Examination of school counselors as change agents of institutional policy was studied by information from questionnaires on the following questions: To what extent are school counselors currently promoting institutional change? Do they regard themselves as effective catalysts in producing change? What are perceived consequences of their attempts…

A former Dartmouth College (New Hampshire) admissions officer has written a book about the college admissions process at Ivy League and other selective colleges. She details factors in admissions decision making that contradict stated policies and admissions principles. Admissions professionals at Dartmouth and other colleges criticize the book as…

Examines a radical change in policy enforcement and sanctions regarding alcohol use on the campus of the University of Rhode Island; describes the implementation of that policy over an eight-semester period. Evaluation of the policy revealed an increase in violations addressed and a decrease both in more serious violations and in repeat offenders.…

Following the National Alliance of Safe Schools' recommendations, a suburban New Jersey school district developed a successful school/police liaison program, issued photo ID cards, and initiated a "safe haven," zero-tolerance substance abuse policy. The district metes out immediate, serious penalties for violations, but also teaches…

Recounts events surrounding a superintendent's decision to confiscate an anthology from a senior English literature course because of a few words in one of the poems. (TB)

Reviews family leave policies in Canadian universities through March 2002. Analysis of pregnancy, adoption, and partner (paternity) leave policies reveal that most Canadian university policies produce income loss and disruption and are characterized by gender regulation and familialism. The paper proposes that improving faculty family leave…

Describes the major issues tackled by the school board in a New Jersey Diocese. The key areas addressed were: revision and expansion of tuition assistance program, a move to president/principal model of administration for high schools, and overhaul of school policy manuals. Describes characteristics of an effective board. (NB)

This review of "Linguistic Genocide in Education or Worldwide Diversity and Human Rights?" by Tove Skutrabb-Kangas (Erlbaum 2002) finds the book a useful guide for examining language policies in education but suggests its argument is weakened by the invisibility of teachers in the analysis and the loaded and inflammatory language used.…

Teachers may be required to perform extra-duty assignments if they are professional in nature, not unduly time-consuming, and related to their specialty areas--even in the absence of policy statements. Teachers can be expected to take over study halls, attend parent-teacher association meetings, and supervise field trips, detention programs, and…

Describes how formal and informal school policies exacerbate the alienation of minority students and intensify social stratification. Discusses the effects of school sanctions, tracking and leveling, economics, sorting and selection, and dependency on minority students. Recommends six state-mandated changes. (DMM)

All too often, school administrators are not prepared to handle unexpected foster children enrollments. Because of communication breakdowns, important information is not passed along, and children can be left in educational limbo. A well-stated policy and a simple information checklist could rectify this situation. Includes 18 references. (MLH)

An epidemiological update on Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome as it relates to the school-age population emphasizes modes of transmission and recommends ways for handling infected students. (JD)

The four P's of policy (philosophy, principles, procedures, and performance) are discussed within a framework for developing special needs policies in British schools. Elements of a special educational needs policy are listed, and examples of statements which might be included in a school's special needs policy are provided. (DB)

The author comments on Learning for Life, the Scottish plan for environmental education. Reviews the status of environmental education in whole-school policies, schools development planning, curriculum models, and local government reform. Discusses the effectiveness of the permeation strategy. (LZ)

A random sample of students, faculty, and administrators at a large research university in the Midwest participated in a survey to determine severity of student misconduct and the importance of information used to determine disciplinary action. All groups agreed on the most critical information for disciplinary action and the most serious…