This paper reviews responses of educational systems facing demographic and economic constraint, with particular reference to issues of migrant populations, decreased public spending, unemployment, expansion of vocational education, and common areas of future development. Education is concluded to be generally perceived as an instrument for social…

Presents excerpts of interviews of leading trendwatchers who have studied or participated in early childhood and prekindergarten efforts in public schools. Provides an excerpt from the National Child Care Association's position statement on publicly funded pre-k child care programs in public schools. (BB)

This report discusses Title I programs currently operating in the St. Louis, Missouri, public schools and analyzes various budgeting options that would permit administrators to maintain educational quality in the face of reduced funding. Detailed descriptions, including data on pupil achievement, cost effectiveness, and implementation problems,…

This report summarizes research on the impacts of alternative early intervention programs to prevent school failure. Also considered are the magnitude of estimates of program effects and policy implications of using the programs. The nine principal types of early schooling programs reviewed are those involving: (1) substantial reductions in class…

Supplemented with 20 tables of data, this discussion focuses on the changing environment of Australian families and society. Specifically offered are descriptions of child care arrangements, a rationale for children's services, and policy suggestions. With respect to child care arrangements, it is noted that the family environment has been altered…

Contains two short, experientially oriented articles for caregivers of infants and toddlers. The first promotes and describes gardening options for infants including choice of plants and activities. The second presents coping strategies for toddlers when a change of teacher or caregiver occurs, including development of an effective transition…

This fact sheet uses a question-and-answer format to summarize early intervention services for children (birth through age 2) provided by Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997 (Public Law 105-17). Questions and answers address the following topics: the purpose of Part C (early identification and intervention with…

This booklet discusses the importance of all students being guaranteed a carefully crafted and appropriately balanced approach to reading instruction. Section 1, "Beginning Reading Instruction," discusses variation and inequity in reading instruction and reading skills nationwide. The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) has made it a priority to…

By looking at changes in the status and role of the fqih or traditional Islamic teacher in Morocco, it is possible to trace the transformation of the entire learning system from an independent, teacher-centered approach to a government-controlled educational system, of which religious education is only a part. In the traditional system, students…

This paper provides a theoretical discussion of educational program evaluation. Psychometric theory and developmental psychology are compared as they pertain to the testing of children. The nature of change in childhood makes it necessary to examine the assumptions and goals related to the testing of children as a means of evaluating educational…

In 1997, the Finance Project convened a roundtable meeting of representatives from organizations who have been working to improve the financing of services and supports to young children and their families; the meeting was convened with the purpose of mapping an agenda for future research, development, and demonstration to support improvements in…

An overview is provided of a 5-year project conducted by the Early Intervention Research Institute (EIRI) which focused on the effects and costs of early intervention for young handicapped children. The bulk of the document consists of research reports of 14 investigations: (1) meta-analysis of the early intervention efficacy literature; (2)…

This report outlines proposed revisions of state educational priorities and expectations for student performance and requirements for school compliance. The proposed Regents goals for students include skills and characteristics to be acquired, and the action plan focuses on aspects of the instructional program including required courses, content…

Because Japanese society has traditionally emphasized the group rather than the individual, less research has been done to understand how Japanese culture conceptualizes the individual and how that individual develops within the society. This paper focuses on the individual in Japanese society. Following an introduction (Section I), Section II…

A statistical profile of Appalachia's young children, from birth to 9 years, was compiled from federal and state data sources. The profile provides information important in making immediate and long range plans for improving the status of Appalachian children and their families. An examination of family living conditions suggests that Appalachian…