Although social policy makers and researchers assume that research is a major part of the information base upon which policy decisions are made, social policy is by nature incompatible with the organizational structure and time requirements for decision making in an administrative system. Whereas social policy decisions are timed in accordance…

School districts are cultural systems that may be classified along a continuum from homogeneous to heterogeneous according to the diversity represented in their cultural composition. School boards are the decision-making system that, given the competitive federal, state, and local demands, decides on the particular educational policies and…

This paper explores the effects on both immigrants and schools of the historical encounter between New York City's public schools and East European Jewish immigrants to the city. The immigrants' background, their reasons for migrating, and the lifestyles that emerged from their efforts to adapt to American life are described. The paper examines…

A comparative analysis of values education in the United States, Germany, Japan, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, Sweden, and Canada analyzed eight assertions: (1) No institution with education as its primary aim can be value neutral; (2) Countries differ in values which characterize their political cultures and in values which are taught in…

A final report on the regional seminar/workshops on women in the world of work conducted for selected leaders in vocational education and industry, this document contains the following information: a discussion of the current political, social, and economic patterns affecting vocational and career education; policies and procedures recommended by…

The change in climate of opinion and attitude toward higher education and the structural and political context within which it seeks support are considered with attention directed to state staffs. Studies have indicated that higher education has reached a new low in terms of priority among state services and that little long-range comprehensive…

The process by which the high school political science curriculum project "Comparing Political Experiences" (CPE) was diffused highlights the political climate created by communications among curriculum developers, diffusers, and potential practitioners. The political climate surrounding attitudes toward new instructional materials is…

This study of multimedia political education in West Germany deals specifically with a South-West German Broadcasting Company's educational television project in the social studies. The dual purpose of the study was to assess the rationale behind the TV series and to present an overview of the structure and function of units which have been…

This paper describes the effect of cultural context on the content of kindergarten curriculum in Poland, chronicling the historical changes from Communist to post-Soviet, capitalist cultures. Soviet cultural influence on early childhood education from 1945 to 1989 is described as affecting a single obligatory curriculum, strict government control,…

The use of performance based evaluation on a national scale with 7-year-olds in the United Kingdom is described, and the impact of national assessment on teaching practice and implications of this type of assessment are considered. The national assessment program in the United Kingdom started in earnest in 1991 when all 7-year-olds were assessed…

This paper traces the development of research concerning effective schools and provides a critical, synthesizing overview of various research strands. Strands of research included are self-concept, teacher expectations, democratic-authoritarian leadership, various uses of the term "school climate," input-output production models (with…

The potential of research which uses the data base from the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 (NLS) for affecting federal policy is discussed. Currently, social science research is rarely used as a basis for policy decisions. A reason for this is that social scientists profess interest in policy issues, yet are naive in…

Review of the history of education on the West Indian island of St. Croix from the 18th century to 1917 can contribute insights into the impact of schooling on social change. During this 200 year period, St. Croix changed from a Danish colony dependent upon plantation slavery to a poverty stricken American protectorate peopled by emancipated…

Cultural biases about rural schools and people have influenced rural education, public policies, and distribution of funds away from areas where they are most needed. Policymakers have regarded the rural school's condition (sparsity, isolation, smallness, limited economic base) in negative terms, resulting in public policies that ignored,…

The literature on strategic planning, and the capabilities of Massachusetts system of public postsecondary education were assessed, as part of a 1981 leadership seminar. Teams from all public postsecondary education institutions in the state reviewed the basic concepts of strategic planning; critically analyzed the environment external to their…