Compulsory attendance policies have been instituted in higher education with the expectation that academic achievement will improve, but empirical research on this relationship is equivocal. One theory of motivation posits that students' motivational beliefs, classroom context, and student behaviors are important variables in academic achievement.…

Discusses issues and practices in information management (IM) in a number of fields, with emphasis on the role of IM for institutional research and assessment, particularly in colleges and universities. Topics discussed include the scope of IM, the multiple uses of information, policy needs, administration of IM processes, taking an…

Over a decade ago New Jersey granted significant financial and operating autonomy to its state colleges. A look back to 1986, when the legislation was being implemented, identifies elements that enabled the successful transfer of responsibilities from the state to the campus. These included three categories of specific autonomies: cash management,…

A small, well-regarded Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) program that finances innovations in higher education has resisted a push by Congress to influence which institutions should receive grants. Its new round of awards includes only one of 11 institutions suggested by Congress. (MSE)

Offers a first appraisal of the life and work of George Collins, a leading figure in the unionization of school teachers in late-19th-century England. Discusses his impact on the prescribed social status of teachers, the organization of teachers into associations for mutual improvement, and the formation of national educational policies. (DSK)

School personnel must know which students have asthma, typical warning signs, and appropriate actions in an emergency. Administering appropriate medication and reducing environmental triggers are not enough. Policymaking in schools and workplaces and legislation to increase health care access and eliminate substandard housing and air pollution are…

Discusses the role of assessment in determining whether the investment in an early start in a foreign language has been worthwhile, suggesting that it is important for reasons, such as feedback to parents and the public, informing national policy development, and school self evaluation. Describes an independent evaluation of modern languages in…

Results of the National Association of College and University Business Officers' annual survey (n=340 institutions) of institutional aid to students (tuition discounting) are summarized. Data include an analysis of tuition patterns, freshman tuition discount rates, undergraduate discount rates, class differences, and relationships among variables…

Explores current and future challenges to children in Europe. Social trends and the impact on European family life are analyzed, including having smaller families and delaying childbearing. Discusses the need to collect data on children in the European Union and to establish pan-European child protection policies. (CR)

Schools and districts are most vulnerable to censorship challenges when they fail to establish sound, equitable policies and procedures or to honor those they have. Schools should promote an honest, consistent flow of information; insist on an instructionally sound media-selection rationale; and develop clear policies, procedures, and criteria for…

A study examined state legislative and policy provisions for gifted students and state efforts to address the seven initiatives outlined in U.S. Department of Education's "National Excellence: A Case for Developing America's Talent." Findings indicate some progress in teacher preparation, enhanced curricular standards, and efforts to match world…

Discusses use of age-related criteria in hiring/continued employment practices in higher education, focusing on an exception in the Age Discrimination in Employment Act allowing employment-related decisions based on "reasonable factors other than age." The language appears to allow limited use of express age criteria where the employer's…

Interviews with 21 state legislators, leading technology activists in their states, reveal that policymakers are feeling pressured to ensure that all education sectors have access to the best in educational technology and are attempting to reconcile the costs of such innovation with the educational benefits. Findings of the study, including…

A study examined the legislative and policy mandates of 38 states regarding alternative education. Results indicate variability in state policy/legislative mandates and funding mechanisms, acceleration in alternative education activity, a commitment to providing technical assistance, limited state compliance-monitoring, and an emphasis on…

This discussion of the relationship of gifted education programs to broader school reform efforts focuses on negative effects of gifted programs on schools at large; issues in the reexamination of the gifted construct; and suggestions to avoid positioning school reform advocates, gifted education proponents, and full inclusion supporters in…