This guide was developed for the purpose of providing Nebraska's educational agencies with documentation and a rationale for effectively utilizing paraprofessionals in special education. The guide provides examples of school policies which meet the intent of Nebraska law and may be utilized to improve the productivity and effectiveness of…

This annual report of the Pennsylvania Council on Vocational Education focuses on the activities and recommendations of the council for 1990. It includes recommendations to the State Board of Education and the Governor that describe the board's major concerns, including declining student enrollments in vocational education programs and possible…

The mental health policies of the past 20 years and the evidence of unserved populations suffering from serious mental illness constitute a public health crisis. Currently there are at least 3,000,000 people in the United States suffering from mental disorders. A fully developed continuum of care is needed to respond effectively to the diverse…

Many mentally ill children, especially those who are seriously disturbed, are not receiving the mental health care they need. Although the federal government offers financing to the states for child and adolescent mental health programming, the primary responsibility for financing mental health services has been assumed by state governments. At…

This edition of the Illinois school reform law includes revisions made during the recent legislative session. The text covers every aspect of organization and administration, including finance, hiring and firing, state aid allocation, teacher training and evaluation, pupil lunches, curriculum design, educational objectives, performance audits,…

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.…

The publication describes the process which created the Rural Virginia Development Foundation and the potential contribution it holds for the agricultural sector of Virginia's economy and for the state's rural communities. Following an introduction, Part II provides background, operating assumptions, and principal justification for the Foundation;…

This study reviewed the context of and activities involved in state-level evaluation of elementary/secondary art education in Minnesota. Four main areas reviewed include: (1) legislation impacting all state-level assessment decisions; (2) curriculum development initiatives as they relate to assessment; (3) a specific state-level assessment…

A qualitative analysis of information pertinent to alternative teacher certification in Texas is presented. Texas reform legislation passed in 1984 included a requirement for the State Board of Education to provide a route to teacher certification for those who were not graduates of teacher education programs. Those persons would be required to…

Pertinent information about the Alaska Student Loan Program is summarized. The topics covered include: purpose of the program; terms; questions and answers concerning loan amounts, application procedures and repayment; a payment reminder including a schedule of payments; the Alaska student loan statutes; and the Alaska student loan regulations.…

Collected are materials related to Mississippi's efforts to improve the educational services provided in the state for at-risk students. The first item describes the Superintendent of Education's Class of 2000 Project, which includes a request that the people of Mississippi adopt the class of 2000, which is in school now, and develop a legislative…

This document reports the proceedings of a 1985 conference on preventing the legal problems that could grow out of the implementation of career ladder and merit pay programs for teachers. The contents of the report include a welcome by Preston C. Kronkosky; an overview by Virginia Koehler of the goals, characteristics, and demands of career ladder…

Two California laws have increased the autonomy of local school districts. As of January 1982, virtually all provisions of the California Education Code can be waived at the request of local school boards with the approval of the state board of education. Under Article 2 of Assembly Bill 777, Chapter 100, programs that may be waived include state…

Utah's school districts receive equalization aid under the state's school finance program. Funds are distributed on the basis of weighted pupil units and are allocated among a number of specific programs. This document consists of tables and graphs displaying the allocation of these funds to Utah's 40 school districts during the 1982-83 school…

This manual for district and school health personnel contains guidelines to facilitate the planning and implementation of vision screening programs in California public schools so that all students may benefit from optimal use of their sense of sight. The major program objectives, the legal basis, minimum requirements, and authorized personnel are…