Among several innovations in public school curriculum and financing, the 1990 Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) also included a school-governance provision. School-Based Decision Making (SBDM) Councils include administrators, teachers, and parents in addressing school-level curriculum and instructional issues. These groups have not had a…

The Alberta Minster of Education recently announced a major education restructuring plan. Two components of the plan have a significant impact on the roles and responsibilities of various members of the education community--school-based management and school councils. This document contains position statements concerning the roles and…

The objectives of this project were to assist the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in developing a policy for the representation, transfer, access, and preservation of electronic records of permanent value. A lack of attention to the management, retention, and selective preservation of these machine-readable records will result…

This document consists of a high school level study unit on decisions that faced the United States with respect to the Soviet Union following World War II. In applying the choices approach to the problem solving, the unit calls upon students to become active participants in the history-making process. To enhance authenticity, the lessons rely on…

The purpose of this policy seminar, one of a series of family impact seminars, was to consider current and proposed policies of the federal government that concern child care. This document provides highlights of presentations by the seminar panelists and a background briefing report prepared before the meeting. The highlights section summarizes:…

The meeting reported here was held to address the issues related to the increasing numbers of foreign students in Japan (31,000 in 1989 and increasing annually by 20%). First, profiles of the speakers and the texts of their speeches are presented, as well as the comments made during the panel discussions and symposium sessions. Speakers from 11…

Since 1989, the French government has been developing a program to encourage forecasting studies on skills and training needs within the framework of a dialogue between the social partners. A review of the program showed that the forecasting studies have been conducted either by public research institutions or by private consulting firms. Some…

Federal legislation for infants and toddlers with handicapping conditions and their families (Part H of Public Law 99-457) calls for a statewide system of coordinated, comprehensive early intervention services. The legislation calls for an Interagency Coordinating Council (ICC) to be appointed by the Governor of each state, to participate in the…

The development of vocational education in modern China may be traced through four stages. The progress made during the experimental stage (1949-1965) was largely reversed during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), at which time many secondary technical and vocational high schools were closed. The period 1977-1984 marked a recovery stage when…

This study followed up 328 child participants (150 children with mild to moderate developmental delays and 178 typical children) ages 3-5 years to determine the effects of preschool placement (mainstream or segregated setting) on later school age special or regular class placement. Evaluation after 3 years indicated that children with…

This policy brief is based on prior class size research and address the following issues of concern to policy makers: (1) the extent and reliability of class size impact on student achievement; (2) the mechanisms by which class size changes turn into student learning effects; and (3) the economic consequences of the reduction of class size. This…

A discussion of language proficiency focuses on the conceptual framework for assessing proficiency and its implications for educational policy formation at the state and local levels. First, the concept of language is defined in terms of the interaction of these elements: language subsystems, communication skills, language domains, language…

At Virginia Highlands Community College (VHCC), citizens advisory committees (CACs) were instrumental in the initiation of the first programs and services at the college and have continued to suggest needed additions, deletions, and modifications of offerings as the college has grown. This handbook outlines basic guidelines and procedures for…

This paper explores educator reactions to Oregon's House Bill 3565, officially the "Oregon Educational Act for the 21st Century," and describes how and why reactions differ among individuals and schools. The act differs from those enacted by other states in that it mandates changes that are not incremental and focuses on the…

This report on postsecondary enrollment trends in Minnesota was prepared in response to questions from state legislators concerning significant declines in enrollments at Minnesota state colleges and universities. Text, tables, and graphs provide a quantitative analysis of data derived primarily from the state higher education services office and…