Background: Elected members of the US Congress rely on staff, including fellows with scientific and engineering expertise, to find and interpret information for use in policymaking. Factors that impede, or facilitate, the communication of scientific information within the institution thus can play a critical role in legislative capacity, but there…

A growing number of schools across the country are working hard to provide a "deeper" learning experience for their students, and state legislators are being asked to create policies that support wide-scale implementation of 21st century learning practices. This primer is created for state policymakers seeking to modify instruction and…

In 2012, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions launched a series of hearings to examine the challenge of college affordability. In the first three hearings, the Committee heard from the administration, from both traditional and online universities and community colleges, from State officials, higher education associations,…

Approximately one-third of American freshmen at two-year and four-year colleges require remedial coursework and over 40 percent of employers rate new hires with a high school diploma as "deficient" in their overall preparation for entry-level jobs. Yet, over the past decade, as these students marched through America's public education…

Now that Republicans have taken control of the U.S. House of Representatives and bolstered their minority in the U.S. Senate, it remains to be seen if education is one area of federal policy that can avoid the partisan stalemate that many observers predict will paralyze Washington for the next two years. Republicans and Democrats famously came…

This paper presents Stan Jones' testimony before the United States House of Representatives Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training. In his testimony, he talks about a new American majority of students that is emerging on campuses, especially at community colleges. These students must delicately balance long hours at jobs they must…

Much more work--and better results--will be needed before Stark County's future vision for its schools and communities is realized. And Stark County's education stakeholders are committed to completing this journey. But at this critical juncture in the state of Ohio's efforts to improve the performance of its schools and the students they serve,…

This article presents two viewpoints on creating change through politics. Frawley argues that every teacher can be an agent for change at the local level by first changing the way they think about the profession and embracing the concept that they need to take part in the conversation. Change will happen when technology teachers take greater…

This pamphlet attempts to make communicating with legislators easy. Each section includes a brief paragraph and several bullet points that present techniques or advice for simplifying communication. It begins with "Rules for Effective Advocacy," which presents a core set of basic advocacy principles, followed by "What Makes…

The strategies presented in this report are suggested as ways to make decision makers at all levels of education more aware of the benefits of educational technology (ET) in improving the effectiveness, efficiency, and enjoyment of learning. These strategies emphasizing results and learning are provided, not to limit any person or group, but to…

Based on a questionnaire survey of 38 elementary-secondary and postsecondary lobbyists and 22 legislators conducted by the authors in Minnesota in 1978-80, this article examines the effectiveness of two fundamental lobbying strategies--cooperative strategy and advocacy strategy--in educational lobbyists' efforts to influence legislators. (JBM)

This guide for changing public opinion concerning physical education is divided into four sections: The first, "Setting the Stage" tells how the various governments are organized, and the processes which turn public opinion into public policy. Future trends in the federal, state, and local role in funding public education are discussed. An…

Senator Edward M. Kennedy, chairman of the committee, opened the hearing by commending President Bush and U.S. Department of Education Secretary Lamar Alexander for putting forward an education reform plan. Kennedy then stated his reservations: the plan does not devote enough attention to school readiness; the administration emphasizes choice as a…

Actions which state legislators can take to promote the improvement of K-12 public education are presented in this brochure. The brochure is one of a series which offers specific ways in which different interest groups can respond to the eight broad action recommendations proposed by the Education Commission of the States' Task Force on Education…

Several approaches that policymakers may wish to consider in enacting and sustaining educational excellence are summarized. This issue brief draws from presentations given at two sessions on education and excellence held at the 1983 meeting of the National Conference of State Legislatures. California's approach is highlighted, based on the…