Classification of government documents (confidential, secret, top secret) is a system used by the executive branch to, in part, protect national security and foreign policy interests. The systematic use of classification markings with precise definitions was established during World War I, and since 1936 major changes in classification have…

This report provides expert opinion on the problems of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and ways to inform the public of teratogenic risk of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. In the absence of firm evidence that moderate drinking of alcoholic beverages leads to FAS and uncertainty concerning the effectiveness of labeling of alcoholic beverages, a…

A comprehensive analysis of statutes and regulations on consumer deception administered by thirty government agencies is provided in this report. Each agency's chapter includes a brief description of the agency, and a detailed listing of all deceptive trade practices prohibited by that agency's enabling legislation, regulations, or other sources…

The method by which the systems view of educational knowledge production and utilization (KPU) has emerged from the federal experience of the last twenty years (1954-1974) is discussed. The impact of this approach on more recent federal KPU programs is considered, and the suitability of such an approach with regard to meeting the proposed criteria…

Congress is considering establishing a Literacy Corps that will enable college students to volunteer a few hours a week as assistant teachers to students in nearby public schools in return for college credit. How this program would work is described. (CB)

The educational effectiveness of community colleges is under new scrutiny as a result of both a federal government focus on accountability of higher education institutions and greater competition for the state funds traditionally directed to the colleges. Policymakers, who want to tie public college allocations to their outcomes, and families,…

Community Drama with Youth is an as yet marginalized practice in the larger drama education field. Yet Community Drama with Youth, and other community youth arts, are fueling a burgeoning after-school youth arts movement. This paper considers federal policies which have shaped youth arts in the last several decades, and the ways in which these…

This paper focuses on the status of federal-state relationships during the first year of implementing the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). It begins with a discussion of the literature on federal-state relations and the role of the federal government in that system. It then compares NCLB to its predecessor, pointing out where the two laws diverge…

The economic census is the major source of facts about the structure and functioning of the nation's economy. It provides essential information for government, business, industry, and the general public. Title 13 of the United States Code (Sections 131, 191, and 224) directs the Census Bureau to take the economic census every 5 years, covering…

The article identifies federal agencies which have been major sources of data for organizations providing services to blind and visually impaired persons, describes recent and possible changes in data collection and reporting, and cites organizations that watch the changing status of federal disability statistics. (MC)

Examines the role of government agencies, professional standards, and federal and state legislation in: (1) determining the quality of ability tests; (2) resolving imbalances and conflicts among participants in the testing process; and (3) defining fairness and due process. (Author/GC)

The issue of the separation of church and state is explored, and compromises are offered to provide free exercise of religion without violating the Constitution. Suggested compromises include: (1) a moment of silence; (2) released time programs; (3) comparative religion classes; and (4) the use of the Bible in history and literature classes. (JN)

Summarizes some of the activities the United States government has undertaken to control the dissemination of information since 2001. It also explores, through a conceptual model of information flows, potential impacts and discontinuities between policy purposes and outcomes. (AEF)

This article investigates the extent to which student borrowers might be induced to prepay by an offer from the government to share a portion of its savings expected from prepayment. The analysis suggests that potential savings are not likely to be large enough to induce significant prepayment. (Author/MLW)

Discusses historical precedents that established presidential papers as the private property of presidents; the Historical Records Act of 1978 which assigned ownership of official presidential papers to the federal government; and the Presidential Library Act of 1986 which provides a uniform system of standards and access to presidential records…