Using community volunteers is one way to build support for future technology budget requests. A volunteer in the Montgomery County (MD) Public Schools describes how teachers and administrators can recruit volunteers, use donated hardware, wire schools to the Internet, train and support staff and parents, develop curriculum, and build parental…

Discusses why government school vouchers actually represent a setback to school reform and only contribute to diminishing school autonomy and distinctiveness. Argues use of a privately funded voucher system or precollege scholarship approach as feasible alternatives for educating low-income children. Alternatives include the need for tax relief,…

The primary share of child care costs in the United States is paid by parents, followed by funding from the Federal government and matching state expenditures. Fragmentation in service delivery and inequities in allotment of subsidies should be countered through integrated policies and through the linking of child care and early education goals.…

On October 23, 1996, members of the Congressional Black Caucus visited schools in several cities and spoke to students, to garner support for federal funding of education. The event was held in conjunction with the National Commission for African American Education, in response to recent proposals to eliminate the Education Department and reduce…

This article outlines the elements that were included in a study that measured the cost of providing informal care to children (ages 4-10) with autism. The application of the instrument in a study of 15 families offers tentative evidence on the parental economic burden and the costs of informal care. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

Discusses the Tadpoles Project at Schofield Middle School in Aiken, South Carolina. A basin was excavated to create a pond so that students could study various disciplines in a wetlands setting. Presents guidelines for obtaining support for such an effort. (NB)

Discusses the challenges involved in evaluating federal education programs that provide funds to schools and districts, such as Title I, but do not require a fixed set of activities, reflecting on previous evaluations of federal education funding streams, analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of various evaluation designs, and making the case for…

Examines the historical development and current status of federal support for vocational education at the postsecondary level. Considers the role federal laws have played in creating current postsecondary vocational education programs. Discusses the federal government's potential for supporting enhanced growth and quality. (Contains 39…

Faced with declining state support, New England's public higher education institutions are stepping up private fund raising. In comparison to U.S. leaders in voluntary support, New England's public institutions have not fared well, for a number of reasons. Fund-raisers must persuade donors that their contributions will not result in reduction of…

A survey was taken of 432 special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs) for opinions on the efficacy of educational services in and around London for special needs children, with regard to the Code of Practice mandated by the 1993 Education Act. Results indicated mixed reactions, such as lack of understanding of Code provisions and excess time…

Offers advice on how to implement an online learning program. Includes a description of the planning process, funding requirements, teacher training, technology requirements, access options, and management and control issues. Describes some common types of online learning programs and virtual schools. Includes excerpts from "Guide to Online School…

Profiles charter schools in the Broward County (Florida) School District. Identifies when schools were chartered, the length of the charter, the nature and extent of student participation, average daily attendance, student withdrawals or transfers, and the results of norm-referenced tests, state achievement tests, and college entrance exams. Also…

Issues concerning intellectual property are reviewed from the faculty perspective. General issues discussed include patents and the reason for their pursuit, important dates, patent literature, and handling inventions. Faculty issues include sources of research support, publication, the responsibility of students in research, recordkeeping, and…

The findings of an annual report by the National Association of State Scholarship & Grant Programs, which each year surveys the state agencies responsible for student aid, calls spending increases in need-based aid for undergraduates "a very positive reversal of the slow growth rate" for such aid. (MLW)

Planned giving in a small college needs to be conducted differently than in a larger institution. Keys to success include commitment from trustees, realistic goals, appropriate program scope, adequate budget, well-conceived marketing strategy, effective volunteer involvement, and internal communication and understanding. (MLW)