In 1994-95, the Education Commission of the States plans to focus on quality in higher education--quality that reflects the changing needs of society; quality that shows in the performance of all colleges, universities, and community colleges; and quality that counts for parents and students. The Commission will examine what Americans need and…

This publication summarizes the proceedings of a conference of college and university policymakers convened to develop strategies to increase the recruitment and retention of minority faculty in Colorado institutions of higher education. Following an executive summary the first section presents information on the status of minorities in Colorado…

Issues in systemic educational policy are discussed in this paper, with a focus on improving student achievement. First, the limitations of the current educational policy as a means to improve student achievement are described, and a conceptual framework for systemic educational policy is presented. The advantages and disadvantages of centralized…

This essay and a report focus on the challenge to Britain's educational system posed by an increasingly multicultural and multilingual population. The essay, "Towards a Curriculum Policy for a Multilingual World," attempts to clarify the implications of multilingualism for the entire curriculum, for both curriculum design and…

This report proposes a new framework for understanding the different governance approaches taken by Local School Councils (LSCs) throughout the Chicago Public Schools, based on data collected during the 1991-92 school year. Meeting supervisors covered 155 council meetings at 14 randomly selected, representative schools, and interviewed principals,…

The First Impressions initiative was created in 1987 by Governor Roy Romer of Colorado to increase public awareness of the critical importance of the first 5 years of life, assist communities in developing effective programs for young children and their families, and influence early childhood policy and practice. In 1991-92, the priorities of…

The centerpiece of the 1988 Family Support Act (FSA) is the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS) Act, which directs states to provide a broad range of educational, training, and employment services. FSA offers states an opportunity to design humane and effective programs to assist welfare recipients to move out of poverty. FSA also has…

A poverty line helps focus the attention of policymakers on the living conditions of the poor and may inform policy decisions about targeting development or poverty programs. Poverty lines serve two roles. One is to determine the minimum living standard before a person is not considered "poor." The other is to make interpersonal comparisons, such…

This book details a study of policy from the perspective of Head Start staff and is written from the perspective of how staff adapted and interpreted program policies. Part 1 of the book describes the focus of the study and background information on Head Start, Hoover Community Action Corporation (study pseudonym), and Wood River Head Start (study…

This report presents the conclusion of about 50 leaders in government, business, and education who met to consider the status and future of higher education in New Mexico. Following an executive summary, individual sections of the report address the following categories: the process of the roundtable; the current status of higher education in New…

This report presents the results of a multi-state study of state governing structures for higher education, focusing on the complexity of general patterns of higher education governance. The study focused on higher education governance in seven states--California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, New York, and Texas--and was based on a review…

This booklet for trustees of institutions of higher education offers guidelines for strategic financial decisions required in light of the financial challenges higher education faces in the 1990s and beyond. "Strategic response" is defined as a decision that requires changing a major policy, program, or practice and involves some risk. Five…

A paper, "Young Children Face the States: Issues and Options for Early Childhood Programs," by W. Norton Grubb, is summarized in this policy brief. A discussion of the decisions that state policy makers must make and descriptions of the historical conflicts that persist within the early childhood movement and the current national status of early…

This brief report highlights the issues, evidence, and first steps toward including students with disabilities in educational data systems. The report notes that if students with disabilities are excluded from educational data collection systems, policy makers do not have an adequate set of information from which to make policy decisions. The…

This congressional report presents amendments to the Education of the Deaf Act of 1986 and recommends the amended bill's passage. The amended bill extends the authorizations for Gallaudet University and the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID). The bill repeals parts B and C of Title I, consolidating the authorities for the elementary…