To get its policy deliberations translated to written form, the Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania, school board turns to its part-time policy assistant. (Author)

Although the historian is the most professionally vulnerable in dealing with the present, his abilities and perspective can be valuable and important aid in the formulation of current policy. (JB)

The degree of responsiveness of state policies to the ideological leanings of public opinion is examined. States with more liberal electorates, as indicated by their support for George McGovern in the 1972 presidential election, have higher welfare benefits and expenditures, higher education expenditures, and more consumer protection laws.…

Analyzes the literature to see how well state political parties represent the needs of disadvantaged groups. Results indicated that state party ideology, as measured by voting behavior of state delegations at national party conventions, is shaped by the needs of the disadvantaged. (AM)

Describes and gives a statement of purpose for the Joint National Committee for Languages (JNCL) and its sister organization, the Council for Languages and Other International Studies (CLOIS). Lists the member organizations of both JNCL and CLOIS. (EKN)

Argues that, as the new minority in the United States, parents of school-age children must actively involve themselves in the decision-making process to assure the adaptation of appropriate communal and educational services. (MP)

In a better-designed democracy, decisionmakers would be better appraised of public opinion and technical fact through electronic, computer-assisted referenda and the Science Court. Congress's main duty would be to oversee the decision process, and the president's primary responsibility would be to find superior candidates to fill top government…

Stresses that the psychological community should be involved in shaping public policy for children, youth, and families who will be adversely affected by proposed Federal budget cuts in social programs. Summarizes issues discussed in the articles that follow in the same volume. (MJL)

Analyzes and classifies various forms of curriculum development strategies; reviews and summarizes their use in terms of their major characteristics and consequences; analyzes their relative merits with respect to 10 criteria; and, finally, discusses their policy implications. (MLF)

Outlines several approaches to the establishment of prices for information products and services by the administrators of libraries and information centers, including optimization, pricing to achieve organizational objectives, pricing for market structures, and types of market structure pricing systems. A reference list is included. (JL)

Discusses the use of policy memoranda writing in political policy courses to help students practice writing skills and learn about policy and policymaking. This essay describes four types of policy memoranda, provides guidelines and formats for writing each one, and suggests ways of incorporating them into relevant policy courses. (AM)

Describes the role of the guardian "ad litem"--a person invested with the power and duty to protect the rights and interests of a child (or incompetent person) involved in litigation. Areas of consensus arrived at during the first national policy conference on the use of guardians "ad litem" are listed. (Author/RH)