This report extends the results of an earlier study on the use of performance measures and standards to suggest principles for designing outcome-based program improvement systems. It examines the implications of that research for enhancing accountability in future federal work force preparation legislation. It also illustrates specifically how the…

In light of pressure on Congress to raise the minimum wage from $5.15 to $6.15 per hour, a study looked at the effects such a raise would have on more than 10 million workers, many of them teenagers. The study used quarterly data on the labor force participation rates of teenagers from 1978 through 1999 and other studies to assess the effects of…

Intended as a practical legal guide for Texas educators and lawyers, this book contains three major sections dealing with several chapters on various school law topics, each prepared by Texas attorneys. Section 1, "School Boards and Superintendents," includes chapters on school board members authority and relationship with staff, the…

This study examines the changing role of bilingual education in a Title I elementary school in Northern California in the wake of the passage of Proposition 227. It is found that native language literacy is an important component in the academic success of English language learners and that reading in the native language does not detract form from…

This report examines the need of many deaf and hard of hearing college freshmen for remediation in one or both of two areas, reading and writing in English and mathematics. It explores the kinds of assessments most commonly used in these areas, suggests modifications for testing basic instruction and remediation, and offers some programmatic…

The school choice movement is gaining ground. Currently, 37 states and the District of Columbia have enacted charter school or voucher legislation. Public approval of school choice continues to grow, with approximately half of the respondents in a 2000 nationwide poll favoring vouchers for private and religious schools. A survey conducted for the…

The Massachusetts Education Reform Act was passed in June 1993. In fall 1993, the Massachusetts Board of Education approved the Department of Education's Implementation Plan for Education Reform and appointed a board task force to oversee the implementation process. This document presents the state's first annual implementation report card for…

These hearings transcripts compile testimony regarding how programs authorized by the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act and the Missing Children's Assistance Act currently operate, in preparation for upcoming reauthorization. Opening statements by U.S. Representatives Peter Hoekstra (Michigan) and Ruben Hinojosa (Texas) underscore the obligation to…

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 requires that public elementary and secondary school systems be held accountable for achieving high levels of educational proficiency for all students. While achievement testing is the central component of state accountability systems under NCLB, these systems must include graduation rates as an academic…

This is the report of a congressional hearing on the new National Family Caregiver Support Program. First, it looks at this new program before it is fully implemented in the states and assesses how the states are setting up their programs. Second, it examines whether the States are receiving the clear and effective guidance they need from the…

A survey of state Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) policies toward postsecondary training or education (PSE) shows that at least 40 states allow more access to PSE than would be countable under the House-passed reauthorization bill (H.R.4737). If it were enacted, these states would likely have to change their policies to reduce…

This report examines the extent to which proposals to decentralize public education can be implemented by individuals, groups, or institutions prepared to operate charter schools. Charter schools must be able to balance autonomy for decisions relating to educational programs and accountability with academic standards and market forces.…

Data from the National Survey of America's Families (NSAF) in 13 states for 1997 and 1999 was used to study how welfare reform policies, mandated by the 1996 passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, affected employment of single mothers with children. The states were Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida,…

This report presents and analyzes data on charter schools in Colorado from the 2001-02 school year. During the 2001-02 school year, 86 charter schools operated in Colorado and served 24,658 students. This descriptive evaluation rests on a review of student and school data regularly maintained by the Colorado Department of Education and individual…

This paper discusses shortfalls in teacher preparation and the programs that launch prospective teachers toward careers in education. It examines the state's role in connecting that preparation to a career that fulfills the purposes of public education. In too many cases, institutions of higher education have given responsibility for preparing…