This report sheds a new light on the history of the U.S. Department of Education (ED), its abuses of policy, and recommendations for a path forward. The report's evidence, and the long-term political dispositions of America's citizenry, supports the wholesale reform of ED, but not its elimination. The authors have structured their report in this…

The purpose of this report is to demonstrate the power of connecting Children's Savings Account (CSAs) to college access-success programs and show that, when done together, they produce greater outcomes. First, we briefly describe these closely related fields and explain the merit of partnerships between CSA initiatives and college access and…

Supporting youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the transition to adulthood is challenging. This article provides a description of how Project SEARCH, a model transition program for youth with disabilities, was used to help youth with ASD gain competitive employment. This article includes two case studies and a thorough description of the…

Telework is becoming one of the best options available to help organizations gain a competitive advantage. When management considers the fluctuating cost of fuel, emphasis on employee flexibility, and need to retain the most-qualified workforce, telework can be advantageous for solving problems. This quantitative comparative (non-experimental)…

Investigated efficiency of Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs). Calculated efficiency based on resources available and service units produced. Results demonstrated extent of inefficiency in agencies and how efficiency of individual AAAs can be improved relative to peer agencies. Analysis of organizational type, size, and rural-urban differences…

A 42-item structured observation instrument was devised to rate the family friendliness of the Family Assessment and Planning Team (FAPT) meetings in Virginia for children with emotional and behavioral disorders. Seventy-nine case presentations at 31 FAPT meetings were observed and overall rating of family friendliness was good (63%). (Author/CR)

In 1998, Virginia's Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) was directed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicle's (DMV's) oversight of commercial driver training schools (CDTS) in Virginia. The evaluation included the following research activities: mail surveys of DMV CDTS oversight staff and CDTS…

The processes and effects of state performance audits of postsecondary academic programs are illustrated by case studies in Wisconsin and Virginia. Main problems are: the difficulty of establishing legislative intent; lack of appropriate performance indicators, measures, and standards, and issues of timeliness and impact. (MLW)

The emphasis of a formative evaluation research study was on identifying exemplary linkage arrangements between the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) and education service providers in Virginia. The study had two primary phases: the case study phase (an exploratory and issue-generating process) and the judicial evaluation model--JEM…

The project "Together We Can" is described in this final report as a program to provide training and technical assistance to improve the quality of life for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with deaf-blindness in Virginia. The plan for the project included services based on recommended effective practices in the areas of early…