This document is intended to provide business leaders, policymakers, and others with information about the operation and value of six work support programs designed to help low-income parents obtain the assistance needed to enter a job, retain employment, and better provide for their families' needs. The six programs profiled are as follows: the…

The General Accounting Office (GAO) reviewed the state and local coordination of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Workforce Investment Act (WIA) services for TANF clients. Data were gathered though the following activities: (1) analysis of surveys of WIA officials in all 50 states that were conducted in 2001 and 2000; (2) visits…

Michigan is no stranger to the effects of competition. The auto industry was forced to adjust to an onslaught of foreign competition in the 70s and 80s. Now, Michigan's public schools face their own competition in the form of public charter schools. Since 1993, when Michigan became one of the first states in the nation to enact charter…

RAND Europe has performed a study for the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. This study aims to increase the understanding regarding the influence of societal developments and policy initiatives on the attractiveness and uptake of science and technology (S&T) in higher education. This study consists of an international…

RAND Europe has performed a study for the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. This study aims to increase the understanding regarding the influence of societal developments and policy initiatives on the attractiveness and uptake of science and technology (S&T) in higher education. This study consists of an international…

Despite some improvements over time, national statistics point to a continuing gap in the average English literacy and numeracy achievement of Australian indigenous students when compared with non-indigenous students. A longitudinal study by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) has been monitoring growth in the English literacy…

Twelve conference papers on cultural aspects of second language instruction include: "Towards True Multiculturalism: Ideas for Teachers" (Brian McVeigh); Comparing Cultures Through Critical Thinking: Development and Interpretations of Meaningful Observations" (Laurel D. Kamada); "Authority and Individualism in Japan and the…

The opportunities and limitations of a sectoral approach to training research and policy were examined through the commissioning and analysis of reports on trends and issues in five European countries: Belgium; France; Germany; Greece; and the Netherlands. Special attention was paid to the opportunities of sectoral initiatives for small and…

In June 1993, the European Commission adopted a recommendation on access to continuing vocational training (CVT) in the European Union (EU). EU member states' progress was assessed by reviewing national reports drafted in accordance with an agreed-upon structure. The national reports demonstrated a wide range of new approaches and initiatives for…

The report examines trends in federal and Oklahoma state student financial aid programs and distribution since 1974-75, looks at issues in student aid policy formation, and makes recommendations for state policy development, information dissemination, and program design and delivery. It begins with background information and a brief history of…

Training in Canada's nonprofit sector was examined through a review of data from Canada's Workplace and Employer Survey, which collected data from a nationally representative sample of Canadian workplaces and paid employees in those workplaces. Overall, 61% of employees in nonprofit organizations considered a postsecondary credential necessary to…

Trends in job placement in Europe and the effects of advances in information and communication technologies on job placement practices were examined through case studies of France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. The case studies revealed that the market shares of public employment services (PES) are generally higher than those…

Lifelong learning and skill flexibility are especially important for workers in China, where structural economic adjustment has generated 22 million layoffs from state-owned enterprises since 1997. Skills that were in huge demand in previous years, such as accounting, international trade, and language translation, are now facing serious oversupply…

Interviews with representatives from nine states (Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Iowa, Ohio [Canton City Schools only], Oregon, Rhode Island, and West Virginia) and two nations (Australia and the United Kingdom) provided a context for the development of a certificate of basic or foundational skills as an indicator of an adult's…

The question of whether graduates of programs in Australia's technical and further education (TAFE) sector get what they want from training was examined by analyzing data from the 2001 Student Outcomes Survey. The survey collected data on students who completed a full course of study and graduated from a TAFE institute in Australia in 2000. The…