This document comprises three issues of a newsletter highlighting the MOST Initiative (Making the Most of Out-of-School Time) published by the National Institute on Out-of-School Time. Appearing regularly in the newsletter are updates of after-school programs in Chicago, Seattle, and Boston. The January, 2000 issue features an interview with…

This serial issue summarizes findings from a survey of 20 state mental retardation and developmental disabilities agencies and 93 community based providers on developing and financing community services. The survey queried respondents concerning: (1) which models or strategies for financing community services have been most effective; (2) what…

The public sector in Sweden is under pressure to augment its productivity and cut costs, and the education sector is faced with the same demands. Most people believe that adequately proportioned, efficiently operating schools are essential to Sweden's long-term economic development, but this is seldom mentioned in connection with spending cuts. In…

Noting that growing consensus about the importance of the first 5 years of life has prompted in-depth considerations about the systemic quality of early care and education in the United States, this issue of "State Education Leader" examines various aspects of early learning. Topics considered in this issue are: (1) key issues in financing early…

This report presents two large tables showing trends in the financing of public higher education since 1977-78. Introductory information explains how to use the tables, the data-time relationship (whether fiscal year, academic year, or calendar year), and includes a sample chart constructed from one state's data. The raw data used for these…

The United Kingdom's Modern Apprenticeships were introduced in September 1994 to provide young people in the United Kingdom with a route to achieving the National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) at Level 3 or above, including a progression into higher education. The pilot implementation of Modern Apprenticeships involved 2,400 teenagers and…

This report presents comparative data governing the financing of public higher education in each state and the District of Columbia. The model used in data analysis involves the following nine data elements: population, number of high school graduates, public full-time equivalent enrollment, taxable resources, tax revenue collected, state and…

This document examines microenterprise development as an employment option for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients. The document begins with a brief discussion of the feasibility of self-employment as an option for TANF recipients, particularly in a slow economy. The next section answers policy questions pertaining to the…

Effective models for helping adults with disabilities and/or learning difficulties obtain and maintain employment were identified through a research project that included the following activities: collection of background information from 20 providers of support for employment in England and Wales; case studies of a geographically representative…

This report, which is written for curriculum managers, student services managers, and learning support managers in further education (FE) colleges throughout the United Kingdom, summarizes and examines the results of a study in which eight FE colleges worked with the Further Education Development Agency to evaluate different approaches to learning…

A study examined the career education opportunities available to mentally handicapped adults in British Columbia. The primary objectives of the study were to assess the effectiveness of various methods and models in meeting the needs of mentally handicapped adults, to explore the policy implications of the program strengths and weaknesses, to…