Auditing school districts on a regular basis hasn't been part of the comptroller's job description in New York for 20 years. That began to change 18 months ago, when accusations arose about expenses made by a former administrator in Roslyn, a 3,300-student system in an affluent Long Island community. Questionable spending has come to light in more…

Guidance is provided in the area of facilities planning, design, and management. Facilities directly influence learning in physical as well as psychological ways. In facilities development, long-range plannning is critical. Strategic and tactical planning characterize an effective planning process. Facilities advisory committees should be involved…

The educational policymaking process at the State level was examined in New York. One central interest was the extent of perceptual congruence between educational interest group leaders and State legislators concerning influence strategies in the policymaking process. Results of the study indicate that there are important perceptual differences…

This article reports a new debate on mayoral control over New York City schools. Mayoral control of the N.Y.C. schools was at the center of renewed debate, after Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg replaced two members of the city's education policymaking board to ensure enough votes for a controversial plan he backed to end social promotion. The shakeup…

This research study was designed to build grounded theory about the challenges faced by rural superintendents. Participating rural superintendents identified five areas that presented a challenge but that also applied to superintendents in other settings: school law, finance, personnel, government mandates, and district or board policies. Further,…

Suggestions are presented to help public, school, academic, and special libraries celebrate the 200th anniversary of the founding of New York's educational system, known as the University of the State of New York, and its Board of Regents. The University of the State of New York was founded in 1784 by the state legislature; it embraces all…

To meet the challenge of effective instructional support, districts should develop and implement policies governing remedial education that are tailored to the needs of students and the resources of their local communities. An overview of state and federal remedial education programs is provided. Varying combinations of factors within and outside…

This resource guide was prepared to offer teachers and supervisors practical suggestions for the teaching of science to the pupils in the Career Guidance Program. The material presented parallels, as closely as possible, the regular science program for grade nine. However, many of the basic concepts and skills were drawn from the seventh year and…

This survey is designed to provide comparative information for classified personnel in the six counties of western New York State. Data collection was more difficult than in previous years because of the increasing length of the negotiation process. This year 71 (80 percent) of the surveyed districts supplied data. This year's report is different…

The New York State Board of Regents statewide plan for the development of postsecondary education covers three major areas: the academic plan for postsecondary education, the review and analysis of sector master plans, and the role and functioning of the regents in postsecondary educational planning. The first section encompasses the mission of…

A proposal to reform New York State's special-education funding system is based on a count of all students and includes a poverty adjustment. However, the decision to maintain separate funding systems for students with certain disabilities may conflict with the state's inclusive educational objectives. (Contains 18 references.) (MLH)

According to Jay Worona, general counsel for the New York State School Board Association, "Balancing safety and student constitutional rights is not easy. It has to be a careful balance. School officials must be prudent and not overreact. But one part of the equation has to be paramount. And safety should be the primary concern"…

Testing and assessment have become extremely important components of the educational program. The purpose of this position paper is to provide factual and policy-related information that may be of use to school boards as they design or improve their districts' testing and assessment policies. It is the New York State policy that school boards…

In July, 1989, the New York State Board of Regents approved this policy paper, with recommended actions to be accomplished during the next 5 years for the following policies: (1) existing resources will be better coordinated and used for at-risk youth; (2) at least 50 percent of any new state resources for elementary and secondary education will…

In the case of "Pico v. Island Trees Union Free School District," involving school library censorship by a Long Island (New York) board, the U.S. Supreme Court in 1982 failed to decide whether board discretion or First Amendment rights should prevail, and instead remanded the case to lower courts. The author of this document first…