The administration of campus climate surveys has proliferated across the United States at institutions of higher education to help respond to sexual misconduct. This study reviews existing state legislation related to campus climate surveys and compares it to the recent federal mandate outlined in the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of…

This policy brief looks ahead for 2008 and presents the top 10 state issues most likely to be at the forefront of discussion and action that will affect public higher education across the 50 states, in the view of the state policy analysis and research staff at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU). The focus is on…

In this comprehensive effort to study Indian education policies, the report categorizes the policies of five Northwest Region states based on 13 key policies identified in the literature and describes the legal methods used to adopt them, such as statutes, regulations, and executive orders. The study found that six of the key policies had been…

The paper discusses the major issues connected with the accreditation procedures in higher education system in the U.S. The questions raised are as follows: what are the reliable and credible indicators of quality instruction that could be measured in the process of accreditation of higher education institutions? How does greater transparency in…

This paper attempts to conceptualize, sort, and analyze national and state policies that have affected teacher education programs during the last 30 years. If teacher recruitment, preparation, licensing, and professional development are situated at the ropes center, then who is winning the tug-of-war over teacher education policy making. The paper…

Decentralization is arguably one of the most important phenomena to come on to the educational planning agenda in the last 15 years. Why a country should decentralize its educational decision-making process and which decisions should be decentralized are two questions that many decision-makers raise. This booklet is intended to provide educational…

Policymakers and educators seek options for helping high school students transition successfully into postsecondary education. Though there are a variety of approaches to doing this; some initiatives are based on a body of research demonstrating that postsecondary success is predicated on both rigorous academic preparation and a clear…

This review has two parts: the first concerns class size and general education; the second, class size and special education. The general education review is in four sections: (1) foundational class size research; (2) critiques of the foundational works; (3) extended research; and (4) five studies in class size research conducted by states. The…

This article presents an overview of federal and state laws intended to prevent school violence and examines related decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court. School districts' reactions to violence are discussed and a framework is proposed that school districts can use to develop legally correct policies regarding violence. (CR)

Test-based accountability systems are now a central feature of U.S. education policy. Accountability systems are implemented as a way of improving student outcomes through new, highly visible incentives. This paper characterizes the incentives of different state accountability systems and reviews the existing evidence about outcomes. The question…

Many states give individual schools the authority to make decisions in response to local conditions while still meeting state and district goals. Providing flexibility to local decision-makers is also a potential means for improving student achievement. This report provides a snapshot of several states' recent experiences with flexibility and…

Alternative schools have emerged over the years as one educational option for students who are not successful in traditional school settings. The number of these schools is growing rapidly, yet we know very little about similarities in policy and practice across states. This report provides a list and review of current state legislation and policy…

This monograph presents an analysis of issues related to provision of extended school year (ESY) programs and services for students with disabilities. It discusses major court decisions that have established the case law that governs this area of special education. It also considers issues of eligibility, notice and timing requirements, and the…

The evolution of eight Tech Prep consortia since reauthorization of federal Tech Prep legislation in 1998 was examined in a 4-year longitudinal study. Cross-consortium changes were identified through field visits and personal interviews between 1998-2001 with a wide range of stakeholders, especially administrators, faculty, and students.…

The question of how to best prepare nurses for practice continues to be debated extensively. The crux of the debate is whether a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) should be required of all registered nurses in the United States or whether an associate degree in nursing (ADN) and diploma programs adequately prepare novice nurses for practice.…