The assessment of interests, skills, and needs of handicapped students related to work, home, community, and leisure should begin at a very young age and be closely connected to a functional curriculum. A framework for developing a community-wide interagency career assessment process is described. (Author/DB)

Some behavior disordered children drift from agency to agency, with little continuity or communication among services. The price paid is a high one, not only in dollars, but also in terms of negative personal, family, professional, and community consequences. A sense of interagency collaboration needs to be revitalized. (JW)

Described are educational services, residential programs, and financial support for individuals with mental retardation in Belgium. The services are available from several government agencies and cover the entire life cycle of the individual. The situation of the mentally handicapped person with psychiatric problems is also briefly reviewed. (JDD)

A discussion of Dutch higher education looks at whether a 1985 proposal for fundamental changes in the relationship between government and higher education institutions has been implemented with regard to curriculum design. It is concluded that, despite policy intentions for increased institutional autonomy, the government retains relatively tight…

Expectations of graduate medical education consortia are contrasted with the experiences of 36 such groups. Results indicate consortia differ markedly in structure, functions, and other features but have some common concerns. Recommendations for improvement addresses such issues as leadership, needs assessment, and resource allocation. (Author/MSE)

The Florida Juvenile Justice Act of 1994 reorganized and redefined the juvenile justice system. The Act fosters innovation in response to juvenile crime, with five levels of restrictiveness. It also provides for benchmarks to evaluate the system and defines the responsibility of the public school system in prevention, education, and community…

Describes the plight of homeless families in the United States, examining the special role that Head Start programs can play in homeless families' lives. Suggests that Head Start programs need to address staff training, family recruitment, health services, transportation, flexible scheduling, home-based options, attendance, parent education,…

Discusses 10 years of research on intergovernmental relations in education policy and examines current intergovernmental issues. Overall, governmental action at all levels is revealed to be largely unproductive. The author states that policies need to be more robust and sophisticated without losing sight of the realities of the classroom and that…

Describes development of NAEYC accreditation and offers a description of the process. Highlights the effects of accreditation and discusses its future. Notes that accreditation provides opportunities and motivation for valuable professional development, and that quality control is the greatest challenge faced by accreditation efforts. Notes…

Profiles 11 companies and government agencies that work in partnership with the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) to improve the science and math education of American Indian students. Support to AISES chapters, schools, colleges, and universities is given through scholarship monies, fellowships, internships, and goods and…

Discusses the Ontario Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (OIS), which is based on a survey of child protection workers involved in 2,447 abuse and neglect investigations. OIS found an incidence rate of reported maltreatment of 21 per 1,000 children and a 27% substantiation rate. Includes comparisons with incidence rates for the…

Identifies the major themes that have emerged in this special issue on child welfare in Canada, and presents a critique of the policies and practices now dominating the Canadian child welfare enterprise. Outlines the changes required to move child welfare from its residual stance into an enterprise that develops a capacity for innovative practice.…

This series of articles reviews the management of global change data and the role of librarians and information professionals. Topics include the Global Change Data and Information System (GCDIS) thesaurus project, ConQuest Software, the Assisted Search for Knowledge (ASK) project, metadata, standards, and Directory Interchange Format and USMARC.…

This study investigated viewpoints of 290 parents and 267 professionals concerning early intervention services for infants and young children with disabilities in the light of requirements of Public Law 99-457. Major concerns of both groups related to accessing services, developing Individualized Family Service Plans, and coordinating services.…

This paper examines school restructuring, the national education goals, and opportunities to improve the quality of education for adolescents with behavioral disorders. The paper favors adjustment as a goal along with achievement, a focus on broad outcomes of education, and links between mental health and education. (JDD)