Abstinence-only-until-marriage education is a key component of social conservatives' global moral and religious agenda, and the cornerstone of the Bush administration's approach to reducing U.S. teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection (STI) rates. Fearful of being portrayed as anti-abstinence, policymakers have continued to support these…

The South Dakota Arts Council submitted this FY 2006 annual report to the Governor and Legislature. It presents the 530 grants that were awarded with funds from the State of South Dakota and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Fiscal Year 2006 grant funds of $977,000 generated $12 million in local cash matching funds. These…

The average educational attainment of US students is weak by international comparison. For example, mean results of PISA test scores are below the OECD [Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development] average. This is despite substantial resources devoted to the schooling system. One partial explanation for this is that academic standards,…

This hearing includes testimony on how the Higher Education Act and the No Child Left Behind Act are currently working and what steps can be taken to better coordinate these programs to move closer to the goal of a highly qualified teacher in every classroom. Statements and testimony are included from: Honorable Jason Altmire, Congressional…

This document is the third annual report of the President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), appointed by George W. Bush under Presidential Executive Order 13256. The report for fiscal years 2004-2005 details the performance of the 32 designated federal agencies and departments during 2004-2005, and…

Screening for maternal depression was a core component of the P.E.A.C.E., Inc., Early Head Start program's comprehensive approach to supporting the mental health needs of low-income pregnant women and families with infants and toddlers. The addition of a mental health coordinator as a full-time staff member created an opportunity to develop a…

Elements of network-based assessment systems are envisioned based on recent advances in knowledge and practice in learning theory, assessment design and delivery, and semantic web interoperability. The architecture takes advantage of the meditating role of technology as well as recent models of assessment systems. This overview of the elements…

Like other public schools, California charter schools are judged primarily by one measure: student test scores. Though necessary, the Academic Performance Index and Average Yearly Progress scores can't assess charter schools' broad dimensions of student learning, program effectiveness and school operations. The state's accountability system…

This report summarizes and synthesizes the programs, policies, research, and evaluations that serve or target youth. It examines the youth-serving activities and initiatives of nine federal agencies--the United States Departments of Health and Human Services; Education; Labor; Justice; Agriculture; Interior; Housing and Urban Development; Defense;…

In fall 1990, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) contracted with Price Waterhouse to complete a study of the use of food-service management companies (FSMCs) by school districts that participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the Tentative findings include: (1) contracts between school…

Goal One of the six national education goals now embodied in the Goals 2000: Educate America Act states that "By the year 2000, all children in America will start school ready to learn." One of the objectives formulated to meet this goal asserts that "Children will receive the nutrition and health care needed to arrive at school…

This survey comprised of two volumes of the first year of implementation of the Federal Direct Loan Program among institutions of the first cohort was designed to assess institutions' experiences in transition to the new program and their satisfaction with the program overall. Results included: (1) the overall level of schools' satisfaction with…

A study was conducted to determine the baseline by which to measure expected improvements in customer satisfaction for Central Texas Job Training Partnership (JTPA) programs. The survey was designed to facilitate assessment of the current level of customer satisfaction with service delivery and influences on customer satisfaction. Data were…

The Regional Educational Laboratory Program is the U.S. Department of Education's largest research and development investment. Administered by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI), the network of 10 Regional Labs works to ensure that those involved in educational improvement at the local, state, and regional levels have access…

Representatives of 50 Service Delivery Areas (SDAs), including the nation's 20 largest urban SDAs, were interviewed by telephone to determine the extent to which disadvantaged youth are likely to find summer jobs in the private sector in the absence of the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) Title IIB (Summer Youth Employment and Training Program…