This paper is based on the retrospective reviews of the Information Systems study group who went on the international study tour to India to learn, network and collaborate with academics, students and industry professionals overseas. The paper addresses concerns of local Australian Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics recruiters and…

This study examined teachers' attitudes and beliefs in one over-performing urban/suburban high school of the state-mandated curriculum framework under conditions that I label a continuously uncertain reform effort or a top-down mandated curriculum involving constant mixed-messages as to its content, accountability demands, and future existence.…

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the nature of activities in the change process undertaken by two initiatives to produce national standards in academic disciplines, national assessments and accountability measures. The Common Core State Standards Initiative, a project coordinated by the National Governors Association and the Council of…

Compares state telecommunications regulatory policies and their potential impacts on the development of the physical infrastructure needed to support an information superhighway. Topics include federal telecommunications regulations, federal preemption of state regulations, and economic impacts of the development of the National Information…

Policy discussions about teacher quality and teacher "shortages" often focus on recruitment and retention of young teachers. However, attention has begun to focus on the incentive effects of teacher retirement benefit systems, particularly given their rising costs and the large unfunded liabilities. In this paper we analyze accrual of…

There is significant interest in reforming retirement plans for public school employees, particularly in light of current market conditions. This paper presents an overview of the various types of state regulation of public pension plans that affect possibilities for reform. Several states have legal protections that effectively prevent a state…

Counselor licensing is an important issue in California. This paper discusses the current licensure situation in California and how other states handle licensure. Also examined are the positions of the national professional organization, the American Counseling Association, and the national credentialing body, the National Board for Certified…

It has been suggested that policy formation may be influenced by multiple models, institutional theories, rations models of policy, as well as policy perceived as an interpretive problem. This paper examines the history of accountability reporting and educational goals policy in New Mexico and recent evidence from school-level personnel in light…

This paper attempts to conceptualize, sort, and analyze national and state policies that have affected teacher education programs during the last 30 years. If teacher recruitment, preparation, licensing, and professional development are situated at the ropes center, then who is winning the tug-of-war over teacher education policy making. The paper…

These four symposium papers provide examples of different states that have experimented with various criteria and approaches in developing youth mental health services. The four states profiled, North Carolina, Arizona, Louisiana, and Massachusetts, are using the Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale (CAFAS) to assess impairment in…

This study examined Alabama and Tennessee state education report card data for 1998 through 2003. The purpose of the study was to determine whether there were measurable differences in reported accountability indicators between districts that elected and those that appointed superintendents. The study also examined trends in attrition and hiring…

While advocates of guided imagery practice in the classroom fear most that inexperienced practitioners will abandon this effective means of developing metacognitive skills because students will not use imagery properly or because they themselves have not had the opportunity to learn guiding techniques from in-services or mentoring, the real threat…

The practice of reforming failing schools through school reconstitution is one of the latest challenges for school system directors of evaluation and accountability. Failing schools are typically identified in terms of student test performance. However, evaluating the impact of reconstitution in terms of test score gains may not be an appropriate…

Despite the growing need for child day care, the absence of federal regulation of child care centers gives individual states great authority in licensing care. Since states are the final authority concerning day care licensing, the quality of care varies from state to state. This study determined the extent to which current child care standards in…

In January 1986, the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) issued several recommendations with far-reaching implications for Virginia's colleges and universities, namely, "that all state-supported institutions of higher education establish procedures and programs to measure student achievement." By all accounts the…