While research has documented outcomes for students served by promise programs, few studies have considered the behavior of institutions themselves in the promise era. A new source of revenue combined with larger and more diverse cohorts is likely to motivate changes in spending and staffing--decisions instrumental to student access and success.…

Nebraska's Educational Service Units (ESUs) are under threat of de-funding, consolidation, and even elimination. For too long, the ESUs have been an invisible asset to school districts, providing equity to our rural schools, and expertise to our more urban schools. ESUs work from the expectation of efficiency and effectiveness, to be good stewards…

The recent midterm elections brought New England two new governors. Rhode Island elected its first woman chief executive in Gina Raimondo (D). Massachusetts elected Charlie Baker (R), a former Harvard Pilgrim CEO and official in the Weld and Cellucci administrations. Otherwise, the New England corner offices cautiously welcomed back incumbents:…

This report provides six mini-case studies of higher education policy reforms enacted in other states, exploring the important role that state policy leadership played in developing, promoting, and implementing these policies aimed at improving higher education outcomes, and discussing the relevance of each reform effort for California. This…

This report traces the history and accomplishments of the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education over the past 12 years, during 3 state administrations. In the early 1990s, as the Commonwealth was feeling the impact of recession, the perceived quality of the system was declining, as were enrollments and retention. State policymakers and leaders…

This bulletin describes types of prepayment and savings plans for financing college education, outlines advantages and disadvantages of these programs, and highlights issues that state and institutional planners and policymakers should consider. A description of existing tuition prepayment plans looks at state plans that typically permit investors…

IMPROVED LEGAL FOUNDATIONS FOR PUBLIC JUNIOR COLLEGES ARE NEEDED IN MOST STATES. BASIC LEGISLATION SHOULD (1) BE PHRASED IN BROAD TERMS, SETTING STATE POLICY AND GENERAL PROCEDURES, (2) ESTABLISH AN AGENCY FOR STATEWIDE ADMINISTRATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF DEVELOPMENT, SUPERVISION, AND COORDINATION, (3) PROVIDE FOR STATEWIDE AND LOCAL AREA…

This final progress report examines implementation of Part H of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) by the various states. Part H coordinators in the 50 states and the District of Columbia and chairpersons of the State Interagency Coordinating Councils were asked to complete the five point Likert "State Progress Scale"…

This paper provides an overview of how Massachusetts has successfully integrated use of the federal Medicaid program into a plan for financing Part H of Public Law 99-457, the 1986 Amendments to the Education of the Handicapped Act, on a statewide basis. Noted is the lack of a single strategy for accessing Medicaid funds for early intervention…

A field study by Greenleigh Associates of the state and local adult basic education (ABE) program in Maryland found in part that: (1) 3% of educationally disadvantaged groups participated in ABE and less than 1% achieved an 8th grade level education through ABE; (2) inconsistencies were noted at the state level between actual operational…

This paper presents data from a 1989 survey of 48 state higher education executive officers regarding the use of fiscal enhancement programs as a strategy to influence higher education performance. The paper reports on the purposes and objectives most often funded through specific incentives, and on the key advantages and disadvantages of this…

Despite the persistent possibility that foreign languages and international studies may become lost in the current federal policy of fiscal restraint, the immediate public policy context for these areas is guardedly optimistic. Recent years have produced increased media attention, growing public support, and professional unity and organization.…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that each state education agency (SEA) establish and maintain an advisory panel for the purpose of providing policy guidance with respect to special education and related services for children with disabilities. This document is a brief summary of survey information received from 48…

The five states featured in this second edition of "Innovative States" were chosen because they reflect crucial elements in an emerging understanding of state policy making in family support and education. Creative state partnerships involving program development and funding are a key ingredient to successful endeavors. States rely on…

A study was done examining the experiences of four California community colleges that received pilot program grants to participate in a legislatively mandated, statewide accountability program. The participating colleges were Mount San Antonio College (Los Angeles), San Joaquin Delta College (Stockton), San Jose-Evergreen, and Santa Barbara City…