Provides a framework of topics that should be covered by a policy manual on cooperative reference services. It is organized into sections on mission statement, administration, delivery of services, and evaluation of services, and is intended for use in conjunction with existing RASD (Reference and Adult Services Division) documents. (Author)

Reviews the history of workforce development in the United States and lists issues to frame public policy: governance structure, funding targets, quality measures, accountability, and data collection. Identifies current legislative initiatives: School-to-Work Opportunities Act, Goals 2000, and National Skills Standards Act. (SK)

Claims that increasing numbers of children are growing up in stepfamilies. Discusses research concerns, specifically the context of step situations, comparison groups when studying stepfamilies, specific issues for consideration, and policy development. Claims that understanding how families manage change and supporting all families to provide…

Reports on a case study of editorial ethics involving newspapers and the Michigan telecommunications bill. Finds that the press had a vested interest and that its coverage was biased against the telephone industry. (TB)

Challenges the dichotomy between policy and practice. Presents an alternative view concerning the relationship between social policy and family therapy. Summarizes the increasing importance of family policy in family therapy, and a new trend within marriage and family practice--policy as practice--is discussed. Current practice context of managed…

A national agenda for the education of children and youth with visual impairments has been developed by eight national organizations. Agenda goals focus on referrals, parent participation, personnel preparation, provision of educational services, array of services, assessments, access to instructional materials, and the core curriculum. The…

The origin of the idea of systemic educational reform is traced, placing the concept within the context of educational developments in the 1980s and 1990s. How systemic reform is being interpreted and applied by analysts and policymakers today is explored. Systemic reform should be a useful step toward genuine improvement. (SLD)

Discussion of telecommuting motivations and constraints focuses on a study that analyzed differences in variables due to gender, occupation, and presence of children for 583 employees of the city of San Diego. Research hypotheses are discussed, and implications for forming policies to support telecommuting are suggested. (Author/LRW)

Examined the ways Canadian provincial and territorial policies address the inclusion of infants in multi-age early childhood education settings and the ways practitioners and licensing personnel interpret these policies. Noted policy patterns that affect the inclusion of infants and older children. Derived recommendations for policymakers and…

Noting the emerging global policyscape toward creating global information networks, this article analyzes policymaking across Europe, the United States, and East Asia. Employing a political-economy perspective, it compares seven countries' networks, highlighting the state's role and varying relationships among education, economy, and society, and…

Offers a conceptual evaluation of primary assessment policy and policy process in the Republic of Ireland. Considers the National Council for Curricula and Assessment's policy document "A Programme for Reform: Curriculum and Assessment Policy towards the New Century" and refers to the primary teachers' union stance on assessment.…

Suggests several possibilities for encouraging higher education economics research, including a week-long retreat for economists and education leadership and policy scholars where papers would be shared and discussed at length, a dissertation fellowship program, and improvements to the usefulness of well-known data sets. (EV)

Using interest group theory and the idea of public policy development and application following sequential stages, explores how key decisions were made about establishment and implementation of Australia's controversial national quality assurance program for higher education. Explains how Australia came to introduce a quality assurance program…

Describes a study that analyzed and evaluated interlibrary loan policies of 42 universities that were available on the World Wide Web to identify trends in service and help libraries develop their own policies. Appendices include results regarding eligible patrons, payment and fees, ordering procedures, missing materials, and notification…

This paper proposes a framework of gifted education policy and applies this framework to gifted education in the United States and Taiwan. The hierarchical model embodies policy, sources of policy, and influencing factors. A survey in Taiwan examined public attitudes toward gifted/talented education, knowledge of gifted education policy,…