Illustrates trends and issues associated with public policies promoting early childhood program accreditation. Describes differential rate policies in Florida, New Mexico, Kentucky, Mississippi, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Oklahoma; support provided for accreditation in Arizona, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Texas, and Wisconsin; and linking…

A review of the current status of state prepaid tuition plans and savings trust plans suggests that there is an accelerating trend toward participation in such programs. Also notes competition among programs and some problems (such as a negative audit in Colorado). (DB)

Describes a statewide initiative in Missouri to develop and promote the Advanced Placement program, including establishing AP Teacher Development sites, and statewide encouragement and coordination of the program. Notes that this has resulted in a major turnaround in the AP program in Missouri. (SR)

Contains data on state library agencies in the 50 states and the District of Columbia, including these agencies' governance, services, collections, staff, and income and expenditures. Data are from the State Library Agency Survey, a cooperative effort of several government agencies, including the National Center for Education Statistics.…

Reviews the efforts of Michigan public libraries to create local and statewide electronic information services. Highlights include Internet access; libraries' roles in the community; networking climate; three local and regional projects; and statewide initiatives, including those of the state library. (LRW)

Analyzes two initiatives in Australian education that have attempted to influence the future directions of high school chemistry curricula: the concept of a national curriculum encompassing eight key learning areas and the reform processes of individual state governments. Presents a radically different syllabus produced by the State of Victoria as…

Presents conclusions of an independent measurement expert that the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) was constructed according to acceptable professional standards and tests curricular material considered by the Texas Board of Education important for graduates to have mastered. Also supports the validity and reliability of the TAAS and…

In 2005, Colorado lawmakers radically changed the state's higher education funding system. Until this point Colorado, like other states, had supported higher education by appropriating operating revenues to the institutions and providing some financial aid to low-income students. But in 2005, instead of giving the state's general funds for…

The future of public education changed forever in the United States when "A Nation at Risk" was published in 1983. This report warned educators from coast to coast that America was on the brink of losing its top-ranked position internationally because "others" were "matching and surpassing their educational…

The 1999 Public Schools Accountability Act (PSAA) created a system for summarizing performance on state standardized tests and an intervention program to help schools that were not meeting state-set goals. California's test scores have improved substantially since then, but state-led interventions programs have had little overall effect on this…

In 2001, Indiana officials at the Department of Education were taking stock. The schools had an excellent network infrastructure and had installed significant numbers of computers for 1 million public school enrollees. Yet students were spending less than an hour a week on the computer. It was then that state officials knew each student needed a…

Depression occurs at a significant rate in the U.S. population. Untreated depressive symptoms are a primary risk factor for suicide. Studies show that a significant percentage of individuals who commit suicide had visited their health care providers in the months before their deaths. Alaska ranks number one in the nation for suicide. Routine…

"Kids Count in Colorado!" is an annual publication of the Children's Campaign, providing state and county level data on child well-being factors including child health, education, and economic status. Since its first release 20 years ago, "Kids Count in Colorado!" has become the most trusted source for data and information on…

This report shows how well educators across the United States have increased access to the types of rich academic experiences that prepare students for success in college. By combining national, state and AP (Advanced Placement) data, this report provides educators and policymakers with information they can use to celebrate their successes,…

To address key policy and programmatic questions and help improve student and system performance, states must work to link data across the early childhood, postsecondary and workforce (P-20/workforce) spectrum and share this information with appropriate stakeholders. This issue brief highlights current efforts in California, Florida, Indiana, and…