Considers barriers to education faced by homeless children. Compares the development of the rights to education of homeless children and youth to the development of rights of the handicapped. Access to education is only the first step. Services must be provided to enable success to come from access. (SLD)

Core federal legislation addressing gender inequalities in education (Title IX of Education Amendments Act of 1972, Women's Educational Equity Act, and several vocational education acts) is examined. Objectives of these laws are discussed, and influence of this legislation and the federal government's reluctant role in enforcing these acts are…

Discusses the Government Printing Office (GPO) plan for the transition to an electronic Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) that, through a network of partnerships comprised of the GPO, the National Archives and Records Administration, federal agencies, and FDLP libraries, will increase public access to government information. (JAK)

Examines the state of early childhood policy in the United States and presents critical policy considerations and solutions. Discusses current trends of devolution of authority to the states, block grants, and budget control. Asserts that educators must work to effect positive change rather than despair over recent policy developments. (BGC)

Argues that policy development framework for school reform under the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994 must occur in state and local settings and possess advocates for at-risk students who can enter the community dialog concerning education. Policies should focus on the classroom with administrators and teachers continually striving for…

Examines the controversies and consequences involved in drawing proper districts for federal and state representatives. Discusses the Supreme Court's role in deciding these questions. Provides definitions and related court cases concerning gerrymandering and malapportionment, the two most common abuses of the districting process. (MJP)

The passage of the federal educational legislation, No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, established foreign languages as a core curricular content area. Nonetheless, educational policy makers at the state and local levels often opt to allocate greater resources and give instructional priority to content areas in which students, and ultimately the…

As the largest and most highly publicized initiative to improve teaching in American schools, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) has raised great expectations. It has created rigorous standards for teaching and a system to assess and certify teachers meeting these standards; it has promoted financial incentives to…

Since the 1960s, the U.S. Department of Education has enthusiastically embraced bilingual education. In this paper, the author evaluates the federal bilingual education program. Based on her studies of the implementation of bilingual education in California, Massachusetts, and New York City, she concludes that the program is of dubious value. She…

In only recent history, illicit use of methamphetamine, once isolated to urban areas on the West Coast, has spread into rural areas of the Midwest and southern United States. Although past and current methamphetamine legislation has increased penalties for methamphetamine manufacturers and tightened restrictions on sales of known precursors, the…

This article argues that, with all of its language about reaching "100% proficiency for all students in twelve years" as an "ambitious, but achievable" goal, the current federal administration seems to be on the side of the children in its No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), but further investigation reveals that many of the…

In the USA, many of the recent education reforms have been implemented in response to calls from neo-liberal and conservative policy makers to improve education efficiency and reduce public expenditures within an increasingly globalized economy. Consequently, local, state, and federal education policies increasingly employ curricular standards and…

No Child Left Behind offers many challenges to those who work with children with EBD [emotional and behavioral disorders]. It also offers opportunities never before available for collaboration and cooperation between general and special educators. Two snapshots of opportunities are provided. The first summarizes some of the challenges our field…

The US Constitution, federal and state legislatures, courts, and regulations permit physical restraint for both therapeutic (i.e., behavior change) and risk prevention purposes. Although most venues limit restraint as punishment, no government entity prohibits use of physical restraint as a response to imminent danger. This paper provides a…

Low employment and underemployment rates for students with disabilities have drawn national attention resulting in federal legislation. The research literature indicates a strong relationship between job success and interpersonal factors, especially for employees with disabilities. This study investigated social skills and problem behaviors of…