Research shows that chronic absenteeism can affect academic performance in later grades and is a key early warning sign that a student is more likely to drop out of high school. Several states enacted legislation to address this issue, and many states are currently discussing the utility of chronic absenteeism as an indicator of school quality or…

Worried about the large number of young children from low-income families entering school in their communities, many city and county leaders wonder whether quality preschool might help close the school readiness gap. Longitudinal studies of model programs that began decades ago show that these programs improved not only these children's school…

The increasing number of undocumented immigrants coming to the United States has created serious socioeconomic, sociocultural, and socioeducational challenges for the communities in which these immigrants settle. Minors represent over 1.3 million of the 10.8 million unauthorized immigrants presently living in the United States. Given the secretive…

No Child Left Behind (NCLB) requires that two accountability strategies--raising standards and public pressure through publicizing performance data--be implemented simultaneously. However, when coupled, they may produce an inappropriate consequence for public opinion. The public may misunderstand the drop in achievement that occurs when the bar is…

Americans clearly have had their fill of a sluggish economy and an unpopular war. Their frustration now may also extend to public education. This article presents the results of the second annual national survey of U.S. adults conducted under the auspices of "Education Next" and the Program on Education Policy and Governance (PEPG) at…

Parents, educators, political leaders--all Americans need the information contained in this article. But why this poll? First, it's not just a quick snapshot of public perception. Rather, it is a serious research tool, conducted annually, that allows Phi Delta Kappa (PDK) members and other educators and policy makers to track public opinion from…

The transcript of the 1985 House of Representatives hearings on reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 contains verbatim testimony and committee questions, prepared statements, letters, and supplemental material. Organizations providing testimony or statements include the following: Council of State Administrators of Vocational…

This document presents Congressman Claude Pepper's report on the Medicare Home Care Benefit. Section I traces the history of home health care in the United States. Section II offers statistics and general background information about older Americans and Medicare. The beginning of the Medicare home care benefit and its present operation are…

Discusses issues and the public's concerns related to using laboratory animals for research purposes. Indicates that several perceptions (such as recognizing that the public's attitudes toward respect for animal life are no more irrational than many broader attitudes toward the sacredness of life) characterize the most responsible of recent…

Context: The context for this article is the public response to the federal role in the oversight and enforcement of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). This response has been characterized by a tension between concerns about federal interference in public education and support for…

This transcript of a hearing on the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act includes statements by representatives of Hofstra University (New York), Advocates for Children (New York), Self-Initiated Living Options (New York), the National Center on Educational Restructuring and Inclusion (New York), National Center on…

This document addresses issues in the identification of children with specific learning disability (SLD) in the context of reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It first reviews current requirements in federal law, noting discrepancies in the regulations, then discusses several SLD identification approaches and…

Discusses the limitations of the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act, and reviews the national and regional impact of immigration on the labor market and taxes and public services, and successful immigrant assimilation. Argues for reform of immigration policy based on a profamily, progrowth policy. (FMW)

A privately sponsored and privately funded committee was organized to identify and propose means by which governments at all levels might rid themselves of needless and wasteful records while ensuring the preservation of that fraction of the documents deserving to be kept. The committee concentrated on problems and solutions within the federal…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) "In Need of Improvement:" New Alliance Brief Finds Flaws in NCLB's Design and Implementation for the…