Reviews "A Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reform" and its companion document "The Nation Responds: Recent Efforts to Improve Education." Suggests these documents overemphasize educational reform for the purpose of helping American businesses cope with foreign competition, and that they lack enough solid…

This review discusses major organizational theories used by researchers to investigate questions related to librarianship: libraries as bureaucracies; contingency theory; decision-making; design and structure; technology; organizational climate; research by social scientists; theory, research, practice. Development of organizational theory and its…

Examines the rate and direction of change in Canada's social problems by developing indexes for major problem areas. These measures show a period of relative stability in the 1950s and early 60s then worrisome inflation accompanied by out-of-control financial costs. Identifies crucial life stages where help is required. (JAC)

This document focuses on children in immigrant families to help Californians better understand the lives of almost half of California's children and families, about whom stereotypes often prevail. The report's data--obtained from sources such as the 2000 Census, the 2001 California Health Interview Survey and the 1999 and 2002 National Survey of…

If you've ever thought that you should spend less time reacting to events and more time anticipating changes that lurk just around the corner, then here's a book that gives you the ideas and vision you need to be a future-focused leader. Drawing from demographic trends and timeless wisdom, author Gary Marx outfits you with a living strategy that…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) State of American Business: U.S. Chamber of Commerce Says U.S. Could Face a "Severe Worker Shortage" Unless…

This publication describes a collaboration, known as the DC Education Compact. Hundreds of volunteers, parents, residents, youth, business leaders, teachers, principals, public officials, and university leaders were invited to put aside "personal, parochial, and political interests" to "ensure that the District of Columbia schools…

Teachers and administrators who understand the "politics" in schools can operate more successfully to facilitate change. This book teaches educators to identify and influence common social patterns that affect their work in school organizations. Chapter 1 provides an introduction to the concept of organizational literacy and an overview of several…

The purpose of this study was to recommend policy changes that would enhance Vietnamese community colleges related to lifelong learning, governance, and program relevance. The project was not a typical education research paper. The study utilized a policy-oriented research methodology. Its purpose was not to yield "findings" in the…

This paper examines the emergence of a corporate work-family agenda into historical and organizational context. The paper discusses the forces that have influenced both the prevalence and nature of a corporate response to family concerns over time, and trends noticeable in the efforts of some companies to create family-friendly policies and…

This fact sheet details important information on Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) in school buildings, problems associated with IAQ, and various prevention and problem-solving strategies. Most people spend 90 percent of their time indoors, therefore the Environmental Protection Agency ranks IAQ in the top four environmental risks to the public. The…

This paper reviews the history of how trustees are selected to boards of public institutions of higher education and offers specific recommendations to improve the selection process. The paper notes a trend toward an overall decline in the effectiveness of boards and reports that the major factor identified in several recent analyses is the…

This discussion guide is designed to help people examine the state of work in their community, explore changes, and strategize about what they can do to forge creative solutions and improve the community's worklife. It is especially appropriate for use in a study circle setting. The discussion materials are arranged into four sessions: (1) the…

This activity book is part of a series designed to take a concept or idea from the existing school curriculum and develop it in the context of the Great Lakes using teaching approaches and materials appropriate for students in middle and high school. The theme of this book is Great Lakes climate and water movement. Students learn about land-sea…

According to surveys of companies employing more than 100 workers, the number of companies with diversity training (DT) programs increased from 40% in 1992 to 50-56% in 1996. Motivations behind DT include compliance with legal mandates, fear of lawsuits, social justice, desire to expand into diverse markets, and overall organizational…