Lower-than-anticipated returns in the bond market and higher-than-expected tuition increases have forced Duquesne University to discontinue the nation's first prepaid-tuition program and is causing other institutions to reevaluate the idea. However, interest remains high among some. (MSE)

Discusses money management for college students and techniques parents use to influence student spending. Suggests that a set allowance is useful to students who need to learn to budget their expenses and become more responsible. (JAC)

The state and federal trend toward encouraging parents to save for college education is praised for putting responsibility back on parents, but there is concern about the effectiveness of national or state programs to stimulate savings and about neglect of the poor in the rush to help middle-income families. (MSE)

Suggests alternative sources of financial aid for college students including loan programs, tax-exempt bonds, trust funds, and corporate or union tuition aid. Lack of information concerning available resources remains a major concern both for parents and colleges competing for students. (JAC)

Describes ways to cope with the costs of higher education, including comparing how different colleges award and structure aid packages, paying off debts, and otherwise managing assets. (SK)

With tuition rising and anxiety mounting over students too deeply in debt, an effort to change the psychology of paying for college is gaining steam. The Reagan Administration is expected to propose a new savings bond whose interest would be tax free if the bond is cashed in for college. (MLW)

Indiana University is offering parents the opportunity to purchase credit hours at 1988 rates and use them for their children's college education after 1990. The university will place money from certificate sales in a trust managed by an independent financial adviser, who will invest the funds. (MLW)

Governor Blanchard of Michigan announced that the IRS planned to allow parents to participate in the state's prepaid-tuition program without paying additional federal income tax. A broader ruling will take additional time to formulate. The federal government is considering a national plan to allow tax breaks for college savings. (MLW)

This background paper discusses the current system of child care finance in Washington State and analyzes options for improvement. It describes prominent characteristics of the early childhood care and education system, findings relating program quality to staff/child ratios and staff educational levels, characteristics of quality, parent…

This report is designed to help child care administrators use research to guide the development of comprehensive state systems for child care. The report begins with guidelines for establishing and maintaining child care research projects. The remainder of the report is comprised of five sections addressing key research questions: (1) projecting…

Congress made significant revisions in the methods used to evaluate families' income and college expenses to decide how much aid students should receive. Administrators say that needy students will receive less aid next year, although some students who do not need more aid will be eligible for it. (MLW)

While the United States and European nations share similar goals for higher education, a recent study of student financial assistance shows they have chosen strikingly different ways to pay student college expenses. Cost arrangements are found to reflect the country's cultural roots and educational and economic objectives. (MSE)

Many new loan and scholarship programs are available, most open to middle-income families. State loans and grants are increasingly attractive, aid packages are more likely to include merit scholarships and complex new financing arrangements offered by schools themselves. Families must learn to shop carefully for good, not gimmicky, aid. (MSE)