A telephone survey of 1,500 registered voters in California was conducted to determine perceptions of California's community colleges; members and attitudes of the two-year college student community; views of college funding, finances, budgets, and policy control; unemployed residents' views of the community colleges; and media habits. Study…

This report is designed to assist members of a Program Quality Review (PQR) team in: (1) conducting a review of the effects of a middle school's curriculum, instructional methodologies, and effectiveness strategies on the students; (2) guiding the development of an action plan; and (3) providing a model for the school's own self-study. The report…

California's goals for postsecondary education and major environmental factors that influence the attainment of these goals are reviewed. Goals stated by the California Postsecondary Education Commission are to provide access for residents to participate in the type of undergraduate education for which they are qualified, without restrictions due…

Contents of this series of reports include: (1) "Issues in Desegregation," emphasizing that equality of educational opportunity is a basic legal and societal requirement to which other concerns, such as neighborhood schools, achievement levels, or busing are extraneous; (2)"The impact of recent Supreme Court decisions on achieving…

The chancellor of the California community college system has begun a controversial effort to achieve higher academic standards through governance reform. (MSE)

This article discusses implementation of the California Department of Education's accountability program, its structure and function, selection of performance indicators, and recognition of schools. A survey of school officials found strong support for the concept of accountability, but weak agreement on the specifics to implement it. (Author/JAZ)

As part of a series of reports designed to support the implementation of Proposition 10: The California Children and Families Act and to provide comprehensive and authoritative information on critical issues concerning young children and families in California, this report summarizes research on the effects of early childhood education and…

Enhancing the early literacy of the nation's children is now a goal shared by parents, educators, and policymakers alike. Fundamental to this goal is a workforce of early childhood educators who are themselves literate: able to become well-informed about child development, to organize learning strategies for young children, to assess children's…

This study examined the role of subcontractors and consultants in California's Employment Training Panel (ETP) program. Methods included interviews, focus groups, a phone survey, and a survey of projects without subcontractors. Results indicated that the market in which administrative and training consultants sell their services to employers is…

Against the backdrop of evolving welfare policies in California following the approval of federal welfare reforms in 1996, the Growing Up in Poverty Project is examining how single mothers and their children fare as they move from cash aid to jobs, the types and quality of child care arrangements selected, and if mothers' access to child care…

This study examines the quality of California's K-12 education, discussing how the system protects mediocrity and how to improve educational quality in the state. It explains that what most ails the teaching force is that excellent teachers are not rewarded for superior work, and failing teachers are rarely held accountable for poor performance.…

Three possible ways in which California can resolve the current problem of declining public support for higher education are examined. The scenarios focus on (1) the information revolution; (2) the relationship between education and the economy, corporations, and market dynamics; and (3) changed assumptions about what constitutes a good education.…

Responds to an article on 10 dichotomies in teacher education (SP 527 128), emphasizing that public school teaching must become a stronger profession, with teachers having extended and rigorous preparation and meaningful opportunities for continued professional development (as well as proper remuneration and the respect of the public). The…

Three reports on the state's licensure of private institutions and reliance on non-governmental accreditation are presented. They include: (1) Recommendations for Revising the Private Postsecondary Education Act of 1977 (the Private Postsecondary Education enterprise, findings of the California Postsecondary Education Commission's two previous…

The recommendations presented in this report were developed and unanimously supported by ten major California community college organizations to address systemwide strengths and weaknesses. Following a brief statement of the issue, recommendations are provided for the following areas: (1) student access and success, reaffirming the open door…