We estimate the effect of universal free school meal access through the Community Eligibility Program (CEP) on child body mass index (BMI). Through the CEP, schools with high percentages of students qualified for free or reduced-priced meals can offer free breakfast and lunch to all students. With administrative data from a large school district…

Promise programs are an increasing popular solution to improving college affordability, reducing educational inequities, and promoting economic development. Promise programs are distinct from other forms of financial aid because they emphasize residency in their eligibility criteria, where students must live and/or attend school in specific…

Local-level, place-based scholarships -- synonymous with "promise" scholarships -- are a policy strategy to improve college completion in the United States by directing financial aid to students in a particular school, district, or geographical area. There are currently upwards of 90 place-based scholarship programs across the US, most…

The cost of attending college has risen sharply over the last 40 years. Although more credit and grant aid have been made available to students, there are still major gaps between aid and the cost of attendance for many students in the United States, all of whom are left to figure out whether they can afford the remaining costs associated with…

All students, including students with disabilities, participate in state accountability systems. Most students with disabilities participate in the regular assessment, with or without accommodations. Students with more significant cognitive disabilities participate in the alternate assessment based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS). A…

This report analyzes the literature on the issues involved in providing summer school services to handicapped students (3-21 years old) in Illinois. Introductory sections examine the state legislative history regarding summer school and judicial decisions from across the country on the topic. A review of the literature is presented followed by…

The report examines the impact of P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, and other federal laws on the numbers and types of handicapped children who receive special education services. It is explained that the study resulted from analysis of 15 evaluation studies and two databases on the impact of the legislation. Research…

The paper presents a review of the evaluation research on programs for young (preschool through grade 3) gifted children. Questions addressed concern the effectiveness of various program approaches on measures of general and specific abilities and the nature of existing reports. Topics reviewed include grouping strategies, preschool programs for…

One of the primary goals of Early College High Schools is to enroll students who are underrepresented in higher education. This brief report describes the strategies ECHSs have used to recruit students from groups that are traditionally underserved and underrepresented in higher education and addresses the impact of the recruitment and selection…

Several social objectives influence government sponsorship of employment programs: (1) training for mobility to reduce disruptions caused by change; and (2) increasing skill levels to increase productivity. Evaluation of program effectiveness considers whether the program served its target groups, what activities were provided, and what the…

This paper provides an overview of federally sponsored training programs. For the major programs identified, it discusses the level of federal support, the eligibility requirements for the program, the characteristics of the participants, and the types of training provided. An important issue for this study is the definition of training; the…

More than $25 billion in financial aid in 1988 is awarded annually to students attending postsecondary education. The aid covers about the same percentage of college costs that it did in 1970, but the impact of veterans' education benefits and social security benefits is no longer significant, and loans now make up one-half the total aid, having…

This document explains how community work experience programs (CWEP) and publicly funded jobs (PFJ) can be used to help hard-to-serve welfare recipients meet the work requirements imposed by the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. The document begins with a brief overview of available options for helping hard-to-serve welfare…

This document is intended to provide business leaders, policymakers, and others with information about the operation and value of six work support programs designed to help low-income parents obtain the assistance needed to enter a job, retain employment, and better provide for their families' needs. The six programs profiled are as follows: the…

The Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA), a bill designed to replace the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA), enlarges the role of state governments and private industry in federal job training programs, imposes sanctions based on performance standards, limits stipends and supportive services, creates a new program of retraining for…