This book provides a historical overview of illiteracy as a social phenomenon in Belgium, examines public policies, and profiles literacy in the French and Flemish communities. It is organized in six chapters. The first chapter presents an overview of literacy in Belgium, with information on the educational system and cultural diversity. Chapter 2…

This paper considers implications of the findings of the Texas Performance Review concerning mental retardation services, in light of decreasing numbers of students at state schools and budgetary restraints on major investments in both institutional operations and community service programs. The paper concludes that Texas should consider closing…

Commissioned by the governor of Minnesota, a study was done of the state's current resources, and future needs with a view to planning an integrated, efficient and effective system of post-secondary education. Through a series of eight meetings and visits to over 70 campuses where commissioners talked to students, educators, policy makers and…

This guide contains suggestions for citizens to follow in exploring and addressing policies that affect children. The guide focuses on federal child policy, but the strategies described also apply to policies at the state and local levels. The first part of the guide describes sources of information on government policies relating to children.…

This bulletin highlights topics addressed at a National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE) Action Seminar on Infants Exposed to Illicit Drugs and Alcohol in Utero. The incidence of babies being born exposed to cocaine and other illicit drugs is outlined, and it is concluded that numbers appear to be on the rise. The…

This bulletin describes the changing nature of work and summarizes research that has sought to identify the skills that all high school graduates and adult learners should have. It challenges several common assumptions about what preparation is needed for the workplace and how effectively schools are delivering the necessary skills. It cites the…

While various paradigms exist for planning in two-year colleges, from master planning to quality circles, three major elements invariably appear in planning activities: strategic or formal planning, operational planning, and effectiveness measures. Strategic planning attempts to systematically assess an institution's relationship with its external…

By 1978, those associated with the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) knew that serious internal and external problems existed. This paper describes the redesign of NCATE and is presented as a case study of political, organizational, and professional complexity. Data were gathered from four sources: (1) published…

This publication presents the findings of a California State Legislature task force on the changing needs of that state's families. An introduction summarizes the report's findings and lists five principles to guide the development of public policy. The next section, "Work and Family: The Contemporary Balancing Act," explores…

This publication offers an analysis of California families' need for childcare, and reviews policies on preschool in an effort to assist lawmakers in policy formation. The analysis discusses the history of childcare and child development programs in California with a view toward enhancing the future of young children and points the direction for…

Workplace literacy programs can support the path toward either low wages or high skills. Instead of the "high skill" path, most U.S. companies follow the "low wage" path. Depending on who is involved, which program goals are selected, and what planning process is followed, a workplace literacy program can maintain outdated workplaces or foster…

A Unesco-sponsored conference on literacy was convened to establish a working definition for functional literacy relevant to the Caribbean; to develop strategies aimed at eradicating illiteracy by the year 2000 or achieving a substantial reduction in illiteracy; to assess skills for the production of materials for adult literacy; to develop…

In response to interest from the Higher Education Advisory Council and a mandate from the 1985 Minnesota Legislature, Higher Education Coordinating Board staff conducted a project with three major goals: (1) to assess and report on the uses of information technologies in Minnesota postsecondary education; (2) to initiate collaborative activities…

This study analyses reasons given by the Canadian government for undertaking and administering relocations of Inuit (Eskimos) in 1953-55. The study, based on interviews and a review of government files, corroborates oral testimony by surviving Inuit, who said they suffered years of neglect following their resettlement from Quebec to the High…

This report examines how and why Australia's Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act (1986) and the Racial Discrimination Act (1975) produced changes in the provision of education services by Queensland and New South Wales for residents of Toomelah. Toomelah is an economically and educationally disadvantaged Aboriginal community in upper…