Traces shifts in national educational priorities. Argues that the current trend is toward reduced Federal guidance in the area of public education, and greater public support of private schooling. Contends that this trend is an ideological choice rather than a response to economic shifts. (FMW)

Examines the major assumptions on which parental involvement in schools are based, beginning with Project Head Start. Emphasizes the importance of the ecological perspective which balances parental empowerment and parental education, and generates policies, programs and research goals that apply directly to the lives of Black families. (FMW)

Traces the evolution of student financial aid for higher education and the implications for Black students and Black colleges. Concludes that retrenchment in federal aid has contributed to the decline in the number of Blacks in higher education and to the inability of Black colleges to provide educational access and quality. (FMW)

Provides an overview of the courses for pre-engineering attrition. Suggests ways to improve retention rates of students in cooperative college programs. (RT)

Describes an unsuccessful attempt at teaching a well-motivated adult non-reader to read. Details different approaches that were tried, such as the sight method, auditory methods, tactile methods. Suggests ways to avoid reading failure in adults, such as checking for disabilities, and getting to know the student. (SKC)

First-language acquisition of Turkish 4- to 8-year-olds in a Dutch submersion environment in the Netherlands was studied. Investigation of the development of lexical, morphosyntactic, and pragmatic abilities and comparison with children in Turkey suggested that the acquisition of first-language skills by Turkish children in the Netherlands is…

Discusses the learning potentials of science museums. Examines studies that relate to visitor use and learning. Contrasts learning in museums with most school-based learning, particularly with regard to the museum's emphasis on the use of objects as the focus on learning. (TW)

The development of first language skills among native English-speaking students enrolled in early French immersion programs was explored. Preliminary results support the hypothesis that early bilingual schooling enhances the students'performances on various kinds of first language learning tasks. (Author/CB)

Summarizes the activities of the American Association for the Advancement of Science's Office of Science and Technology Education (OSTE) in promoting and improving science and mathematics education. Describes six new OSTE programs that include a national forum for school science, science resource material systems, and science seminars for…

A college personnel policy developed to respond to changing conditions has 10 elements: establishment of a master planning process, policy and procedures review, early retirement, extended leave, recruitment and hiring of new faculty, flexible benefits, productivity and career development, internship opportunities, faculty renewal opportunities,…

The authors discuss problems of the present in families: functional illiteracy; violence and abuse; adolescent pregnancy; dual earner, single parent, and blended families; alcohol and drug abuse; ethnic diversity; and the aging of America. How high school home economics programs can help with these issues is explored. (CT)

To offer students biological field experiences, teachers should use their own basic skills, be enthusiastic motivators, participate in community programs/courses/workshops to acquire additional skills/knowledge for outdoor biological education, plan outdoor excursions with safety considerations in mind, and use available resources for classroom…

Identifies two societal factors contributing to the decrease in quantity/quality of applicants for teacher education programs: range of career options now available for females and the "tunnel vision" mind set of schools, departments, and colleges of education. Suggests generic pedagogy as a solution. (MH)

In this paper the authors illustrate the use of a strict standard for evaluating evidence on programs and strategies designed to improve outcomes for high school students. They explain what they mean by solid evidence, and present examples from multi-site evaluations of three programs. After that they examine some of the evidence on high school…

The primary purpose of "National CrossTalk" is to stimulate informed discussion and debate of higher education issues. This issue contains the following articles: (1) A Legacy to Overcome: The University of Georgia Hopes to Become a More Desirable Destination for Black Students (Don Campbell); (2) Oklahoma's Brain Gain: A Comprehensive…