The passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 means that, for the first time, the federal government has shifted substantial responsibility for maintaining a social safety net for the most vulnerable populations to the state governments. This guide summarizes the contents of the new law, identifies…

The U.S. Department of Education's Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention publishes "Catalyst," a newsletter covering current Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Violence (AODV) prevention issues at institutions of higher education. "Catalyst" discusses emerging issues and highlights innovative efforts on…

This report presents the case-study findings from a cross-state investigation focused on Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, intended to deepen understanding around the influence of high stakes accountability on teacher learning and the capacity of districts and schools to support instructional practices…

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 bans discrimination in schools receiving federal financial assistance with regard to both academics and athletics. The law has helped ensure that women have access to both academic and athletic opportunities at most higher education institutions in the United States, dramatically increasing the range…

This document presents the November 2004 issue of the Council for American Private Education's (CAPE's) monthly newsletter, "Outlook." Articles in this issue include: (1) Government Report Shows Increase in Private Schools and Students; (2) CAPE Board Meets with Secretary Paige; (3) Forum Focuses on Market Education; (4) SAT Scores Go…

A review of the evolution and characteristics of the emerging land grant institutions during the period from the passing of the Morrill Act in 1862 until about 1890 refutes some popular misconceptions about these institutions. Land grant institutions added new subjects to the curriculum, provided higher education for the "industrial…

This report attempts to present a balanced discussion of several key issues in the charter school movement. Its goal is to help school board members, especially those in urban districts, assess the record of charter schools so far, and understand the complexity of the issues involved. The first chapter presents a brief legislative history of the…

This brief guide to the legal rights of gifted preschool, elementary, and secondary school children, first notes the lack of a federal law to protect the rights of these children in contrast to children with disabilities and the need for advocates for these students to urge adoption of appropriate statutes and regulations at the state and local…

This report provides a summary of the activities of vocational education programs in Iowa in Fiscal Year 1997, especially in regard to the use of federal funds. The following 11 sections cover the main components of the state's vocational education program: (1) use of Perkins' funds; (2) vocational education goals and performance standards; (3)…

This report provides a review and summary of the activities of vocational education programs in Iowa in Fiscal Year 1995-96, especially in regard to the use of federal funds under the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act. Funds distributed through the act were awarded in Iowa in the following titles: Title…

This report explains proposed 1997 amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA). After the proposed new law is presented, a summary of House action is provided along with a section-by-section analysis of the legislation. A statement from the Committee discusses its intention to review, strengthen, and improve IDEA to better educate…

This paper provides explanations and case examples of some terms and concepts related to transition of students with disabilities under 1997 amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Explanations and examples focus on the concepts of "statement of transition service needs" and "statement of needed transition…

Occupational and sex equity programs administered by the New Jersey Department of Education, Office of Bilingual Education and Equity Issues, and funded through the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act were evaluated. Participants in single-parent and sex equity programs completed a series of pretests and posttests that…

In North Carolina, work force development education (WDE) begins in grade 6 with exploratory courses and leads to specialized classroom instruction in grades 11 and 12. Since 1992-1993, North Carolina's WDE programs have been evaluated with respect to eight long-range performance standards. Only in the case of standard 1 (all students will have…

This guide for parents, in Spanish, explains the changes in the federal special education law resulting from the 1997 amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Changes related to the parent's role in decisions about the child's education and in how schools can discipline special education students are highlighted. A…