Vocational education's primary goal--to prepare people for work--underscores the vital role the discipline can play in upgrading the employability of disadvantaged youth. Those who have received vocational training are more likely to stay in school and receive higher salaries than other workers with comparable education at every level from high…

Five major problems have emerged out of the mobility of the Nebraska population. Declining populations in sparsely populated areas, the outmigration of young adults of child-bearing age, and a concern by the people of Nebraska for the future of their State have created an awareness of the facts and the need to come to grips with the problems and…

Model statement prepared by the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Undergraduate Librarians Discussion Group and University Libraries Section (ULS) Steering Committee covers the objectives of undergraduate libraries, the nature of the environment, the specific needs of undergraduates, and kinds of staff and services required to…

Four papers comment on the work of the National Special Education and Mental Health Coalition, a group attempting to identify and remediate problems of behaviorally disordered/emotionally disturbed children/youth. Specifically discussed are: service-related issues, the Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders' role, and the Council for…

The Committee on Government Reform, chaired by Tom Davis (R-VA) convened this oversight hearing to examine Federal Student Loan Programs, specifically the management and performance of the Federal Family Education Loan Program and the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program. The Committee focused on the Department of Education initiatives to…

Improving literacy skills is fundamental to providing all children with the best possible opportunities to become successful and self-fulfilled at school, at work, and in the community. Developing the skills of reading and writing helps children to achieve and communicate a greater understanding of the subjects within the school curriculum. The…

Reflecting on her life as a teen growing up in the low-income neighborhoods of Washington, DC, Karen Pittman spells out why she is determined to have the Forum meet its goal of challenging national partners and state and local change makers to ensure that every young person is Ready by 2010. Pittman describes what she believes is the biggest…

On September 10, 1996, the government of Newfoundland and Labrador (Canada) announced that public consultation on education reform would begin on September 16. Just prior to the first hearing, the government circulated a document entitled "Structuring the Education System: A Public Consultation Paper for Educational Change in Newfoundland and…

This annual report outlines the mission and goals of New Zealand's Early Childhood Development Unit (ECDU), established in 1989 to promote the development and provision of high quality, accessible, and culturally appropriate educational and developmental facilities and services for families and young children. The report contains a directory of…

Adult literacy is a context-dependent, purposeful, and constantly changing phenomenon. What counts for literacy at the end of the 20th century is not what counted for literacy at the beginning of the century. Literacy is the ability to read, use written information, and write appropriately in a range of contexts. Literacy also includes the…

This annual report outlines the mission and goals of New Zealand's Early Childhood Development Unit (ECDU), established in 1989 to promote the development and provision of high quality, accessible, and culturally appropriate educational and developmental facilities/services for families and young children. The report contains a directory of ECDU…

Charges that colleges have persistently maintained inequalities in their educational structures that affect minority and lower socioeconomic students. Explores the effectiveness of academic improvement programs and suggests strategies to overcome problems in spite of economic conservation, including support groups, peer counseling, and outreach by…

According to National Council for the Social Studies and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development respondents, the issues deemed important--nuclear disarmament, pollution, worldwide wealth and poverty, and alternatives to the U.S. social-economic-political system--are not included in the social studies to the extent they should…

Questions whether career indecision is a natural aspect of college life. Reviews literature suggesting undecided students are anxious, externally controlled, and confused as to their identity. A second article distinguishes between being truly undecided and choosing undecided as an admissions option. (JAC)

A report of a task group on biomedical patents summarizes the context in which technological innovation involving research institutions and industry takes place and the interests and concerns of various participants. Suggestions are given for accommodating these concerns through institutional policies and procedures. (MSE)