The Association of School Business Officials International is establishing the Meritorious Budget Award Program to critique school district budgets. Recently several school districts agreed to apply the criteria from the program to their budgets. The experiences of two Pennsylvania districts are reported: Mt. Lebanon School District, Pittsburgh…

Identifies six winners of the 1990 Carter G. Woodson Book Awards. Includes book title, author, publisher, and year. Provides a brief description of each book. (SG)

A survey of 33 Australian higher education institutions investigated the use of and attitudes toward awards given to faculty for teaching excellence. Patterns of award giving, benefits and problems associated with their use, and ideas for improving the design and value of award schemes are reported. (MSE)

Presents an award list, arranged by state, that presents titles of children's and young adult books that received awards during the past year. The name of the award, the appropriate ages and grade levels (where applicable), and the most recent bibliographic information available are provided for each title. (LRW)

Reviews the 1990 conference on children's classics that was sponsored by Drexel University and the Free Library of Philadelphia. Highlights include summaries of and excerpts from papers by author and illustrator Wendy Watson and Anita Lobel, and information on the recipient of the 1990 Drexel Citation, author and illustrator Carolyn Croll. (LRW)

This interview with Muriel Drew Saunders, the 1991 recipient of the Clarissa Hug Teacher of the Year Award, explores Saunders' work with students with severe/multiple disabilities, changes in special education since the 1960s, her research on reward systems and chronic aberrant behavior, and her advice to new special education teachers. (JDD)

Describes the features of the Austin Public Library that made it Library Journal's pick for the 1993 Library of the Year Award. The library's outreach programs, use of total quality management, volunteer program, and the bonds between the library and the city government are covered. (KRN)

Describes services offered and problems encountered at the Medina County (Ohio) District Library, winner of the Gale Research/Library Journal Library of the Year Award. Highlights include resisting pressure from the religious right to limit children's Internet access to protect them from pornography; a successful tax levy; and growth in…

Examines the attributes of picture books in subject matter, form, style, and media used by the artists as exemplified by winners of the Caldecott Medal over several decades. Discusses the changing styles of illustration brought on by technological advances. Announces the 1999 winners of major awards for children's books. (AEF)

Examines a Pennsylvania school's successful planning, design, and bidding process for acquiring a geothermal heat pump (GHP)system whose subsequent efficiency became award-winning for environmental excellence. Charts and statistical tables describe the GHP's energy savings. Concluding comments review the lessons learned from the process. (GR)

Describes Rural Sociological Society 1999 awards: Excellence in Instruction, Jill Belsky, for designing a college program in rural and environmental change, and Lori Cramer, for strengthening interdisciplinary linkages among rural sociology, forestry, and agriculture; Excellence in Extension, Emmett Fiske; Excellence in Research, Sonya Salamon;…

Highlights 40 award-winning newly constructed or renovated/restored elementary school design projects for 2000. Design descriptions, data, and photos are provided along with information about the architectural design firm used and costs per square foot and per student. (GR)

Highlights 20 award-winning newly constructed or renovated/restored middle school design projects for 2000. Design descriptions, data, and photos are provided along with information about the architectural design firm used and costs per square foot and per student. (GR)

Highlights 36 award-winning newly constructed or renovated/restored high school design projects for 2000. Design descriptions, data, and photos are provided along with information about the architectural design firm used and costs per square foot and per student. (GR)

Highlights 13 award-winning newly constructed or renovated/restored educational special-purpose facility design projects for 2000. Design descriptions, data, and photos are provided along with information about the architectural design firm used and costs per square foot and per student. (GR)