There appears to be growing concern that state systems of financing capital outlay may be vulnerable to successful legal challenge. Outlines considerations for the development of a defensible conceptual base for allocating scarce capital outlay funds. (Author/MLF)

An interview is provided with James E. Tucker, the superintendent of the Maryland School for the Deaf. Tucker discusses his own development as an individual and leader in deaf education. His views on the deaf education, the role of language, inclusive schools, cochlear implants, and bilingual education are conveyed. (CR)

School legislation is often designed to alter the fundamental structure of the public education system. Article describes elements of charter-school legislation and provides examples of strong and weak laws. Discusses California's experience to date with charter schools, issues to consider when assessing the implications of charter-reform…

The No Child Left Behind Act reflects a decision by Congress that federal money not be squandered searching for local solutions, but that scientifically based research be utilized to ensure that every student meets academic standards. The school improvement process requires that local stakeholders cooperatively plan an improvement process, and…

Summarizes recent state initiatives in values education, highlighting actions in Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and California, that promote values education programs and policies. Legislatures, typically, have chosen personnel to promote moral education, or have passed resolutions, or added language to existing codes regarding the necessity of…

Describes a project in which educators from several rural Missouri school districts cooperated in meeting state directives to define basic skills being taught, monitor student progress in those skills, and evaluate and improve teacher performance. Points out the short- and long-term benefits of this cooperative venture. (SV)

State takeovers, revolutions in school governance, and attacks on school boards are uncommon but not irrelevant. Summarizes comments from school board watchers about how boards must be reassessed if they are to meet challenges such as school system size, school choice, and board member qualifications. (MLF)

Describes a study of the location of decision-making authority in state community colleges at the college or governance board level. Examines differences in authority for academic, personnel, and administrative matters. Suggests that decision-making authority generally rested at the local level, although personnel decisions were more likely to be…

Traces the efforts in North Carolina to divide the fiscal burden of public education between the state and local governments while ensuring fairness, equity, and quality in education. Describes current issues of financial responsibility, fairness, and education reform. (108 references) (MLF)

Discusses the role of the courts in educational policymaking and educational quality improvement. It examines the courts' success in using state constitutions to mandate educational policy, the influence of the Goals 2000 initiative in school financing, the factors attributed to the state's increased legal exposure, and the court's impact in…

Rural school improvement requires that state educational policies empower rural educators to attempt innovative programs. After extensive grassroots input, the Alaska Legislature defined seven statewide educational needs relating to poor school performance. A Washington education reform bill allows schools to do anything not expressly forbidden by…

The Coalition for Adequate School Housing has developed a set of proposals for a new statewide school construction program. Lists 12 concepts that are the basis of the program. (MLF)

School districts dependent on outside resources must develop skills for securing educational resources, including competencies in collaborative, creative, and principled resource management. Constructive negotiations between local and provincial levels of government can improve relationships and support the development of collaborative…

In 1980, Colorado legislators repealed the Bilingual-Bicultural Education Act and passed the English Language Proficiency Act. Interviews with legislators, policymakers, administrators, teachers, and parents suggest that this change resulted in greater focus on severely limited-English-proficient students, 2-year funding limits, more pull-out…

Perceptions of the reform of segregated education at urban/suburban schools, township schools, and rural mission schools in South Africa are presented. Reform is most evident in former white schools and private schools, but lags behind in African and rural schools. Official reforms with grassroots efforts are needed to eradicate apartheid. (MMU)