This 50-state survey of state policies and initiatives related to mathematics and science education is part of a larger study analyzing the impact of state policies in these states on science instruction in school districts. The purpose of this survey was to identify current state initiatives and policies affecting science and mathematics…

A state educational indicator system being developed by the Pennsylvania Educational Policy Studies (PEPS) project at the University of Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) is described. The extensive database that has been established as part of the PEPS project includes thousands of variables that are descriptive of the 500 Pennsylvania school districts.…

Rural education may be the beneficiary of the current national focus on educational reform since concerns have centered on improving education for all students regardless of where they live, a direction not emphasized in most previous reform movements. The reforms bring challenges relating to teacher certification, curriculum, facilities, student…

Analysis of several national surveys found that states collect a tremendous amount of data on educational outcomes, but little on the status of students with disabilities. Trends toward increasing local control concerning decisions of testing participation and accommodation strategies were found. The need for carefully planned inclusion of…

To examine the accuracy of myths of state higher education finance trends, this study used data from 50 states to explore recent patterns in funding allocation, state policies, and system characteristics. Data were gathered through development of a database on state system characteristics and trends and through two surveys sent to state higher…

The effect of the Mississippi Performance-Based Accreditation Model on operations in a local school district is examined. Specifically, this report describes the Tupelo, Mississippi school district's experience in producing improved pupil learning. The Mississippi accreditation paradigm is prescriptive. It is an evaluation driven system capable of…

This book, which is intended for policymakers, administrators, and researchers, contains 13 research papers and reviews of the literature on increasing the effectiveness of publicly funded training. The following papers are included: "Publicly Funded Training in a Changing Labor Market" (Burt S. Barnow, Christopher T. King); "The…