The Latvian economy has undergone major changes during transition to a market economy after regaining independence in 1991. The unfavorable world economic situation has caused its growth to fall below potential. The vocational education and training (VET) system has traditionally been school-based. There are 120 VET institutions with a large…

Two documents analyzing the current international situation of higher education are discussed. One, by the World Bank, presents universities, especially public universities, as part of the current problem; the other, by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, views them as providing solutions. Political and…

Discussion of computer technology in higher education focuses on a study that applied a cost model to compare the cost effectiveness of using computer-assisted instruction versus traditional instruction in freshman English composition courses. Implications of technological change for higher education are examined, and further research needs are…

Current trends in enrollment and finance in American colleges and universities are outlined, and the unique characteristics of American higher education are examined. The functional relationships among some key structural characteristics that give rise to some important, if unrecognized, social contributions of mass higher education are discussed.…

A study tested the hypothesis: The greater the amount of philanthropic income per dollar of tuition, the smaller the fraction of bachelor's degrees in occupational fields. Findings support the contention that a college's tuition dependence is associated with its tendency to adjust its curriculum to match student consumer preferences. (MLW)

Introduces the other articles in this special issue, which addresses the economics of education, by providing a concise summary of each. (BJV)

Reports on the possible directions of historically black colleges and universities in the next century based on research and interviews with educational leaders. Notes that many preferred not to discuss points of controversy and that dwindling resources and other trends jeopardize these institutions. (JB)

Examines accelerating trend in colleges and universities toward emphasis on research. Comments that prestige and funding accrue from research, not teaching. Analyzes factors in the decline of communicating knowledge as lighter teaching loads result in cost escalation and fewer course offerings. Argues the balance between scholarship and teaching…

Reviews history of incremental improvements in Iowa's school finance system. Using standards of taxpayer and student equity, reexamines the finance system and test effects of recent reforms. Discusses how Iowa and other legislative-initiated reform states fit into the overall pattern of school finance reform. (Authors/PKP)

This paper analyzes and compares two 1994 reports on the state of higher education in developing nations, the World Bank's "Higher Education: The Lesson of Experience" and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) "Policy Paper on Change and Development in Higher Education." It examines…

Having steadily raised primary enrollment rates over the past 4 decades, India now has 67 million children aged 6-10 who are attending primary school, but 28-32 million who are not. This book draws on a wide range of sources, including original analytical work by Indian researchers and others, to describe the current state of primary education in…

This report considers the situation of the Illinois public schools and provides an affirmative argument summarizing the most recent research in four key areas where research has demonstrated that money clearly makes a difference in the quality of the education product: (1) establishing classroom sizes that meet the individual needs of students;…

A review of the existing literature on preparation of rural teaching personnel focuses on the problems of education and specifically, special education, in rural areas and reports various solutions to those problems. Characteristics of many rural areas (such as high non-enrollment rates, rising service costs, resistance to outside interference,…

This three-part report addresses recent education reform issues. Part I summarizes education priorities, then describes education's administration, structure, and financing. Part II deals with education's development since 1981. The first section notes major education legislation. A second section presents major issues in the current reform…

A number of basic questions exist about the nature of the federal system, about the role education plays in that system, and about how that role should be expressed in policy. This paper examines the doctrinal, functional, and strategic meanings of the term "federalism." The author argues, first, that there is no doctrinal support for…