Contains a response to an earlier article in the May/June 1996 issue of this journal which weaves into the Texas story references to apparent failures in California. Presents a corrective version of the challenges faced by public schools in California. (TB)

The Indiana Commission for Higher Education (CHE) is a major component in the general design of the governance of Indiana's state colleges. This paper examines the CHE's history, discusses its relationship with Indiana's state colleges, and notes that CHE decisions affecting public higher education are often influenced more by politics, economics,…

Staff medications, except for time-critical medications, should be kept at the camp health center, separate from camper medications. Medication use should be documented, with efforts to insure confidentiality. Staff should be able to access their own medications unless they are controlled substances. Medication policies should be explained to…

Reviews history of writing portfolios, emphasizing differences between portfolios designed for instructional purposes and those intended to serve as tests. Suggests that because even carefully designed portfolio systems do not function as intended, portfolio users should expect evaluation and adjustment to be part of the portfolio process.…

Discusses indicators of high-quality care for school-age children, and examines the relationship between these indicators and provincial and territorial regulations for the licensing of school-age programs. Considers the effect of regulations on the wide age range of children attending school-age programs, suggesting ways to meet the needs of 9-…

Examines how the policy of decentralization has affected the governance of universities in Guangdong, China. Focuses on the reform of the financing and management structure, the merging of universities, and joint development programs to enhance competitiveness. Asserts that the state role as a regulator has actually been strengthened. (Contains 79…

Argues that because of research evidence linking competent assessment with academic achievement, all states should require assessment competence for teacher, administrator, and counselor licenses; reviews current status of state requirements; briefly describes assessment standards developed by several national organizations; describes several…

Consumer interest in healthy foods has spurred approval of several health claims for foods and dietary supplements. Although undergraduate and graduate food science curricula address food laws and regulations, nutrition claims may not be fully addressed. We posted a survey on the Internet for 2 mo for food industry professionals and others…

Thousands of California students were left to look for new schools after one of the nation's largest charter school operators shut its doors. The closure of the 5-year-old California Charter Academy (CCA), which ran about 60 schools under four charters and enrolled some 10,000 students, represents one of the largest charter school failures since…

Guided by feminist research principles, the study reported in this article contributes to the growing research dialogue on early childhood teachers' experiences with, and perceptions of, the impact of regulatory requirements on their teaching and on their perceptions of themselves as professionals. Specifically, three teachers from metropolitan…

Although federal U.S. regulations require schools to provide equal access to educational opportunities for all students, many technologies used in K-12 schools present accessibility barriers for students with disabilities. Interviews assessed knowledge of educational department staff, teachers, and parents of children in K-12 schools in the…

The regulatory environment in which long daycare centres are required to operate plays a key role in determining what early childhood professionals do and how they go about doing it. This paper reports findings from a state-wide survey undertaken in New South Wales, Australia, which shows how early childhood professionals position themselves on…

The organization and format of this primer which is designed for state officials differs from the other two in this series based on the recommendations of the state officials who participated in the Special Education Technical Assistance for Charter Schools (SPEDTACS) Project state team meetings convened to assist in the development of the set of…

The paper discusses the major issues connected with the accreditation procedures in higher education system in the U.S. The questions raised are as follows: what are the reliable and credible indicators of quality instruction that could be measured in the process of accreditation of higher education institutions? How does greater transparency in…

"Policy and Performance in American Higher Education" presents a new approach to understanding how public policy influences institutional performance, with practical insight for those charged with crafting and implementing higher education policy. Public institutions of higher learning are called upon by state governments to provide…