In June 1970, the Education Commission of the States (ECS) collected information concerning the legislation (both enacted and proposed), the outstanding educational achievements, and major problem areas of the States in education. The compilation of this data in its present form represents an updating of a similar survey conducted by ECS in…

Increasing pressures evolving from societal change, technology, and increasing student needs are causing rural school districts to look seriously at school district consolidation as an alternative strategy for the successful accomplishment of educational goals. The process of redistricting or reorganization is characterized by its complexity and…

Summaries are presented, by state, of labor standards legislation passed during 1984. Significant actions included laws concerning wages, child labor, school attendance, occupational safety and health, working hours, equal employment opportunity, worker privacy, labor relations, private employment agencies, employment and training, plant closings,…

State-mandated student testing in Ohio is a combination of three different initiatives: (1) competency-based education (CBE) assessment; (2) achievement and ability testing; and (3) proficiency testing. This report describes the current testing requirements and some of the characteristics of each of these types of assessment. CBE assessment was…

This newsletter includes five articles about educational and school policies, primarily related to equality of educational opportunity. "Texas Legislature Considers Much for Education, Accomplishes Little" (Albert Cortez, Anna Alicia Romero) summarizes educational legislation considered by the Texas legislature in the session ending in…

Recognizing the broad social and economic implications of child care and early childhood policies, more state legislatures are taking a leadership role in developing early childhood programs. This book presents an in-depth look at how state legislatures are applying the lessons of early childhood research to a broad range of state legislative…

This annual report reviews fiscal year 1999 for institutions serviced by the Minnesota Higher Education Facilities Authority. The report notes a slight decline in new financing activity, although the $87.7 million financed during the 1999 fiscal year was the second highest annual total for the Authority. Following some introductory material, the…

The chapter prepared for inclusion in a handbook for school board members focused upon the important relationships of boards, as boards, and individual board members with external organizations and agencies. The handbook was produced by the Alabama Schools Boards Association for its membership and for its use in the orientation of new board…

For a number of years, particularly since the early 1940's, there has been a growing movement emphasizing the importance of local boards of education, how they function, and how their effectiveness may be improved. Evidences of this movement are found within a variety of sources: In the increasing amount of research dealing with school boards and…

Effective physical education of the children of the elementary schools will always be conditioned largely upon the regular classroom teachers. Obviously physical education must have a large place in the preparation of teachers if they are to play well their part in the conservation of the physical resources of childhood. It must be recognized that…

An historical and sociological explanation is presented for the occurrence of overrepresentation of racial minorities in special education classes for mentally retarded school children discovered in the California public schools. (Author/MH)

Discusses major causes of home and school violence, and ways federal and state legislation, communities, and schools can work to reduce such violence. (BB)

A review of recent trends concerning Hispanics and higher education looks at demographics, research and curriculum development, Latina studies, California legislation concerning immigration and affirmative action, court decisions, student recruitment and retention efforts, financial aid patterns, faculty hiring, and Hispanics in college…

Explores high school restructuring efforts under the Kentucky Education Reform Act. Issues of performance-based measures of learning and graduation requirements are discussed. Designing schools with the goal that all students succeed can overcome the friendly fire of cross-purposes in education. (SLD)

Teacher educators in Kentucky must prepare teachers who can meet the demands of the state's schools as articulated in the Kentucky Education Reform Act. Teacher educators themselves must demonstrate the kinds of practices that students are expected to learn and must recognize diversity and optimize the success of diverse populations. (SLD)