New digital technologies and the rapid growth of the Internet are restructuring communications systems and transforming education and the economy. Noting that many of the resulting telecommunications policies will be made at the state level, this publication provides guidelines for child advocates to influence state policy regarding children's use…

This report, prepared by the National Commission on Children, discusses six main recommendations for improving children's health and health care. The recommendations discussed in separate chapters are: (1) Reform the Health Care System; (2) Monitor and Evaluate Efforts to Expand Health Care for the Underserved; (3) Address the Climate of Violence,…

Findings from a U.S. Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention-sponsored project, Using the Law to Improve School Order and Safety, are reviewed in this conference report. The conference agenda included presentation of the purpose, activities, and results of the project; reactions from a participating principal;…

This paper provides additional guidance to states in the form of supplemental questions and answers to facilitate the development of policy for service delivery areas (SDAs) and other subrecipients of funding under the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) Amendments, which took effect on July 1, 1993. Topics covered are the following: definitions,…

This guide is designed to enhance state policymakers' understanding of education reform networks by providing information about the kinds of networks available, how they work, and the benefits and services they offer to participants. The text is not intended as an exhaustive compendium of every network operating throughout the United States, but…

This paper examines the positive relationship that exists between Christian Right influence in state Republican parties and the introduction of phonics bills. Prior to 1990, phonics language appeared in the statutes of only three states: Arizona, New Mexico, and Ohio. Since 1990, 101 bills encouraging or requiring the use of phonics as a teaching…

This paper discusses the failure of the University of Washington to formulate a policy regarding the establishment of a Cultural and Ethnic Diversity (CED) course requirement for undergraduates despite nine years of efforts to do so, tracing the efforts to establish a CED requirement, along with the arguments for and against such a requirement. It…

The recent overhaul of the federal welfare system gives states new flexibility to set child care policies, develop child care programs, and fund new initiatives. The Child Care Action Campaign (CCAC) conducted an audioconference on July 31, 1997, to examine key elements of new state plans and to take a close look at how one state, Illinois, made…

This paper explores "political kitsch," a propaganda that incorporates familiar and easily understood art forms to shape the direction of public policy. Kitsch differs from art in that it is a powerful political construction designed to colonize the receiver's consciousness. It reassures and comforts the receiver through the exploitation…

A discussion of language policy development focuses on the components of rational policy with reference to the Queensland (Australia) language education policy developed recently. The paper argues that language policy is ultimately derived from the nature and needs of the society, the goals identified for the future of the society, and the…

The relevance of homework in today's schools is explored in this bulletin. Following the introduction, chapter 1 examines the effect of homework on academic achievement and concludes that there is a lack of agreement on the benefits of homework and on the amount of time students should spend on it. Chapter 2 describes homework practices in some…

This report resulted from a project designed to involve people with disabilities in the development of employment policies and rehabilitation services. The report presents recommendations addressing employment preparation, placement, postemployment, and support systems. The project, titled "National Agenda for the Employment of People with…

This report is the result of a task force's examination of factors that promote or discourage access to public libraries, i.e., economic, educational, social, attitudinal, physical, and geographical factors. It begins by identifying the seven issues that the study focused on: (1) what makes a person feel welcome and comfortable in a public…

Issues in the current discussions surrounding educational choice are discussed in this paper, which examines several underlying assumptions through an analysis of selected metaphorical constructs in a selective review of the choice literature. A conclusion is that the rhetorical power of choice is based on imprecise, limited, and ambiguous…

In May of 1992, the Alliance for Curriculum Reform (ACR) surveyed member organizations and others who had participated in ACR activities concerning their printed policies on issues relating to multicultural education. The areas of interest for the survey were: printed policy(ies) on multicultural content/curriculum; printed policy(ies) on student…