Teachers who are going to coach need to know at least a few basic concepts of preparing teams for competition. Otherwise students are going to be shortchanged. Some guidelines for effective coaching procedures are discussed. (Author/RK)

Presented is a scientific approach to public policy decision making which integrates facts and social value judgments to reach decisions that are scientifically, socially, and ethically reasonable. The approach is offered as an alternative to "science courts" or science advisors in decision making. (SL)

The authors suggests that educational change, like all societal change, takes place as a result of policies interacting with the environment. He explains why some environments are more receptive to change than others. (Editor)

Based on analysis of data on 432 decision-makers from around the world, this study examines the decision-making phenomenon that individuals tend to move toward riskier decisions after group discussion. Findings of the analysis contradicted earlier studies, showing a consistent shift toward greater risk avoidance. Available from Elsevier Scientific…

The story of Senator Thomas Eagleton and the media's exploitation of his mental illness is investigated in terms of media power and future policy re: the media. (JC)

The U.S. is now training and importing new physicians at a rate that will increase the ratio of physicians-to-population by nearly 50 percent: over the next 25 years. Similar increases in the supply of other health manpower will also result from current enrollment levels. Since only marginal, if any, improvements in overall health care will…

The intended coordinative role of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), as defined under the National Environmental Policy Act, is compared and contrasted with its actual activities since its formation in 1969. The Council on Environmental Quality's success has been varied and is subject to dispute. (BT)

The goal of this primer is to help policymakers and other interested individuals answer three big questions: (1) What does the research say? (2) Is the research trustworthy? (3) How can the research be used to guide policy? Answering these questions will help policymakers: (1) make evidenced-based decisions about education policies; (2) gain a…

This report describes the technical aspects of the establishment of a "Fast Response Survey System" for the state of Washington. The system, supported by the Stuart Foundation and the newly created Center for Strengthening the Teaching Profession (CSTP), is being designed to offer timely and useful information to the state's policy community…

This report traces the history and accomplishments of the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education over the past 12 years, during 3 state administrations. In the early 1990s, as the Commonwealth was feeling the impact of recession, the perceived quality of the system was declining, as were enrollments and retention. State policymakers and leaders…

The fifth edition of this book presents the results of the social work profession's most systematic approach to policy development. Since its inception in 1955, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) has incorporated policy statements into its governance process. NASW's Delegate Assembly meets at regular intervals to set broad…

Correlation and multiple regression analyses revealed the extent to which the report card grades of Quality Counts 2002, prepared by Education Week, were intercorrelated with and predicted by demographic factors among many states. The researchers used four grades from Quality Counts 2002 and five demographic factors. Few intercorrelations were…

This report from the 1995 Child Care Action Campaign national audioconference examines approaches to building support among child care providers, legislators, and parents for investments in good quality child care in light of welfare reform. The report summarizes recent findings that children in good quality child care had a more developed…

The charter-school movement is a diverse and confusing collection of values, motives, beliefs, and assumptions. To help ease the confusion surrounding charter schools, an outline of the general purposes of the charter-school movement and the values behind these purposes are presented in this booklet. The intent is to provide a structure for…