This document contains a semiannual report on the activities of the Department of Education's Office of Inspector General (OIG) for the 6-month period ending March 31, 1996. It highlights the Office's significant accomplishments and activities, including: (1) a series of audit reports to aid reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act; (2)…

This letter report by the Director of Education and Employment Issues in the U.S. General Accounting Office responds to a request from Senator Edward M. Kennedy for information on the federal costs involved for liquidation activities of the Higher Education Assistance Foundation (HEAF) in fiscal year (FY) 1992, the second year of the agreement to…

In Australia the Federal Government plays a dominant role in higher education funding. Changes to the role and structure of the higher education system in 1988 aligned the universities more closely with national economic goals and sent the message to institutions that they were expected to adopt a more managerial mode of operation in order to…

Participating in the "NIE/National Education Task Force de la Raza Symposium" were 57 of the nation's top Chicano educators. During the Symposium's 2 days, these Chicano educators interacted with 5 National Institute of Education (NIE) staff members. Objectives of the Symposium included: (1) to review NIE's 1975-76 Multicultural Agenda;…

Federal policy for financing student aid is less equitable today than ever before. If college costs are high, the costs of an expanded uneducated lower class will be higher. College access and choice will become increasingly remote for low-income students unless increased resources can be provided. (MLW)

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) Senate Approves $5.4 Billion Increase for Education Budget: Large Differences in House and Senate Budget Resolution…

This paper argues that the federal government's role in vocational and technical education (VTE) should include a greater emphasis on systematically testing promising strategies and interventions and subjecting them to rigorous evaluations of their effects, implementation, costs, and benefits. Section 1 presents a rationale for rethinking the…

This document reports testimony presented on Medicare financing of graduate medical education, as proposed by the Balanced Budget Act of 1995. Witnesses included: (1) Timothy M. Golddfarb, Director, Healthcare Systems (Oregon), who noted the importance of graduate medical education funding to teaching hospitals; (2) Leo P. Brideau of Strong…

Since vocational education and training (VET) have a very special focus on workforce development and economic growth, economic trends and political context are important. One cause of the perceived problem of insufficient growth in the national economy is VET provision quality and/or quantity. Relationship among governmental and government-related…

The publicly supported higher educational institutions, with their large demands on State treasuries, are naturally objects of inquiry to the taxpayer, who is more and more alarmed at the increasing public burdens. The alarm is often based upon misconceptions and inaccuracies. The only way to check such fear is through the proper use of facts.…

Discusses the diversity of continuing education, typically postsecondary, in the United States and the varying federal, state, and local educational policies that shape it. Due to funding complexities and institutional policies, continuing education operates within a market economy and is considered a special service for which most ought to pay.…

The provisions in Australia's 1993 Higher Education Budget Statement regarding equity, diversity, and educational quality are examined. The discussion draws on current models of governance of public and private systems to examine ways in which the federal government has imposed accountability mechanisms on institutions. (Author/MSE)

This interview with George J. Funario, Deputy Secretary of the Maryland Higher Education Commission, examines the roles that states can play in reforming higher education, drawing on Maryland's experience. The importance of educating minority group members is emphasized, and the role of the federal government in making a financial commitment is…

Describes the problems facing schools with large Hispanic populations and the need for the federal government to develop specific policies directed toward improving the education of Hispanic Americans. Discusses the role of corporate and private support in working toward this goal. (LP)

This Policy Brief is intended to help the National Commission on Adult Literacy consider state and federal policy strategies that hold promise for increasing the number of lower-skilled adults, including those with limited English skills, who earn postsecondary credentials that can open the door to family-supporting jobs and careers. It examines…