Adolescent pregnancy has occurred throughout America's history. Only in recent years has it been deemed an urgent crisis, as more young adolescent mothers give birth outside of marriage. At-risk circumstances associated with adolescent pregnancy include medical and health complications, less schooling and higher dropout rates, lower career…

This monograph reviews recent trends in school reform and proposes "learner-based accountability" as a new paradigm for conceptualizing and implementing school reform. The first chapter notes both an economic mandate for school change and a mandate for increased equity. It identifies key findings of the school effectiveness movement and…

Addresses several issues related to federal policy and reform. Discusses the possible role of the Goals 2000: Educate America Act in promoting better outcomes for students with disabilities, and other federal policy options for achieving better educational outcomes. Argues for federal policies that balance centralized regulation and accountability…

Examines the implications of Goals 2000, opportunity-to-learn standards, assessment accommodations, and accountability for identifying and promoting educational outcomes for students with disabilities. Discusses outcome-based education and outcome-based assessment and presents some consequences of the most current reform efforts for special and…

This report from the United States House of Representatives presents the complete amended version of the House bill to extend for 5 years the authorizations of appropriations for the programs under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The current reauthorization bill is known as the "Improving America's Schools Act." The first…

Issues related to blending or consolidating services and funding to better coordinate education for exceptional students are examined in the context of educational reform and the Goals 2000 initiative. Interviews were conducted with approximately 30 federal and state officials between May 1994 and February 1995, focusing on possible barriers in…

Argues that many disabilities among children are increasingly attributable to environmental variables such as violence, poverty, toxic exposure, and family dysfunction. Notes that special education professionals have had primary responsibility for providing specialized services to disabled children and are uniquely qualified to provide resources,…

This guidebook is intended as a road map to the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Technical Education Act of 1998 (Perkins III) for career-technical education (CTE) practitioners and policymakers in Illinois. The following topics are among those covered: (1) framework for Perkins III (national educational reform, Illinois provisions for quality CTE,…