This comprehensive state-wide study of library systems in New York state describes them and analyzes the way they are working; compares that to the intent of library laws and regulations and to the needs of state residents for library services; and recommends changes where a need for them is indicated. (Three types of library systems are…

This report discusses the Quality Assurance Program at the OSU/WOSC School of Education, a merged school serving Oregon State University and Western Oregon State College. This major reform in teacher education is designed to bring a high level of accountability to teacher education and is called a "Warranty of First-Year Teachers." If,…

This report covers the levels of basic skills (verbal and computational skills and elementary algebra skills) among freshmen admitted to New Jersey's public colleges and universities during 1988. These levels of proficiency are estimated from results of the New Jersey College Basic Skills Placement Test. Designed both to assist colleges in the…

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has had a competency-based vocational instructor approval process for more than two and one-half decades. Perhaps the most important element in this process has been the vocational competency testing. Although some say that Massachusetts is out of step, others feel that Massachusetts has a well-established testing…

A study was initiated to investigate the current status of technology initiatives in terms of their impact on six adult education centers in Massachusetts. It was designed to provide new insights into the educational effects of computer instruction upon adult basic education students. A second effort focused on the presentation of a model of…

This performance report summarizes the services and activities provided for youth and adults in secondary and postsecondary vocational education in North Carolina from July 1987-June 1988, as mandated by the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act of 1984. Data are provided to reflect services to special populations, trends, growth in enrollment,…

In 1987, the administration of North Carolina Competency Tests to public school sophomores resulted in 94.4% passing the reading test and 90.6% passing the mathematics test. Rates were similar to rates for the 1986 sophomores, but were higher than rates for juniors in the 1978-1983 period. The 1987 passing rate in mathematics was lower than for…

In 1981, the Governor's Commission on Migratory and Seasonal Farm Labor began an initiative to develop and enhance communication and coordination linkages among migrant labor service providers. The Commission serves as a forum for farm laborers to share information and concerns, monitors programs, conducts inspections, promotes coordination, and…

New economic strategies used by states are described, and case studies of the recent innovations in economic development policies of Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Michigan are presented. A number of programs in other states are briefly reviewed, and various models of state intervention are evaluated, along with the principles that underlie…

This newsletter consists primarily of a legal review of the Supreme Court decision in "Witters v. Washington Department of Services for the Blind" (January 27, 1986), in which unusually clear guidelines are set forth for a constitutionally acceptable program of educational assistance that may include parents whose children attend…

This booklet describes the test development process used to upgrade New Jersey's basic skills competency test, the High School Proficiency Test (HSPT). Ninth-grade students in New Jersey public schools must pass this test of reading, writing, and mathematics skills in order to receive a state endorsed high school diploma. Test development…

Recognizing the importance of the need for quality day care for children of working mothers, handicapped children, and children of low income families, the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Labor and Human Resources met to address this issue in the Child Care Center of Owens Technical College, in Toledo, Ohio. The Subcommittee interviewed or heard…

Organized in 1981 by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the "New Parents as Teachers" (NPAT) program was initiated to demonstrate the value of early, high quality parent education. More specifically, the NPAT program provides age-appropriate information on children's development; helps parents increase their…

In the spring of 1985, the Oregon Department of Education conducted an assessment of eighth grade students' skills in writing, reading, and mathematics. This report provides results for the mathematics portion of the assessment under these headings: (1) arithmetic skills; (2) estimation; (3) geometry and measurement; (4) application; (5)…

This report provides a record of student achievement for the State of New York in the 1984-85 school year. It brings together a variety of achievement indicators with a clear focus on knowledge and higher-order skills. Three types of achievement data are presented. One consists of scores obtained on New York State (NYS) tests. These scores may be…