The first National Congress on Rural Education, organized and conducted in conjunction with the 84th annual convention of the National Rural Education Association, convened an assembly of 458 advocates of rural education which came together to analyze common problems that tend to disaffect education in rural America and to plan corrective action.…

This monograph is the result of a study group on the rehabilitation service needs of unserved and underserved people with disabilities, especially those who are hard of hearing or have epilepsy. The first chapter discusses the criteria of the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) for determining that members of a particular group are…

A discussion of language policy in Australia chronicles the history and context of policy formation and looks at the role of the National Languages and Literacy Institute. The paper first examines the phases and processes of both explicit and unofficial policy-making on language issues in Australia, highlighting the role that language…

The 10 Regional Educational Laboratories work to ensure that those involved in educational improvement at the local, state, and regional levels have access to the best available information from research and practice. This report presents 1997 performance data on three common objectives of the Regional Educational Laboratory Program sponsored by…

In November 1997, Washington University and the Parents as Teachers National Center hosted a forum on how to apply neuroscience research to the field of education. The forum focused primarily on language acquisition in young children, which is fundamental to early learning and development and to later school success. The 110 participants included…

This research sought to determine and describe the impact of standards-based reform as a policy instrument by studying the ways in which state adoption of content standards affects local policy, programs, and practice. In 1992, the state of Delaware embarked on a plan to improve its public schools. While the state worked at determining what…

The benefits of and issues associated with output-related funding (ORF) were assessed by examining the use of ORF in vocational education and training (VET) in the European Union and the United States. Data were gathered in the following ways: several online bibliographic searches; consultation with 54 experts, including VET researchers, national…

This guide provides support for school jurisdictions and schools as they implement school-based decision-making (SBDM) for the purpose of improving teaching and learning. The intended users include school boards, school councils, school staffs, and central-office personnel who wish to create effective SBDM processes and policies, which focus on…

Local governments play a central role in improving the lives of children and families and in piecing together solutions to other major social, economic, environmental, and political challenges. Some ways to nurture and support systems reform activities in local governments, including those of educational systems, are explored. Systems reform can…

This guide to the Internet is designed to help parents, especially urban parents, find information they will need to participate in school leadership and in their children's education. The following sections explain the Internet for parents: (1) "How To Use the Internet"; (2) "General Sites"; (3) "Education Related Sites for Parents"; (4)…

This newsletter double issue is totally devoted to this report. The report presents an overview of recent policy changes related to job training and education for welfare recipients. It also presents the findings of research on several types of job training programs, discusses the data on the economic value of basic and higher education, and…

This brief report provides an analysis of survey data collected from 45 states and territories about policies, procedures, and guidelines related to Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA), plans to develop or revise policy in this area, and technical assistance needs related to FBA, especially for students who exhibit behavior that interferes with…

The Join Together Policy Panel on Preventing Substance Abuse has formulated six recommendations that can facilitate community efforts to prevent substance abuse. These recommendations are directed to federal, state, and local policymakers and the communities they serve. The recommendations are: (1) federal, state, and local policies should…

The American institution of Academic Boards of Trustees is examined, with attention to their operation and conduct; their importance to the effective functioning of American higher education; whether their roles are subject to erosion over time; and their relationship to the college presidency. The analysis is based partially on interviews…

Resulting from a National Association for Foreign Student Affairs (NAFSA) Field Service seminar, this document presents information on various aspects relating to foreign student services at U.S. universities. After an introduction, chapter 2 provides an institutional checklist for foreign scholar services. Chapter 3 presents an overview of…