Block grants have been defined as programs through which funds are provided to governmental units, such as state or local governments, based upon a statutory formula. They are usually provided for use in a defined, but broad, area and at the recipient's discretion. This document describes the historical development of these grants and the role of…

The conclusions of the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) concerning the effects of consolidating federal categorical aid programs into block grant programs are presented in this report. The block grants reviewed were established before 1981 under the Partnership for Health Act, the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act, the Comprehensive…

To maximize freedom from personal and political conflicts of interest, decentralized mechanisms of federal program evaluations are needed. Block grants mean that state legislatures and governors will become more responsible for oversight of funds. Three proposals are presented for helping the states deal with these increased evaluation…

Analyzes the intentions and results of federal efforts to promote educational improvement over the past 25 years. Federal efforts are described in the following areas: block grant funding; requirements for local evaluation and planning; research, development, and evaluation; linkage; and targeted support for local improvement. (CT)

Given the fundamental program changes that have occurred in the nation's social programs since President Reagan took office, federal evaluation activities need to be rethought and redirected. It is critical that the utility of programs be documented, economical delivery services be developed, and redundancy of interventions be reduced to optimize…

Chapter 2 of the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act places responsibility for the design and implementation of programs using Chapter 2 funds in the hands of local education agencies, and it assigns responsibility for administering the regulations to state education agencies. No formal mechanism exists, however, for coordinating the…

This paper reviews early research at the national level on the implementation and effects of the Department of Education's block grant, Chapter 2 of the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act of 1981. Findings are summarized under six topics: funds allocation, educational service delivery, program administration, program assessment, decision…

This report consolidates the information from a series of reports by the General Accounting Office (GAO) on states' fiscal, programmatic, and managerial responses to the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981. Section 1 describes the major issues related to block grant implementation: (1) fiscal strategies adopted by states in response to…

Reviews factors affecting the implementation of the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act's Chapter 2 provisions in South Carolina, including demographic changes, recent state educational legislation, and characteristics of Chapter 2. Analyzes the impact of Chapter 2 in 10 districts. (PGD)

This report contains transcripts of testimonies and prepared statements presented at a session of the Subcommittee on Civil and Constitutional Rights. The session was convened to conduct hearings on the civil rights implication of the education block grant program proposed by the Reagan Administration. Statements of the following witnesses are…

The effects of Chapter 2 block grants on fund distribution, programs, and school district spending, and the role played in Chapter 2 implementation by parents and citizens were investigated. Interim findings include the following: (1) there has been a massive redistribution of Federal funds away from States serving large numbers of poor nonwhite…

The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 consolidated numerous federal programs into the education block grant and shifted primary administrative responsibility to states. States have to develop a formula to distribute 80 percent of their block grant funds to local education agencies, which have virtually complete discretion in deciding the…