Examines legal issues concerning teachers' noninstructional duties. Discusses several factors influencing court decisions that uphold reasonable assignments of noninstructional duty, including courts' reluctance to interfere with school policies. Presents five assignment guidelines for administrators eager to minimize teacher dissatisfaction and…

Intended for administrators and policymakers as well as teachers, this digest reports on the relationship between class size and writing achievement. The digest first reviews the contradictory findings of class size research, then examines results of meta-analyses of these studies, and subsequent responses. The digest then explores the…

State special education regulations on class size/caseload in special education programs and services are analyzed, and regulations from 21 states are excerpted. Research on class size in general education and special education is reviewed. While there are hundreds of studies reported for general education, there have been very few studies focused…

Canadian university infrastructures have eroded as seen in aging equipment, deteriorating facilities, and fewer skilled personnel to maintain and operate research equipment. Research infrastructure includes administrative overhead, facilities and equipment, and research personnel including faculty, technicians, and students. The biggest erosion of…

Four suggestions are offered for making teachers' first year on the job more than just a test of endurance: provide adequate supplies, make assignments carefully, do not overload them, and provide a support system. (TE)

Discusses how to manipulate a database to create a spreadsheet which can be used to help decide which teaching areas are understaffed and by how much. Focuses on the use of the Lotus 1-2-3 database statistical functions. (TW)

This report presents a statistical profile of secondary science teachers in grades 7-12 in North Carolina public schools. Data are provided and discussed in 9 sections under these headings: (1) basic information (teachers, subject and student membership, certification, and subject and certification areas); (2) subjects and certification; (3)…

Urges seeking different sources for obtaining funds for Soviet teacher salaries. Suggests that the state fund basic curriculum with help of national/ethnic associations, parents, and concerned organizations that fund other aspects of teachers' work. Argues that raising teachers' salaries and decreasing workload to resemble average citizen's will…

This report is an initial effort to provide systematic information on teacher contracts in Massachusetts. In 1999, the Pioneer Institute solicited copies of the current contract from all districts in the state. Forty districts were selected to reflect the makeup of the Commonwealth. This study confirms that teacher compensation is determined by…

The purpose of a study conducted by the Chancellor's Office of the California Community Colleges (CCCs) was to examine current policies and practices regarding the use of part-time faculty in the CCCs, faculty characteristics, implications for instructional quality, and policy options. The study involved a review of existing literature; data…

This study examines the perceptions of 113 school board members, 119 principals, and 2,028 teachers from 9 states (Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Wyoming) regarding the preparation of teachers and the availability of professional services as well as education resources. The study also…

Criticizes Alexsandr Nikitenko's proposal for raising Soviet teacher salaries as taking from some to give to others. Argues that basing salaries on someone else's evaluation of a teacher's work will not enhance the teaching profession's prestige. Insists that good teachers work harder because of love for their work, not because of money. (DK)

Provides an overview of a project designed to develop a comprehensive, state-mandated program to reduce teacher paperwork through the use of microcomputers. Describes the survey conducted prior to developing the program, a pilot test, and the implementation of an acquisition plan for hardware and software. (TW)

Two learning assistance (LA) centres in suburban elementary schools in British Columbia (Canada) were studied via a participant-observer approach to examine the changing role of the LA teacher, the impact on the school staff of more remediation in the regular classroom, and the concerns held by LA teachers and regular classroom teachers regarding…

This report examines how the curricular offerings of large secondary schools compare with the curricular offerings of small secondary schools. The study is motivated by theories of production which hold that economies are available in large compared to small schools; it is pointed out, however, that larger schools may not take advantage of…