available to high school students. The act provided three incentives: (1) one-time equipment/materials grants; (2) teacher professional development reimbursements; and…

This report presents the fourth study conducted by the Massachusetts Early Childhood Advisory Council since its inception in 1985, an investigation focusing on how interagency collaboration occurs in local early childhood programs in Massachusetts and whether mandating interagency councils is effective in promoting collaboration. The report also…

Louisiana's initiative to assist local communities to develop and operate school-based health centers (SBHCs) is a nationally recognized model. This annual report illustrates the vital work being done in SBHCs in Louisiana to assist families in ensuring their children's health and well-being. Section 1 of the report details the continuous…

The Health Care Reform Tracking Project is a 5-year national project to track and analyze state health care reform initiatives as they affect children and adolescents with emotional/behavioral disorders and their families. The study's first phase was a baseline survey of all 50 states to describe current state reforms as of 1995. Among findings of…

This paper describes the Tennessee Children's Plan, a program phased in between 1991 and 1993 that implemented a coordinated service system for children, youth, and families. A study involving children and youth (birth through 21 years) who were in the custody of the State of Tennessee investigated the effectiveness of coordinated service systems…

This paper explores the impact of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996 on the work training being provided to welfare recipients by community colleges. This bill changed the approach for addressing poverty from a human capital perspective, which emphasizes the need for training and education to…

The Cognitive Skills Assessment Battery (CSAB) measures student readiness to begin first grade. It is the assessment used by South Carolina to measure the readiness of each student and to plan an appropriate program for each child. In fall 1998, 81.2% of the first graders (43,568 of 53,640 students) met the readiness standard for South Carolina (a…

This study explored bilingual education in California, analyzing California law on instruction for English Learners before and after Proposition 227. Proposition 227 required that all English Learners (EL) participate in a sheltered English immersion program in which most instruction was in English with curriculum and presentation designed for…

Drawing on lessons from six case studies, this policy paper highlights the most innovative approaches states and communities are currently using to finance preventive and early intervention services as well as more traditional treatment services for young children's mental health. The case studies are based on interviews with policy and program…

Noting that states are expanding their spending on preschool initiatives to improve at-risk childrens chances to achieve school success, this policy brief explores three key factors that policymakers need to consider in designing school readiness initiatives. The first is the research and the need to link recent cross-disciplinary discoveries…

This document consists of the four 2002 issues of a newsletter that provides current information and research on leadership and administrative issues in early childhood education. The Spring 2002 issue examines Illinois' plan for universal access to preschool by expanding the existing early care and education infrastructure to incorporate Head…

This report highlights services and programs of the Minnesota Higher Education Services Office that provide access to postsecondary education, noting efforts to provide services efficiently through increased use of technology and collaborations. After an introduction which discusses the Office's functions, nine sections examine: (1) "Student…