Media arts has been familiar to many through television, film, and digital graphics, and often appears as an extension of the four traditional arts disciplines: music, arts, theatre, and dance. As media arts continues to acquire its own unique identity, particularly through technological means, it has been included as a stand-alone discipline in…

This article reports on a case that resulted in a published court decision which illustrates a dilemma at the intersection of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). On first impression, the finding that teachers were operating based on professional principle seems to validate their actions.…

Washington is at a crossroads on K-12 education policy. Policymakers can (1) continue down the path of top-down accountability; (2) devolve power to states and districts, thereby returning to the status quo of the mid-1990s; or (3) rethink the fundamentals, do something different, and empower parental choice. This article discusses how the federal…

This report examines "prevailing wage" and school construction costs in Washington state by first examining 1985 through 1999 data on the state's school construction financing levels, the percentage of local share of funding, comparisons of average actual square foot cost versus the state's area cost allowance, and bond election…

This paper outlines the basic tenets of occupational segregation. It examines Washington State's school labor markets, paying particular attention to where and in what proportions women participate. It questions, based on the state's track record, whether leadership roles in school districts remain male bastions, or whether they offer equal…

During the school year, the School Lunch Program provides one-third to one-half of the nutrients low-income children consume every day. However, the rate of participation by eligible children in the Summer Food Service Program is only 15.5 percent of the target population. Created by Congress in 1968, the Summer Food Service Program is designed to…

This short paper is part of a collection of 54 papers from the 48th annual conference of the Education Law Association held in November 2002. It discusses educational voucher programs. It states that proponents of voucher programs, having scored a major victory in the U.S. Supreme Court with "Zelman v. Simmons-Harris" (2002), will…

An active participant in Indiana's and Washington's school-finance-reform process explains why one-size solutions pinch hardest on urban schools and how an issues-driven approach can keep states from being prematurely pushed to the "solution stage" of their deliberations. Child-centered approaches generally trump standards-based…

A history of the outstanding K-12 dance program in Vancouver, Washington, is provided, including various strategies used to promote its growth from a few pilot elementary schools through middle schools to an arts magnet high school. Numerous changes have been weathered by the professional dance staff, including certification challenges instigated…

A brief policy paper on multicultural education and a bulletin from the State Superintendent on its implementation in schools in Washington State are included in this report. The first paper lists 31 competencies that should be demonstrated by teachers who teach in multicultural settings. It also discusses the "change roles" that both…

With reference to Washington State's educational conditions and teacher training programs, this article analyzes causes of America's teacher shortage, characteristics of excellent teachers, how to train excellent teachers, and how to balance local statistics against national trends when making decisions about local educational institutions and…

The American educational system faces a critical need for restructuring. Social lag problems created by the transformation from an industrial to an informational society have affected U.S. institutions, especially education. Educators and policymakers must respond to the new economic, demographic, organizational, and educational forces which have…

Focuses on a region of the northwestern United States that is experiencing tremendous change as traditional occupations give way to commercial and residential development. Examines, not literacy requirements in particular workplaces or industries, but "literate action" in the context of such change, action necessitated by the economic,…

University faculty and practicing educators in Washington State are concerned about the future availability of talented candidates for leadership positions in public and private elementary and secondary schools. This paper examines market trends for the positions of principal and vice-principal in Washington State. It identifies the following four…

States are in the leadership position to effect pervasive and comprehensive changes needed in the educational system. There exist five key dimensions for analyzing initiatives resulting in systemic changes: (1) infusiveness, building upon existing knowledge; (2) pervasiveness, effecting improvements in all key components of the system, including…