The article summarizes financial aid programs available from national blindness agencies, state vocational rehabilitation agencies, and the federal government. Application procedures and contact addresses are listed. (Author/CL)

The open learning concept has proved sensationally successful, but it still is not getting the attention and support it deserves. A leading authority gives a short course in what it's about and tells why states should lend support. (Editor/LBH)

Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) allocations for Indian training programs are presented via a map depicting allocations. (JC)

This report presents data on the Ohio Department of Education's Cleveland Scholarship and Tutoring program, examining where students who receive school vouchers attended school before entering the program. Overall, 33 percent of these students previously attended private schools, and 21 percent previously attended Cleveland public schools. The…

This paper examines recent efforts in Arkansas to nullify property taxes. It describes how anti-tax citizens, whose push for a constitutional amendment in 1998 was thwarted by the state supreme court, have vowed to collect enough signatures to place the amendment on the 2000 ballot. The proposed amendment will abolish ad valorem taxes upon real…

This paper presents findings from the 2001 Urban Institute Child Welfare Survey, which collected SFY 2000 expenditures. In addition to spending by source and by use, changes in spending between SFY 1998 and SFY 2000 are presented. This survey was designed to identify changes in child welfare spending following states' implementation of the…

For 3 decades, colleges and universities have consistently increased tuition faster than the rate of inflation. Higher education leaders and public officials have been codependent agents in a process that has transformed practices without redefining policy. It has become increasingly clear that educational performance in the public interest and…

The first six sections of this report are based on data provided by each Texas public university and health-related institution for Fiscal Year (FY) 2001, September 1, 2000 through August 31, 2001. Data in these sections, which include an overview, a summary of major findings, summary data, and institutional and historical data, show that total…

This New York State Education Department bulletin provides guidelines and information on determining state building aid for public school construction pursuant to New York State Education Law: section 3602(6)(1) & (2). Guidelines address state building aid's purpose, eligibility, and formula for aid estimation. Included are guidelines on…

The state of Alaska, which provides for swimming pools as an eligible project cost in projects approved for state aid, presents guidelines to assist school districts in planning swimming pools, and provides standards for swimming pool size based on the planned educational program and student population. The guidelines are intended to assist school…

This report examines the theoretical result of a change in the way Oklahoma could fund its common schools if it used a Texas tax system that relied heavily on an ad valorum tax structure or another taxation system. Using data from the 1999 school year, calculations of state aid for the more than 540 school districts were made for four scenarios:…

This report examines teacher professional development in Ohio, highlighting the Local Professional Development Block Grant and the role of Local Professional Development Committees (LPDCs). Data come from nine school district case studies and surveys of school district treasurers. Funding sources are often restricted to a subject area, group of…

States with family cap public assistance policies deny or reduce additional welfare benefits to mothers who conceive and give birth to additional children while they are receiving aid. By 1999, 22 states had family cap policies in place. This paper reports estimates of the number and cost implications of infants conceived by mothers receiving…

This report contains profiles of the 145 schools in Utah that continued to receive funding as second- or third-year Centennial Schools during 1998-99. First enacted into law by the 1993 Legislature, the Centennial Schools Program has developed into a catalyst for change involving over 300 schools in 35 of the state's 40 school districts. The…

The Connecticut public higher education community requests an overall general fund/operating fund budget of $1.95 billion for FY 2008 and $2.02 billion for FY 2009. In FY 2008, this includes general fund current service support of $717.7 million and other funding requests of $53.0 million. For FY 2009, the general fund current service request is…