A discussion session for urban school superintendents from Pennsylvania and New Jersey identified four educational issues, currently the focus of a good deal of political debate and activity, that illustrate the shift from local to Federal, and then from Federal to state-level influence and initiative. These are (1) centralization of control; (2)…

The described plan projects future demographic changes in the school district community; and examines the kinds of educational programs, school facilities, and financing that will be required. Following an introduction and a summary of the major recommendations, four chapters, each developed by a professional educational specialist in close…

This research was conducted using a multi-case study analysis of four school districts in Western Pennsylvania. All four of the school districts were placed under the guidelines of the Educational Empowerment Act (Act 16) due to a history of low tests scores and poor student achievement. These school districts were also place on the State's…

Kansas's nonadjudicative process, which yielded a speedy finance reform package, may have several weaknesses. Judicial guidance is beneficial, but speed may result in an imprecise final reform product and come at the expense of power, substance, and permanence. Pennsylvania's slower supreme court adjudication process may set finance reform…

Enrollment changes between 1970 and 1976 in the 504 public school districts in Pennsylvania were examined in light of "turnaround" (revival of growth in nonmetropolitan areas). Each district was classified into one of four categories according to the size of the largest urban place in the district, so that enrollment changes within…

Financial statistics for Pennsylvania colleges and universities for the fiscal year (FY) ending 1981, for 1971-1972 through 1980-1981, and for 1977-1978 through 1980-1981 are presented, along with narrative descriptions of financial trends at the institutions. Information includes the following: current-funds revenues by institutional control;…

Part of this report gives the 1974-75 survey findings and distribution of quality point average (QPA) of the 44 programs set up under Pennsylvania's Higher Education Equal Opportunity Program (Act 101) established in 1971. The program is supported entirely by State funds which are distributed to postsecondary degree granting institutions to…

The purpose of implementing an assessment and accountability program in an urban school district is to improve student learning of worthwhile content. Current levels of achievement in most U.S. urban districts are unacceptably low. Average achievement test results conceal the fact that achievement levels of students of color are substantially…

This document describes the responsibilities and activities of the Pennsylvania Council on Vocational Education. Recommendations include the following: integration of academic and vocational tion; clustering of courses; articulation of secondary and postsecondary vocational education courses; provision for a continuum of prevocational, career and…

The transcript is provided of an oversight hearing on interagency cooperation in special education. Programs, problems, and achievements in the state of Pennsylvania are reported by professionals representing community mental health, public education, community agencies and associations, and child care institutions. Problem areas cited include…

There is some evidence that regionalism in higher education is emerging as a move toward a middle-ground position between strict institutional autonomy and stronger statewide coordination. Most observers of contemporary postsecondary education agree that the challenge of the next decade will be to find mechanisms for coordination that can achieve…

This is the report of a five-year plan to reorganize the Harrisburg public schools, designed to achieve the goals of educational excellence, racial balance, equity, stability, and economy if properly implemented. For example, the plan includes special centers from pre-kindergarten through second grade, and an educational plaza for grades 6 through…

This study examined the changing social and economic impact of college attendance in Pennsylvania between 1980 and 1990. It is based on a sample of over 500,000 census interviews. The study found that, in general, individuals who attended and finished college will marry other individuals who went to college, and that both parents will work and…

A rapid feedback evaluation of state- and local-level implementation of the Career Education Incentive Act (PL 95-207) was conducted. (This act established K-12 and postsecondary career exploration as national priorities.) Site visits were made in nine states (Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Ohio, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana,…

MAJOR FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF A STUDY OF CURRENT AND PROPOSED VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN THE STATE ARE SUMMARIZED. AREAS COVERED ARE (1) EMPLOYMENT TRENDS AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN WHICH, ON THE BASIS OF THE ANALYSIS OF 12 MAJOR STATISTICAL AREAS AS TO POPULATION, URBAN AREAS, INDUSTRIAL AREAS, EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, AND…