In the Vocational Education Amendments of 1968, Congress authorized the use of federal vocational education funds for contracting with private vocational training institutions for vocational instruction. A study was conducted to determine the extent to which various state statutes and regulations can be construed to authorize or prohibit such…

In New England, school districts often look toward cooperative agreements as alternatives to further consolidation or "bigness." Cooperatives and collaboratives in Massachusetts are viewed as a politically acceptable alternative to further reorganization through consolidation. The emergence of collaboratives and the enactment of six…

Education for rural Alaska Natives has come along a lengthy and tortuous path. Today the much criticized tripartite system remains in which the Federal, state and local governments deliver educational services. A new state law, S.B. 35, which attempts to decentralize control, raises some serious legal problems because of its inconsistency with…

This paper traces the arguments and effects of both the Serrano and Rodriguez decisions and examines the state litigation and legislation spawned by them. The author notes that while the pace of school finance reform litigation has slowed, it has not halted altogether. It is now more tailored to the characteristics of the individual states…

This report describes early childhood education policy making and legislation in several states and discusses research methodology for comparative case study research. The first part of the study provides a historical account of the emergence of the national compulsory attendance movement in the 19th century, and the corresponding growth of early…

This committee report represents almost a year of study of the various issues relating to the structure and organization of the constitutionally mandated board of education in Illinois. The committee's 31 recommendations are based on solicited expert testimony and a series of background and position papers. In addition, a highly detailed…

Oregon's new graduation requirements represent a bold effort to implement a mandated statewide competency-based program at the K-12 public school level. All the various ramifications of instituting a change of this magnitude cannot be predicted at this early date, but one major effect already evident is that local school districts have begun to…

The Serrano case controversy raises the fundamental question: Do differences in school district per pupil expenditures represent cost differences incurred in providing essentially equivalent programs, or do they represent substantial differences in educational offerings? Although the answer is debatable, the California legislature increased…

The proceedings include the following: three papers on state finance; six on state legislation; 10 on state, county, and community resources; two on special education administration; seven on recruitment problems and training of personnel; and 11 on curriculum and program planning. Keynote and banquet addresses treat administrative problems and…

The study and recommendations for improved library service in Vermont are based on accepted library standards as well as a consideration of the state's unique pattern of library development. It is concluded that because the regional offices have no control over local libraries the concept of a larger unit of service does not exist, and it is…

In Section 1, this report, a third revision, describes and discusses the accountability legislation enacted in the United States from 1963 through 1974. Tables and graphs reveal which States have enacted accountability legislation and indicate how many States have enacted legislation in five accountability related categories: State…

This report examines California's geographic, socioeconomic, political, and educational makeup, and focuses in particular on organizations, governmental agencies, and persons affecting educational policymaking. The author first examines the structure of the policymaking body in the State. This structure includes the Chief State School Officer…

This booklet is intended to inform school district officials, school planners, and manufacturers of the Bureau's criteria for adequate housing. Part 1 discusses the portable classroom impact, presents data about portable classrooms, and states the Bureau's policy regarding portables. Part 2, performance specifications, is presented to clarify the…

In this landmark educational finance opinion (presented here in full) the U.S. Supreme Court held that the Texas case was not a proper case in which to examine a State's laws under standards of strict judicial scrutiny. That test, according to the Court, is reserved for cases involving laws that operate to the disadvantage of suspect classes or…

Many school board members are inexperienced in the construction process and unaware of the steps to be taken in school building construction. For this reason, this step-by-step outline attempts in a few short paragraphs under each step in the planning, bonding, and building stages to offer suggestions and advice to the school board members.…