Defaults on guaranteed student loans were examined in a sample of 4,617 students in proprietary vocational schools and community colleges in California. Default rates stemmed largely from students' background characteristics, rather than from characteristics or practices of the institutions they attend. (SLD)

A 1994 conference explored national issues and priorities related to school health nursing, identifying seven critical issues and related actions. Several papers discuss school nurse perspectives, federal agency efforts, issues, and priority actions. An annotated bibliography and information on National Nursing Coalition for School Health are…

Maintains that, if national geography standards are effective, issues-based instructional materials are needed. Reports on a study of the use of 3 modules on environmental education by 480 secondary students in 18 schools. Finds that the students made significant cognitive and skill gains. (CFR)

Provides excerpts from President Clinton's address to the 1995 American Association of Community Colleges Convention. Discusses the importance of education in economic recovery and of community colleges in providing educational opportunities to nontraditional students. Reviews government initiatives to improve education, such as Tech Prep,…

A study investigated the factor(s) predicting success in receiving National Institutes of Health (NIH) First Independent Research Support and Transition (FIRST) funding. Two analytical models were used with a variety of researcher, methodology, project design, and institutional characteristics as variables. No significant predictor variables were…

"Context-Related Characteristics of Expert Science Teaching" is one of the projects funded through the Center for Research on Educational Accountability and Teacher Evaluation (CREATE). This description of the project's data collection and field implementation provides an update on research on the science teacher as facilitator of…

The Atlantic Centre of Support for Disabled Students, created at Saint Mary's University (Nova Scotia) under the Centres of Specialization Program, works to ensure that students with disabilities have equal opportunity to fully participate in the educational process and gain access to appropriate careers through direct service, community…

Presents remarks on welfare reform by Donna Shalala, Secretary of Health and Human Services, at the National Job Opportunity and Basic Skills Training (JOBS) Directors Conference. Four basic principles that guide current work on welfare reform are (1) making work pay; (2) improving child support enforcement; (3) strengthening education and…

The Chapter 1 supplementary education program is popular with Congress, benefiting from increased appropriations since 1988. The 1988 amendments of the Hawkins Stafford Act improved the program, but further changes may have to take place at the 1993 reauthorization to make Chapter 1 relevant to accelerating educational reform. (SLD)

Supporters of bilingual education focus on the need to emphasize the advantages of bilingualism to all students, improve training of bilingual education teachers, and build on existing skills of limited-English-proficient students. The U.S. system of locally controlled schools both helps and hinders this effort. (MSE)

Data explain causes of declining well-being among families with small children in terms of demography, economics, inadequate government programs, perverse government programs, family structure, neighborhood and community, and culture. Declining economic prospects for young male workers and accelerated movement toward single-parent families are the…

Reviews problems with the Stafford Student Loan Program (Federal Family Educational Loan Program), including high-risk borrowers, dishonest school officials, negligent lenders, and guaranty agencies. Critiques recent reform measures designed to simplify the program. Suggests alternative policies, particularly direct loans from the federal…

Argues that Chapter 1 has done little to improve student achievement and may prevent disadvantaged students from catching up. The most glaring problem is the perverse incentive structure that rewards failure rather than success. If student scores rise, and the number of educationally disadvantaged declines, schools will lose funds. (SLD)

The case for an in-depth evaluation of many federal education programs is argued, particularly those providing site-specific information capable of informing program improvement. The reauthorization of the Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) offers an opportunity for the U.S. Department of Education to play a leadership role in…

Student borrowing for higher education has increased dramatically, and some students begin their adult lives with considerable debt. Financial burden measures should be incorporated into student loan repayment requirements and used to adjust either monthly or annual repayments or the period of repayment. Reducing debt burden would help make…