As interest in expanding the number of high quality charter schools available to parents and students has grown, policy makers have increased their focus on identifying and providing support to new charter programs that have the potential to improve student outcomes and satisfy parent and student needs. Since 1994, the U.S. Department of Education…

This document contains a number of papers commissioned by the American College Testing Program (ACT) and the American Association for Higher Education (AAHE), and published as a result of the interest and debate about open admissions policies. Part I concerns the question "Who should decide who goes to college?"; Part II,"Who should go to…

Discusses the concept of the Educational Voucher, which is a proposed system for financing schools through payment, directly to parents, of vouchers which would be redeemable at schools of their choice, and with which they could purchase educational services for their children. (Author/DR)

The consideration of school choice plans raises policy questions for school administrators. This paper addresses pragmatic concerns about definitions and policy questions related to educational finance. Interdistrict choice, emphasizing families' right to choose among existing public schools, raises questions regarding transportation and…

An alternative technique, cost-effectiveness analysis, is proposed as a more appropriate way of evaluating the Open University. A rudimentary application of the technique to the cost structure of OU indicates that it could result in a substantial reduction in OU's costs. (Author/LBH)

In the city of Saskatoon (Saskatchewan), parents and students have a unique opportunity to choose between nondenominational public schools and publicly supported Roman Catholic schools, with no penalties or fees attached to either choice. The research described was carried out principally through face-to-face interviews with the officials of both…

The English education system is undergoing radical change initiated by central government. Extensive delegation of financial control to the school level has been paralleled by introduction of a national curriculum and open enrollment. This paper explains England's educational finance structure and the central government's interest in delegated…

This paper reviews the theoretical basis for educational voucher proposals, the various types of vouchers proposed, and the experience that has been had with voucher systems so far. The paper looks first at the claims made by voucher supporters that vouchers will redistribute political and economic power and simplify the administration of…

The essays in this collection provide contrasting points of view on a number of community college issues that have become more pressing during periods of economic constraint. The volume contains: (1) "Part-Time Faculty: The Value of the Resource," by William R. C. Munsey; (2) "Part-Time Faculty, Full-Time Problems," by David Hartleb and William…

The need to reexamine the elemental considerations of higher education access policies provides the background of this paper. These considerations are set in a broader social context, and some of the long-term impacts of present trends are identified. An access policy must be determined by first defining the objectives of higher education; twelve…

Describes issues affecting the open door policies of community colleges in light of funding cutbacks. Suggests that the central challenges for community colleges will include linking noncredit workforce development programs to the regular college curriculum and ensuring ease of transfer among secondary schools and community colleges. (16…

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the potential role of selected fiscal incentives in attempting to achieve greater racial and socioeconomic integration through open enrollment programs. Three premises underlie this paper: first, that past experience with district wide unrestricted (color-blind) open enrollment plans indicate that this…

This document contains the substance of three lectures delivered at Memphis State University in June 1970. It should be of interest to recent high school graduates, their parents, and other laymen interested in American higher education. The first lecture discusses the history of the community college movement and the changes in popular attitudes…

Although the community college is a product of the publicly subsidized move to mass higher education during the 25 years following World War II, it now faces a more stringent fiscal environment that severely challenges its comprehensive, multipurpose character. Funding in the current era of consolidation entails an examination and reconciliation…

This paper describes the use of tuition tax credits and vouchers as political alternatives of choice and competition in a progressive society. School and public administration theorists identify two distinct finance models: the rational and the political. The first part of this paper examines and describes these two models. The next part…