Data systems are becoming powerful tools to address students' diverse and changing needs, but without comprehensive data privacy policies, the risks of unintentional or malicious disclosures of students' private information is increasing. Given the mounting challenges to protect data privacy, Education Commission of the States assembled data…

Homeschooling is an alternative method of teaching where parents take the responsibility of education and teach their children at home. This method of education is increasing worldwide. Various authorities around the world have taken note of this trend and recognized homeschooling as an alternative method of education in their legislation. The…

While the field of educational data mining (EDM) has generated many innovations for improving educational software and student learning, the mining of student data has recently come under a great deal of scrutiny. Many stakeholder groups, including public officials, media outlets, and parents, have voiced concern over the privacy of student data…

Throughout the country, a wide range of educational options exist, from neighborhood public schools to cyber-schools. This study focuses on school choice in improving the educational experience in one city, Philadelphia. The study employed interviews with policymakers, teachers, and others; a focus group of middle-school students; a collection of…

A recent report from the U.S. Census Bureau revealed that more than five million, or 7%, of U.S. children are being raised in grandparent-headed households. In many of these homes there is no biological parent in residence, and the grandparents have taken over the role of parenting. This family structure has gained enough residence to warrant the…

This study examined characteristics of never married fathers adjudicated in the Third Judicial Circuit of Michigan as legal and biological fathers. Participating were 39 fathers with Parenting Time Orders (PTO) and 25 with Reserved Parenting Time Orders (RPTO) (the father lacks legal parental access to his child). Sixty percent of the fathers were…

The first and central issue in children's services is the extent to which government may limit or supplant parental action in the control, nurture, and direction of children. Three major governmental approaches include prohibiting behavior; prescribing behavior; and taking direct protective action. There are two legal issues related to prevention…

This paper describes the process of developmental assessment of infants and young children from a parent's perspective. The artificial and arbitrary nature of most assessments is bemoaned as failing to adequately recognize children's abilities that may be readily evident to parents in more natural settings. Assessments emphasizing children's…

This presentation outlines the complaint investigation process developed by the Maine Department of Education to ensure a timely response to complaints concerning special education services, and to provide third party mediation and arbitration as needed. Complaint procedures required under federal regulations are outlined. Strengths and weaknesses…

A recent ruling in the Baby Jane Doe case held that as parents are ultimately responsible for a child, and as in this case, the parents were not recipients of Federal assistance, neither they nor the hospital following their instructions to withhold treatment from their handicapped newborn are subject to Federal provisions about discrimination on…

This essay promotes parental free-choice in educational matters. The argument is grounded in the assumption that the individual is a social entity whose nature derives from his or her bio-social rootedness in integrative cultural community. The only feasible means of eradicating the widespread phenomenon of "educational messianism" and restoring a…

School choice is an issue that has created much dissension among citizens, policy makers, and educators, with proponents on either side of the issue claiming a commitment to the improvement of education. Consequently, the teachers of the future are finding it necessary to clarify their own views regarding the choice controversy. The purposes of…

A pilot study involving 90 percent of the parents of 200 seventh graders attending two junior high schools evaluated the effectiveness of active versus passive methods of obtaining parental consent. Passive consent can provide a viable alternative to active consent when supplemented by appropriate backup and privacy safeguards. (TJH)

Teachers' educational methods to procure or enhance parent involvement in their children's learning processes in schools in German-speaking countries are examined in this comparative study. This Austrian replication of a study conducted in the United States (Epstein, 1986) administered questionnaires to 124 first-, third-, and fifth-grade teachers…

Recommendations are made for improving the existing child protection system by consideration of children as legal persons, parental duty instead of parental rights, and the state's duty. Solutions involve recognizing what works, developing political astuteness, marketing child protective services as a business, balancing centralization and…