"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) Senate Approves Budget Plan: Amendment Adds Funds for Education Programs; (2) The Hits Keep Coming: House…

This final report describes a project to develop a funding process for the distribution of Federal Vocational Education dollars to eligible recipients as dictated by P. L. 94-482. An introductory section considers project background and rationale for a revised system. Section 2 discusses procedures used in the development of a funding process to…

Since 5 of the 24 states receiving Johnson O'Malley (JOM) funds contained school districts that applied for JOM funds to meet basic operational expenses, the study was conducted to: assess state, local and federal funds going into the districts and for what purposes and programs; assess their impact on Indian students; assess the unmet financial…

This report presents findings of a Minnesota study group which reviewed the costs and structures under which developmental disabilities services are provided. The group conducted a series of town meetings throughout the state and concluded with a toll-free call-in day. Six themes emerged from the meetings: (1) "We have a lot to be proud of…

Minnesota's public educational system must be rebuilt in order to educate students for the complex and technological future, according to a committee of Citizens League members that met 42 times over 13 months with numerous educational observers and participants. The new educational structure should give parents more choices--with public…

In the seventh of a series of field hearings held in different regions of the country, the House Committee on the Budget met in Helena, Montana, and Worthington, Minnesota, on March 14, 1986, to hear comments from a broad range of witnesses on the 1987 federal budget. At the Helena meeting statements were made by Montana Governor Ted Schwinden, by…

This report presents the Children's Defense Fund's (CDF) recommendations for spending the fiscal year 1998-1999 Minnesota state budget surplus. The intent of the CDF plan is four-fold: (1) emphasizing long-term investments in children's well-being; (2) address children's immediate health and safety concerns; (3) contribute to the continued…

This study examined how eight rural, high-impact Minnesota school districts (defined as those losing or gaining a high percentage of student population due to school-choice implementation in fiscal year 1995) responded to school choice policy. Data from semistructured interviews with each district's superintendent were sorted and analyzed. In each…

These two reports summarize the Minnesota State Council on Vocational Technical Education's (SCVTE) activities for the 2-year periods ending on June 30, 1991, and June 30, 1993, respectively. Summarized in the report for the period ending June 30, 1991, are the SCTVE's activities with regard to the following projects: disabilities, funding…

Education finance policy has become an urgent concern in many state legislatures. Demands for greater equity and accountability have forced states to review, and in many cases to revise, the method by which schools are funded. This study sheds light on Indiana's financing of public K-12 education by providing a clear explanation of the components…

This report to the Minnesota legislature examines children and their families who participated in the Head Start program during 1993-1994, and summarizes information on the following program areas: (1) Head Start program overview; (2) funding facts; (3) program year 1993-1994 activities; and (4) agency specific information. The Head Start program…