Universities in Europe have been playing an increasingly important role in the institutional evaluation of political and social systems for the last thirty years. Their major contribution to those processes of accountability has been to add methods and safeguards of evaluative research. In this paper we report an illustration of how evaluative…

Until the past few years, our nation's approach to designing federal programs for preschool-age children lacked coherence and paid little attention to what had worked (and not worked) in the past. In this article, the authors propose that credible information useful for designing effective programs will require the ongoing, systematic development…

What is needed to strengthen youth policy in the states? In this Research and Policy Report, co-authored by the Forum for Youth Investment and the National Conference of State Legislatures, learn concrete ways that states are addressing key challenges to creating better aligned and more effective youth policy. (Contains 26 notes and 2 figures.)

A discussion of bilingual education programs focuses on the methodology and stated results of program evaluations. It begins with definitions of five program designs for limited-English-proficient students: English-only; structured English immersion; English as a Second Language (ESL); structured home language immersion; and transitional bilingual…

Drawing on cross-national analysis, a discussion of study abroad programs examines approaches to financial support in the European Community, national governments, and various European and U.S. programs and institutions. Findings indicate patterns in program type shaping program goals, participant attitudes, experiences abroad, and program…

This article by Patricia Whitelaw-Hill, Executive Director of READ, addresses the issue of the education of limited-English students in public education. New York has joined California in concluding that bilingual education programs are not working as well as English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) programs in helping language minority students become…

Results of a national survey of regional, state, and local agencies administering English language training programs for refugees, the first phase of a larger study of the training programs, are reported. The executive summary outlines the responses from 8 regional, 36 state, and 232 local agencies on four topics: (1) the nature and extent of…

Results of a national mail survey of regional, state, and local agencies administering English language training programs for refugees, the first phase of a larger study of the training programs, are reported. An introductory section outlines the survey and procedure. The responses and statistical analyses are summarized, and some data tables are…

The American economy is in a state of flux; it will probably generate more displaced workers; and it has yet to determine a policy to assist such workers in preparing for and locating new jobs. Although the extent of the problem is not entirely known, a low estimate is that some 2.2 million workers may have been affected by plant closings and mass…

A British national study of the university research enterprise in 1995-96 assessed the impact of a 1992 change in higher education policy to restructure the entire higher education system. The study investigated impact at the system, institution, unit, and individual levels, in the areas of research policy and strategy, structures, and processes.…

The working paper for a project on English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) education examines research and policy as they relate to the ability of adult students to access ESL programs, fully participate in and benefit from them, and make the transition to other "mainstream" academic programs or meaningful employment. Studies suggest that adult…

A community-based, drop-in, self-help wellness center representing an empowerment approach to developing culturally appropriate health promotion for black women is described. The program, affiliated services, and jointly sponsored programs are reviewed. Relationships with supporting organizations, strengths and pitfalls of the model, and program…

This paper examines the effectiveness of social services provided to Mexican immigrants in rural California. In addition, the paper offers recommendations for service delivery models and for rethinking the objectives of immigrant social policy. At the most basic level, current social program planning and associated analyses of policy options fail…

In the school-college partnership movement state policy can play an important role in sustaining partnerships as part of an active general strategy for educational change. Individual institutions and communities cannot solve the social problems facing the nation without working in cooperation with a broad network of other agencies and communities.…

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…