Education service agencies provide vital services and specialized personnel to school districts that, because of economic constraints, can not supply them independently. (Author)

The paper examines the role of intermediate units in the provision of special education services to handicapped children with emphasis on formal and informal intermediate unit arrangements in New Jersey. Stressed for program effectiveness is the importance of positive attitudes of staff, practicality of programs, community and parent acceptance.…

This monograph considers the problem of low achievement in elementary and secondary schools among Hispanic youth (approximately 75% score below grade on CAP tests given after third grade and remain underachievers throughout their school careers) and makes recommendations for improving equity of education. The root of the problem of Hispanic…

This brief is a special policy report of the Intermediate Service Unit Task Force of the Regional Policy Information Center. Intermediate service units were created in many forms and with many titles to provide assistance and services to local school districts. The task force is working to create and operationalize a "knowledge utilization…

This paper provides examples of intermediary organizations that assist school systems to integrate computer technology into their programs through the provision of financial and/or technical assistance. The organizations are classified into five major categories: (1) free-standing organizations; (2) the collaborative council (representing…

State-endorsed education service agency (ESA) type organizations are found in 26 state school systems, 23 of which have a complete statewide network serving all local districts. These organizations promote collaboration among local school districts in substate regions or serve as a conduit for implementation of state initiatives. This report…

This paper presents a rationale for developing computer-based information systems for use by the special education personnel of a consortium composed of 13 rural school districts, and outlines a three-function database that would meet the operational requirements of administrative and clinical staff and the informational needs of parents and the…

Eight papers, each presented at one of three conferences sponsored by the International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP), are published together in this collection. It provides an overview of the current interest in developing nations in the role of administration in educational development, particularly as that role involves the…

Focusing on the promotion of reform and knowledge use in school districts, this paper reports on data from a study investigating assistance and enforcement strategies adopted by three types of regional educational service agencies. Assistance in this context means provision of legal or program knowledge needed to operate successful programs.…

This paper examines the existing and potential roles of educational service agencies (ESAs) and their relationships with state education agencies (SEAs) and local education agencies (LEAs). Special attention is focused on urban school districts. The paper also critically analyzes these roles and relationships as they relate to dissemination…

This paper offers a variety of perspectives that can be used to consider the question of the relationships that are likely to develop between each new National Institute of Education (NIE) sponsored regional institution and other educational institutions in its region. Three broad logical structures that may help illuminate the question are…

Opportunities abound for educational service agencies (ESAs) to assist rural schools districts with implementing the No Child Left Behind Act. Strategies that ESAs could pursue are presented for critical issues in the areas of school-community relationships, school roles in rural development, funding, standard setting, school size, facility…

Historically, in sharp contrast with the United States, the Australian state systems of public education have always been extremely centralized and hierarchical in structure. While these highly centralized systems served the sparsely populated Australian states well during the early years of this century in providing universal free education and…

Updating a 1978 literature review, this document assembles five articles analyzing recent research on how various types of educational agencies disseminate information for school improvement. Each article summarizes literature relevant to one type of educational agency, discusses interrelationships among the research findings, and assesses the…

School boards, administrators, and representatives of the community should develop long-range plans that not only consider the present state of schools but attempt to project 10 years hence. Demographic changes in communities indicate that managing decline will require a willingness to pare expenditures and an attempt to win back citizens'…