A project investigated Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI)-developed proposals designed to strengthen User Choice. (The ability of employers and employees to select a training provider of their choice, providing it is registered in their state or territory, is known as "User Choice.") Stage 1 analyzed the ACCI position,…

This report provides descriptive information on variations in selected features of state and local early intervention systems. Information was gathered from 20 states as part of the National Early Intervention Longitudinal Study (NEILS). Results indicate a considerable variation along a number of dimensions, including: eligibility criteria; type…

This document, produced by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC), is a handbook for administrators of community, junior, and specialized two-year colleges. This handbook is for the specific use of institutions under review, members of evaluation teams, and others who are concerned with good practice in associate…

This document is an accreditation guide for community and junior colleges from the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC), which is part of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. The purpose of the guide is to communicate the general background and content of the accreditation standards. The guide is divided…

Technical amendments to the 1996 welfare reform legislation--the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA)--include new requirements for administering a state child support enforcement program. This document provides background information to American Indian tribes, Alaska Native villages, tribal courts, and…

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is a federally funded preventive health and nutrition program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture through state and local agencies and provides services to nutritionally at risk low-income pregnant women, postpartum women, infants, and children up to…

This report of the National Council on Disability (NCD) examines root causes of the crisis in mental health, specifically the dysfunction of fragmented public systems charged with providing mental health services and supports for children, youth, adults, and senior citizens diagnosed with mental illnesses. Following an introductory chapter,…

This report discusses the findings of a survey of 45 supported employment providers that sought to identify potential barriers to supported employment services for persons with severe physical disabilities. Results are compared with survey results from 50 state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies. Key findings from the survey include: (1) the…

Responsibilities of the college or university governing board's student affairs committee include representing students' interests in all policy decisions, ensuring provision of adequate financial resources to support a comprehensive student affairs program, ensuring that board policies keep pace with students' diverse and changing needs, and…

After-school programs provide wide-ranging benefits to children, their families, and the whole community. This report focuses on the benefits children receive: increased safety, reduced risk-taking, and improved learning. Quality afterschool programs keep kids out of trouble, prevent crime, juvenile delinquency, school vandalism, and violent…

Local child welfare and public housing agencies have the resources to collaborate in helping the growing number of American families for whom stable housing is beyond reach. This Child Welfare League of America manual offers suggestions for helping child welfare and housing agencies build strong collaborations to improve services for families in…

The 1997 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires states to develop state improvement plans (SIPs) that include provisions supporting the professional development of all persons who work with disabled children. The National Association of State Directors of Special Education is establishing a professional…

This monograph is the third-year report of the Health and Education Collaboration Project (HEC), directed by the Hawaii Medical Association, whose purpose is to develop, test, and disseminate a model for family-centered, interprofessional training and service delivery. At the heart of the demonstration effort is the Healthy and Ready to Learn…

This report begins by discussing the role of the New York Education Department; community education agencies; school boards, administrators, teachers, and their associations; community-based organizations; and the role of other state and local agencies in creating collaborative approaches to early childhood programming. Several collaborative early…

This document provides guidelines for fulfilling the requirements of the annual report for 2000-01 and 2001-02 of the Student Health Partnership, a program in Alberta, Canada, designed to provide health services to students with special health needs. The guidelines explain each of the annual report's required components, including: (1) a statement…