This volume examines education-reform efforts in U.S. public schools. The report, which focuses on higher standards for student achievement, is based on two nation-wide studies: the Public School Teacher Survey on Education Reform and the Public School Survey on Education Reform. The survey included questions on teachers' understanding of higher…

This report presents the findings of the first national survey of public libraries on their services and resources available to children. Questionnaires were mailed to a national probability sample of 846 public libraries, nonrespondents were contacted by telephone, and the final response rate was 97%. Survey items included the availability of…

Procedures concerning illegal drug use by college students were investigated at 546 colleges and universities in the fall 1986 Higher Education Survey. Seventy-three percent of the institutions had a written policy on illegal drug use by students, and more than half of them established or revised their policy within the last 5 years. Three-fourths…

A recent study asked nationally representative samples of public school principals and teachers about their use of content and performance standards and other reform strategies, ties between the home and school, Title I's role in supporting reform, and the information they needed to proceed with reforms. This report presents findings of the…

This report presents the findings of a fast response survey of school administrator training needs and programs as perceived by school districts. The nationwide survey, conducted in the summer of 1978, had three objectives: to assess the degree of need for expanded or improved training opportunities in 14 areas, to indicate preferred methods for…

This document presents information from and about two 1999 surveys conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics: "Vocational Programs in Secondary Schools" and "Occupational Programs in Postsecondary Education Institutions." The first 25% of the document consists of an introduction and selected findings. The introduction provides…

Concerns about the quality of the nation's public education system have drawn attention to key elements of teacher effectiveness (Darling-Hammond 2000; Lewis et al. 1999; Mayer, Mullens, and Moore 2001; National Commission on Teaching and America's Future 1996). While there is little consensus on what constitutes high-quality teachers, past…

The availability of evening and weekend baccalaureate degree credit courses and factors that discourage institutions from introducing or expanding such courses were investigated through a fast response survey that was sent to a national sample of universities and other four-year colleges. Among the findings are the following: almost three-fourths…

This report discusses the outcomes of a survey of 2-year and 4-year postsecondary education institutions (n=5,040) about students with disabilities. It includes information about enrollment of postsecondary students with disabilities and support services and accommodations. Results found: (1) an estimated 428,280 students with disabilities were…

This report presents findings from the second national survey of distance education undertaken by the National Center for Education Statistics. The survey covers the 12-month 1997-98 academic year and includes data for higher education institutions as well as all 2-year and 4-year postsecondary institutions. Highlights of the report include the…

This report provides results of a Fast Response Survey System (FRSS) study conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics for the Office for Civil Rights (OCR). The OCR wanted input for their decision-making process on possible modifications to their biennial survey of a national sample of public school districts (PSDs). The survey, the…

This 1995 federal survey designed to provide the first nationally representative data about higher education distance education course offerings. Data were collected in fall 1995 from 2-year and 4-year higher education institutions and were weighted to provide national estimates. The study includes information about the percentage of institutions…

A study examined the nature and extent of vocational arts education programs throughout the 50 states. During the study, data were sought concerning those programs designed to prepare students for occupations in 14 arts areas: dance; vocal music; instrumental music; theater; radio, television, and video; cinematography; photography; graphic arts;…