Priority setting is examined from the perspective of planning practitioners operating in a major federal regulatory agency. Causes of ambivalence in setting priorities are considered, and ways to reduce ambivalence are suggested. Three models are proposed for setting priorities in the public sector. (SLD)

This paper categorizes and tabulates recommendations of 16 reports published since 1980 addressing ways to improve the management of federally sponsored academic research in the United States. The analysis found that most frequently reiterated recommendations have not been implemented, possibly because implementation often depends on consensus of…

Background questions to support a federally-sponsored assessment of major student aid delivery system options are addressed. Attention is directed to: (1) information needed by the U.S. Secretary of Education to decide about changes to the delivery system; (2) reasons that delivery system redesign is a critical issue; (3) what can be learned from…

This document is a technical guide designed for use in conjunction with the revised guidelines for staff development in Mississippi schools. It outlines and explains a step-by-step process for planning and implementing a staff development program that should foster the changes necessary to improve student and school performance throughout the…

Designed to help public and private agencies organize a successful volunteer program, this guide begins with a discussion of the development of successful management techniques for use in the planning, implementation, and operation of volunteer services. Elements of structuring volunteer objectives, developing agency rationale for volunteer…

The result of a program audit requested by the Office of Education (OE), this report addresses all major elements affecting the operation of the Title I Migrant Education Program and includes recommendations of the Migrant Branch Chief and of key OE advisors for the program. Following a discussion of background legislation, of recommendations…

This information packet was produced as part of outreach activities of Project STEPS (Sequenced Transition to Education in the Public Schools) which was created to develop an early childhood transition model for young children with disabilities. The model is intended to assist state and local agencies and covers four major component areas of…

The technical, social, and procedural phenomena that facilitate the effective utilization of analytic models in decision-making are examined. Attention is focused on the theoretical issues associated with: (1) selection and fit of the model to the needs of the decision setting; (2) human factors such as cognitive style and the political climate…

A study examined curriculum policies and practices within technical and further education (TAFE) in Australia. To isolate and explain differences in patterns of curriculum development (CD) within the TAFE sector, researchers administered a set of three-tiered questionnaire information-gathering sheets to curriculum developers and project managers…

This document presents the findings of a review of federal and state job training programs and governance structures in California that was commissioned to identify options for restructuring California's work force preparation policy and governance of the state's system of work force preparation programs through vocational education, job training,…

A model is proposed for developing and implementing a community-based lifelong learning resources system. The model, which is based on systems theory, features the following sequence of activities: identifying all the learning resources in a community, incorporating information about these resources into a database, establishing a mechanism for…

The following three major issues should be addressed during the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) reauthorization debate: program objectives, program effectiveness, and CETA's reliability as a delivery system. Suggested as a tool to reduce unemployment, reduce inflation, reduce welfare dependency, and provide fiscal relief to state…

A study examined health occupations education (HOE) in secondary public schools in North Carolina. A task force consisting of secondary and postsecondary educators, industry representatives, administrators, and program consultants analyzed preexisting data from 11 sources. These included program standards, student followup, and curriculum…

An official delegation of Americans representing the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant colleges visited the People's Republic of China (PRC) to study the management and organization of the Chinese agricultural extension systems and to identify areas for the Chinese authorities to…

This document examines the state of regulated professions, as defined by Council of the European Communities Directive 92/51/EEC, in those Central and Eastern European countries that are candidates for admission into the European Union. The introduction discusses Council Directive 92/51/EEC, previous directives, and the national case studies on…