As a faculty member/administrator at a community college for more than 40 years, the author has seen first hand the role that education can play in transforming lives. He also can see that low tuition, the main pillar of their policy of open access, is giving way in the face of declining state and local support. This certainly is a form of…

This article proposes a conceptual framework to examine the development of the teacher education system in contemporary China. Within the framework, three development periods, including the era of shifan, and the era of post-shifan, the era of professional teacher education, are investigated in terms of governance, institutional structures, and…

Public discussion of higher education costs frequently confuses price with expenditure. This article examines factors associated with increases in the sticker price of a college education and the expenditures incurred by institutions in delivering that education. The discussion suggests that while growth in college tuition is real, access to…

Based on an examination of the earnings records of ex-offenders released from Virginia correctional institutions from fiscal year 1999 to 2003, this article provides an industrial profile testing the presumption that most ex-offenders are only able to find employment in low-level occupations, with low rates of job retention, and limited customer…

In searching for a new budget formula for the College of Business at California State University at Long Beach, a major university in the west, several rational budget formulas were explored. This report develops an explanation in quantitative terms of the reasoning process pursued by the department chairs in arriving at the compromise budget…

Before districts worry about spending more on professional development, they must look closely at what already is being spent. A careful analysis may show the district is spending more than leaders think, but their efforts may be fragmented and unprioritized. A budget analysis is the first step in being able to allocate resources for the maximum…

Three California districts took different approaches to funding literacy coaches in the schools, but agreed the effort and resources were worthwhile. School-based literacy coaches, a growing national trend, helped create a more collaborative culture, greater receptivity to change, a focus on treating students more equitably, and a built-in source…

A supports classification and assessment system is required in residential settings that enables accurate classification and resource allocation in the context of limited resources. In developing such a system, the American Association on Mental Retardation intensities of supports framework was used and consultation with all stakeholders resulted…

Because bullying is a serious problem in Canadian schools, antibullying programs have been widely implemented to redress the problem. School principals in Ontario (N=395) completed a questionnaire to document the severity of bullying, the amount of anti-bullying resources, and the variety of antibullying activities in their schools. Results reveal…

This report finds that now more than ever, New York needs a strong workforce development system--but declining funds and uncoordinated programs are obstacles to progress. In December 2003, the Center for an Urban Future and the New York Association of Training and Employment Professionals released a report, "Seeking a Workforce System,"…

America is home to a diverse set of institutions that range from the fabulously well endowed to those that are very poorly funded. Yet many of our poorer institutions provide educations that are just as good as--and in some cases even better than--their richer counter-parts. In this article, the author argues that wealthy institutions of higher…

This highly practical guide is grounded in the authors' experience setting up and running a successful professional development program to improve K-3 reading instruction. The book systematically describes how professional development works: how sessions are organized, what they contain, routines and procedures, and the roles of each participant.…

Fiscal federalism can be an important complement to structural reforms and budget consolidation. Empowering sub national governments, while at the same time making them accountable to local citizens in the uses of tax money, could improve the allocation of public resources and promote catch up of the lagging regions. Italy has launched itself in…

A survey of the academic program review and approval activity of state-wide postsecondary coordinating and governing boards was concluded in 2006. This study is the latest in a series of survey/studies of state level program review and approval begun roughly thirty years ago by this author and colleagues. The boards selected for this survey were…

More than ever before, demographic changes in Washington combined with increasing workforce skill demands require an educated citizenry in the state. This paper describes a new initiative by the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges aimed at measuring colleges and awarding funds to them for improvements in the significant…