Vocational education is in trouble because of three factors: declining high school enrollments, increased graduation requirements, and students' growing preference for pursuing higher education. The opportunity to reform high school vocational education offered by the new Perkins amendments will be wasted if left in the hands of vocational…

In the wake of New York State's action plan to raise graduation standards, New York City's public schools have struggled to meet the new mandates and still provide adequate remedial services to students who need them. Offering alternative crediting through independent and group work is proving successful. (MLH)

Underscores the importance of student goal identification and student tracking for both the community college and its students. Reviews research findings indicating that large proportions of community college students are confused about their educational goals. Highlights methods used to help clarify their goals and monitor their progress toward…

Student journalism is struggling to survive due to demanding high school graduation requirements, stricter college admission standards, and skeptical state departments of education. For student journalism to survive and prosper, education agencies, college officials, and journalism teachers must cooperate and receive strong support from the…

Washington is one of several states adopting the Certificate of Initial Mastery, certifying that high school students have attained a high standard of achievement in core academic subjects and applied learning. The New Standards Partnership, comprising 17 member states and 6 school districts, has been developing the certificate system. State…

Discusses the constitutionality of community service activity as a graduation requirement. Analyzes issues in the "Steirer versus Bethlehem" case, in particular school district control of the curriculum, the first amendment and free speech, and the 13th amendment and involuntary servitude. (SR)

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Massachusetts) sends over 200 science and engineering students abroad each year to fulfill graduation requirements. Most go abroad for only two months, and the projects they work on, which are not necessarily related to their majors, are often for local businesses, government agencies, or other organizations.…

Although over 56 percent of freshman athletes graduated within 5 years (compared to 48 percent of all students), basketball players had a graduation rate of only 39 percent and football players 47 percent. Tables detail findings at Division I colleges and compare public and private colleges. (DB)

The article examines the proposed Student Athlete Right to Know Act, discusses the reasons for its development and support including the academic neglect of student athletes, and summarizes the effect the bill will have on intercollegiate athletics and higher education if it becomes law. (DB)

Many educators, parents, and students are upset with the National Collegiate Athletic Association Initial Eligibility Clearinghouse's rejection of some high school graduates' acceptable coursework. The NCAA should stop trying to dictate high school course content, increase scrutiny of its members, tighten academic requirements for on-campus…

Summarizes trends in New Zealand's Sixth Form Certificate assessment, explains teacher views about it and a sixth-form major subject area (science, represented by National Standards Syllabus biology, chemistry, and physics), and discusses findings in the context of the National Qualifications Framework. Official scrutiny over this exam has…

Identifies the textbooks professors use in education law courses, based on a survey of 110 members of the Education Law Association during 1996-97. Almost half preferred Alexander and Alexander's "American School Law," with McCarthy and Caqmbron-McCabe's "Public School Law" a close second. Only 44% required or suggested additional nontextbook…

Service learning is not immune from legal problems. In 1993, the third Circuit Court of Appeals quashed a lawsuit claiming a school's mandatory public-service requirement violated the 1st and 13th amendments. The most recent case was pursued against a New York district whose modest public-service requirement supposedly forced students into…

Analysis of placement and exit data on students with mental retardation (MR) found in annual reports on implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act indicated an upward trend in educating students with mental retardation in general education classrooms, a decline in graduation rates with a diploma or certificate, and a greater…

Key components of state high-stakes testing are analyzed in light of major federal statutes and court cases involving the rights of children with disabilities. Concludes with three state policy recommendations for testing students with disabilities: (1) avoid testing on a single criteria; (2) give adequate notice; and (3) do not test what has not…