This paper identifies how evaluation and research can contribute to federal policies for language-minority students who have limited proficiency in English. Federal bilingual education policies are controversial, and the debate benefits from systematically collected information about, and impartial evaluation of, bilingual programs. Specific focus…

This practicum was designed to improve the level and quality of involvement of foster parents and social workers in the development of timely and compliant foster care plans at a child care agency in Ontario. The writer developed: (1) an agency policy that defined the unique relationship between foster parents and the child welfare agency and…

The two major programs to help dislocated workers make the transition to new employment are Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) and Economic Dislocation and Worker Adjustment Assistance (EDWAA). Both programs have shortcomings that hamper their ability to help dislocated workers: they are slow in providing assistance, the services offered are often…

This report presents information on the Improving the Efficiency of Educational System (IEES) Project Policy Research Initiative, which sought to improve educational capacity at the local level in Botswana and Indonesia. In Botswana, interviews were conducted with approximately 1,450 households and 20 policy makers. In Indonesia, 820 parents, 144…

This book is designed to help school administrators locate, analyze, and effectively use relevant information to create policies at the school or district level. Chapter 1 introduces the concepts of school policy and policy analysis, outlines the five-step Clear and Simple Analysis (CASA) model, and lists seven principles of effective policy…

The Tennessee policy for principals, as based on the "Master Plan for Tennessee Schools: Preparing for the 21st Century," is presented in this document. Following a list of 10 policy statements, sections provide information on the following state standards relating to principals: recruitment and selection of principals; preparation and…

Findings of a case study that examined how nonincremental policy changes occurred in Ohio education are presented in this paper. Specifically, the paper applies Mazzoni's two arena models of policy innovation to understand the 1989 passage of S.B. 140, or the Omnibus Education Reform Act. In the first model, policy innovations occur when the…

Findings of a study that explored ways of designing elementary-level instruction for disadvantaged students are presented in this paper, with a focus on the impact of the educational environment on instructional practices. The study sought to identify the current range of instructional practices and demonstrate their potential applications to…

The ongoing planning of school improvement in the Chicago Public Schools is examined in this paper. The Chicago School Reform Act required that principals consult with their local school councils (LSCs), staff, parents, and community members to develop a three-year school improvement plan (SIP). Data were derived from two studies: the first…

Intended to provide background information and preliminary policy options for the California Community Colleges' Commission on Innovation, this document explores changes in local and systemwide college governance to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. Following introductory materials detailing the Commission's charge, the current state…

An Indian child welfare agency realized the need for an HIV/AIDS policy when a diabetic child possibly exposed to the HIV virus was placed in one of the agency's licensed foster homes. A focus-group interview process was selected for policy development because this method appeared to parallel the Native American cultural approach toward consensus…

The development of the National Information Infrastructure (NII) and the growing use of the Internet are creating a rapidly-changing environment for collaborative preservation and access. Within this environment, the Digital Preservation Consortium (DPC) seeks to advance the use and utility of digital technology for the preservation of and access…

This publication provides local governments in New York with guidelines and suggestions for three major records management undertakings: (1) writing an ordinance, resolution, or local law to establish a records management program; (2) defining the role of the Records Management Officer in developing, organizing, and directing a records management…

The national Nontraditional Employment for Women Act, passed in 1991, was intended to expand employment opportunities and access for women into nontraditional occupations. The New York State Job Training Partnership Council (JTPC) worked toward implementation of the act in the state by convening a subcommittee, with representatives of state…

A study by a commission of the Michigan House of Representatives determined that the gap between what students need to know to become employed and what they are learning in school is widening. In Michigan and nationally, a serious mismatch has developed between the traditional basic skills that are taught in middle school and high school today and…