The high cost of providing medical care through Medicaid has prompted the federal government to examine ways to constrain costs. One experiment to limit Medicaid costs is Arizona's Health Care Cost Containment System, under which the state contracts with prepaid health plans to provide comprehensive medical care for a set monthly fee per patient.…

A preliminary design for a quality control (QC) system for the Pell Grant Program is proposed, based on the needs of the Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA). The applicability of the general design for other student aid programs administered by OSFA is also considered. The following steps included in a strategic approach to QC system…

This report reviews the use of federal foster care funds under Title IV-E of the Social Security Act for emotionally disturbed and delinquent adolescent boys placed in the Rite of Passage (ROP) program which operates three facilities on Indian land in Nevada. The report indicates: (1) California counties paid about $434,000 in Title IV-E funds for…

Background questions to support a federally-sponsored assessment of major student aid delivery system options are addressed. Attention is directed to: (1) information needed by the U.S. Secretary of Education to decide about changes to the delivery system; (2) reasons that delivery system redesign is a critical issue; (3) what can be learned from…

This booklet is a guide to assist school districts in administering Chapter 1 projects funded through the 1988 Elementary and Secondary School Improvement amendments and focuses on areas of flexibility in Chapter 1 funding. An overview of Chapter 1 flexibility emphasizes that the legislation is designed to best meet the special educational needs…

This paper analyzes design alternatives for Federal elementary and secondary education programs. It identifies the range of program strategies available and analyzes their strengths and weaknesses. The proper design for any program depends upon the following factors: (1) goals; (2) the availability of Federal funding to pay for necessary services…

A study assessed the formulas used to distribute funds to the states under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) 1998. It identified mismatches that might exist between the formulas and WIA's program goals and populations served and identified where the formulas are most vulnerable to wide fluctuations in funding levels from year to year. Issues…

The Chapter 1 program of the Educational Consolidation and Improvement Act would be made more efficient and effective by implementing the following recommendations: (1) improve the targeting of funds; (2) let good educational practice rather than accounting practice shape Chapter 1 programs; (3) establish systems of output accountability for…

The guide provides analysis and guidance on issues that arise in serving limited-English-proficient (LEP) students through Title I of the Improving America's Schools Act. It is intended for Title I coordinators at state and local levels and administrators of related programs serving LEP students. The guide presents the issues in the order in which…

The following were examined: (1) the Department of Transportation's (DOT) efforts to evaluate the Job Access and Reverse Commute (Job Access) program; (2) transportation and related services provided by Job Access; (3) whether the program fosters collaboration between grantees and others in the design, financing, and delivery of those services;…

Although communities are making progress in establishing comprehensive systems for serving youth, they still face challenges. Enabling conditions that have allowed innovative youth councils to develop systems of youth development, education, and employment include: (1) youth opportunity grants; (2) established intermediary organizations; (3)…

Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) needs to focus more directly on what happens in the workplace and consider the needs of employers. Employers identify skill levels of both job applicants and employees as a major obstacle to employing and retaining TANF recipients and other entry-level workers as well as the cost of entry-level…