This article reports on the role, activities, and lessons learned of a state mental health authority--the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services--in responding to the mental health needs of families and community members following the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Following the introduction, we provide a brief…

This publication highlights how state leaders tackle data interoperability with the emergence of data standards for student information, assessment, digital content, and other educational applications. While states are at various maturity levels for interoperability, each state shares goals for interoperability, the drivers for those goals,…

This special report reviews air quality control plans formulated by each state. Comparisons of these plans and discussions on the degree of implementation achieved by state governments are presented. Problems surrounding the establishment and implementation of EPA approved plans are discussed. (JP)

The work force in the state of Michigan is currently below the projected educational levels for new jobs, since more than half the new jobs that will be created between now and the year 2000 will require some postsecondary education. The biggest single problem that exists for Michiganians attempting to upgrade their skills is that there are so…

The growth of state prepaid plans and state savings plans has been phenomenal. Every state now has a savings plan, and 18 have both a saving plan and prepaid plan. Raises issues of concern and requests more information on the plans. One table shows, by state, the program, start date, administrative agency, and website. (Contains 129 references.)…

This report identifies state initiatives, policies, and programs in the area of adult learning undertaken in 10 selected states during 1979 and 1980. The methodology used to compute the state data is described. Profiles are then provided for the surveyed states: Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Nebraska, New York, Rhode Island, South Carolina,…

This annotated bibliography consists of general citations regarding the state-higher education relationship up to 1972. Citations are listed in alphabetical order with brief annotations accompanying each entry. (MJM)

The Rural Opportunities Offer Tomorrow's Success (ROOTS) program is a series of policy initiatives which address problem areas in rural education, economic development, health care, and access to programs in Pennsylvania. Policy initiatives to create a better educated rural workforce include: (1) expanding career and financial counseling in rural…

Child care has become a central issue to most Californians and is increasingly important to policymakers. The Little Hoover Commission examined child care in California, focusing on the long-standing competition between the quantity of services available and the quality of services provided. Information was obtained from an advisory committee of…

Maine and Vermont have been national leaders in state-level coordination of high school reform. Both recently developed almost interchangeable, new, voluntary, statewide frameworks that describe multiple ways high schools should change. Both frameworks--Promising Futures (Maine Commission on Secondary Education 1998) and High Schools on the Move…

Although overall crime rates in Texas are decreasing, violent crime rates among juveniles in the state are on the rise. This document describes the scope of the school violence problem in Texas based on available data. It describes current national and Texas policy initiatives and programs related to school safety and violence prevention.…

The threatened loss of more than $4.5 billion in federal funds over the next 2 years leaves New York State with three options: to increase state taxes drastically, an action that could jeopardize the state's recent emergence from severe economic crisis; to curtail state services significantly; or to devise a creative new strategy including an…

This study was designed to examine the role of State Educational Agencies (SEAs) in desegregation activity. It examines the nature of SEA activity and identifies common elements important to effective programs. It also assesses whether these activities and elements could serve as models for other states, and determines the need and desire of the…

An overview of parental choice options and issues in Maine is presented in this paper. Methodology involved: (1) interviews with 10 state Department of Education officials; (2) analysis of State Department of Education data; (3) interviews with other educators and one state legislator; (4) analysis of newspaper and journal articles; and (5) a…

In recent years, the interest in how children spend their out-of-school time has resulted in program development projects at the local and state level and has influenced state and federal policymakers to propose legislation supportive of school-age child care programs. Gubernatorial and legislative efforts have succeeded in several states.…