Targeted to mental retardation/developmental disability (MR/DD) and vocational rehabilitation agencies, developmental disabilities councils, consumer and advocate groups, and protection and advocacy programs, this manual is designed to assist in the development of state-level data systems responsive to current accountability requirements. It also…

A model of educational policy development is reported that is democratic without being egalitarian. It provides a process for gathering information from all interested groups in a school district to construct a policy that is uniquely suited to that district. It was designed to help a small committee construct a teacher evaluation policy for a…

The essays in this collection portray the cultural struggle that is taking place in the United States between those who support a variety of high-priority gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender initiatives and those who strongly oppose them. These issues revolve around the workplace, youth and education, relationships and legal rights, and…

This analysis compared guideline markers, identified by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) to maximize participation of students with disabilities in educational assessments, with written guidelines of 43 states concerning participation, accommodations, and reporting. The NCEO markers were developed using an input and consensus…

Maryland's teacher education reform began in 1991, when the Maryland Higher Education Council (MHEC) charged a task force with recommending a comprehensive approach to educating teachers that combined a solid foundation in academic preparation with promising developments in professional practice. The task force report recommended a 4+1 model for…

The Pacific Telecommunications Council's 18th annual conference is presented in two volumes. The PTC'96 gathering focused on seven streams: socio-economic issues; regulatory, legal and political issues; business and finance solutions; country studies; education, training, and human resources; convergence and networks; and technologies and…

On average, unemployed U.S. citizens remain jobless for much less time than their European counterparts do. The relatively low level of unemployment in the United States is attributable to two factors: a social protection system that offers far less protection than those in Western Europe do and a broad range of job openings. The fact that…

This 21st annual report summarizes the activities of the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges for 1996-97. The first part presents a report from the Senate President, a financial statement, lists of goals and committee priorities for 1996-97, and minutes from the Senate's fall 1996 and spring 1997 sessions. The second part presents…

Although policy makers have expressed interest in expenditures by private elementary and secondary schools, nationally representative data in this area are not available. In the absence of expenditure data it may nevertheless be possible to derive national estimates of total expenditures by private schools indirectly, by using the information that…

This paper addresses the potential of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) to measure education reforms in the United States through Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS). How the SASS can measure reform, the type of reform it should assess, and the elements of school reform that would best serve the needs of state and federal…

A committee at Luther College (Iowa) was appointed to explore the 3-year option for a bachelors degree with regard to curriculum, finances, admissions, and student life. The committee, composed of administrators and faculty from Luther, examined 3-year programs that operate now or are being discussed at several other colleges. They found that…

Successful enrollment management depends on an information base that is comprehensive, targeted, and continuously updated to inform enrollment management policies and monitor their effectiveness. Institutions implementing enrollment management programs need to establish an initial information infrastructure, including a longitudinal student…

This paper examines alternative teacher certification, its history, research and implications, recommendations and rationale, and specific recommendations for Delaware public education policy. Chapter 1 reviews the history of alternative certification beginning in the early 1980s when regional shortages of math and science teachers drove the…

Since the 1980s there have been several attempts in the United States to depart from the single-salary schedule in place since the 1920s and to apply performance-related or merit pay (PRP) to teachers, assessed either at the school level or individually. Meanwhile, in England, a performance-management process is now being implemented that is also…

This handbook is designed to serve as a report on negotiations that took place during the 104th and 105th Congresses that lead to the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) amendments of 1997. In addition, the events and changes in the cultural climate during the 106th Congress and its impact on IDEA is also discussed,…