Over the past decade, the Gurian Institute has trained more than forty thousand teachers in more than two thousand schools and districts, both coed and single-sex. The institute's trainers have worked with public and private schools, Montessori schools, and a variety of charter and independent schools in fifteen countries; it has therefore been…

The vast majority of public employees--including teachers--are enrolled in defined-benefit pension plans. These plans are usually the product of state legislation that determines eligibility, benefit formulas, employer and employee contributions, and how payments will be calculated when an employee retires or leaves the system. Once an employee…

School choice improves parents' satisfaction with their children's schools, and public schools that face competition have shown improved performance, yet opponents continue to oppose reforms that give parents the opportunity to choose their children's schools. State and federal policymakers should reform existing education policies to give all…

This issue brief explores the problem of child pornography and teenage prostitution and examines some of the strategies federal, state, and local governments employ to address these social problems. After a brief review of Congressional actions and Supreme Court decisions, state statutes affecting pornography and prostitution are reviewed, and…

Examines sociopolitical conditions that allowed pro-creationist and anti-evolutionist movements to thrive in Georgia and other southern States. Describes efforts by leading citizens to influence legislation toward propagation of the creationist philosophy, especially in education. Stresses the need for scientists and educators to oppose…

The possible negative and positive effects of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's regulation, intended to monitor coach income and improve institutional control of programs, are examined. Legal effects under state open-records laws are outlined, one case is reviewed, and the regulation's practical effects are summarized. (MSE)

Tim Tyson, the principal of Mabry Middle School in Marietta Georgia, is a self-described geek with Ph.D. in education. Tyson was responsible for making the seventh graders at Mabry to attain above grade level in reading. To attain this goal, Tyson has made sure that the technology used at Mabry was thoughtfully integrated across the school's…

Five papers collected in this monograph provide information and suggestions regarding the potential role of educators in contemporary society. The first article suggests that, in many families, economic conditions requiring the employment of both parents will place greater responsibility for the development of children's moral and ethical…

This document comprises the recommendations of a 13-member Paperwork Reduction Task Force appointed by Georgia's State Superintendent of Schools, in response to concern by educators and the public that the Quality Basic Education Act (QBE) had created a substantial increase in paperwork, particularly for teachers. The task force of teachers,…

This paper explores the range of ways in which school districts are using Title I funds for early education through kindergarten and examines how the implementation of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) has impacted those investments. It also makes recommendations for local education agencies (LEAs) interested in creating Title I-funded early education…

Shortcomings in the current student assessment program in Georgia are identified, proposed revisions are described, and additional changes are recommended. Georgia educators have complained that curricula place too much emphasis on basic skills, to the detriment of subjects like science and social studies. Reform legislation in Georgia has…

For more than 60 years, the Georgia State Board of Education has allotted funds to the University of Georgia for use in preparation of vocational teachers and administrators. Since passage of the 1963 Vocational Education Act, however, emphasis has been put on programs and services for specific groups of people, rather than on instructional areas…