States increasingly are offering high school students the opportunity to take postsecondary courses for reasons that range from academic to economic. Some states allow students to earn postsecondary credit for postsecondary classes while others do not. In some states, school districts pay the costs of such courses or the tuition is paid from a…

In 1996 the Aid to Families with Dependent Children program was replaced with a federal block grant program called Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), which imposed time limits and work requirements on welfare recipients. The welfare legislation placed a lifetime ban on TANF and food stamp benefits for convicted drug felons, although…

Federal rules allow states to use Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant funds to help pay for a child care tax credit. States also have the option to count a portion of the cost of a child care tax credit toward their "maintenance of effort" requirements under the TANF program. There is an important limitation on…

Unemployment insurance is a cooperative federal and state program that provides temporary, partial wage replacement to formerly employed people who lose their jobs through no fault of their own. This issue brief discusses the program and its importance as an approach to ameliorate the effects of welfare reform on struggling families. The brief…

Every year the state of North Carolina requires an English II writing test as part of the End of Course examinations. The purposes of the English II tests are to assess students' mastery of writing, application of grammatical skills, and achievement in literary analysis. This report contains information about the test performance of students in…

In August 1998, the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS), North Carolina, adopted a goal statement that specified that by 2003, 95% of students tested would be at or above grade level as measured by the North Carolina End-of-Grade (EOG) tests at grades 3 and 8. This report defines that goal operationally and defines the terms used to describe…

This publication contains the final report of the task of the Ohio State Legislative Service Commission (LSC) Study Committee on Job Training and Workforce Development Programs. The task was to review the state's job training and workforce development programs and formulate a plan to centralize the programs under one state agency. Section 1 of the…

As a condition of receiving federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds, states are required to operate Child Support Enforcement (CSE) programs. Families receiving TANF are required to participate in the CSE program; families not receiving TANF may also request CSE services. However, since 1994, an increasing number of states…

This paper provides information on testing programs for elementary and secondary school students that are administered or coordinated by the Office of Educational Accountability within the Wisconsin State Department of Public Instruction. The first section provides background and definitions of assessment alternatives, including various types of…

The Vermont Framework of Standards and Learning Opportunities was developed in order to better provide Vermont students with essential skills and knowledge and to ensure that they leave school able to contribute positively to society. This 13-minute videotape examines how this framework is applied in early care and education settings. The video…

Many states use a statewide assessment strategy to evaluate districts on common measures. Because districts in Nebraska are not measured on common instruments, comparisons of district performance are difficult. The accountability model described in this paper contains three components related to school district performance on academic content…

The focus on raising standards reflects a national trend in which New York State is considered a leader. The new requirements adopted by the State Board of Regents have generally been supported by business leaders and all major educational policy advocacy groups. There are positive signs that achievement is improving, but there is a performance…

The Regional Resource Center (RRC) program mission is to strengthen the capacity of state systems of education and early intervention to improve results for infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities and their families. It is one of the longest and most successful technical assistance projects of the Office of Special Education…

There is no shortage of data in the education system today. States and school districts are gathering large amounts of information on school and student performance. The challenge now is to make sure states are collecting the most relevant data and that they have a coordinated system for using them effectively. To provide educators with the data…

Describes a Federal program which attacked academic deficits of migrant children in Joliet, Illinois. Components of the project included instructional activities, development of materials, staff development, ancillary services; and parent and community involvement. (Author/SF)