This book asserts that public assistance programs--particularly in countries in Western Europe--have been demonstrated to relieve deprivation and ensure an acceptable standard of living for those nations' families. Contrasting the extensive child welfare programs offered by France with those of the United States, this book describes in detail an…

Nine articles discuss the relationship between the higher education community and the public. The articles are: (1) "On a Certain Blindness in Teaching" by Michael S. Roth, who stresses the necessity of political citizenship education for a healthy democracy; (2) "Monocultural Perspectives and Campus Diversity" by Jane Fried,…

This document is one of a series that represents specific moments in history from which students focus on the meanings of landmark events. Students become aware that choices had to be made by real human beings, that those decisions were the result of specific factors, and that they set in motion a series of historical consequences. By analyzing…

This study examined how Illinois and Massachusetts are attempting to establish a more inclusive educational system as required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The study looked at factors affecting inclusion in six categories: (1) funding, (2) education delivery systems, (3) political climate, (4) Federal and State regulations…

In 1987, parents and teachers from diverse neighborhoods of a local school district in New York (New York) founded the Bronx New School, a small public elementary school of choice that was meant to be learner-centered, with high standards for all. The school was organized into heterogeneous, multi-age classes and structured to encourage…

The following 14 essays consider relationships among schooling, education, and the state; alternatives to existing systems; and educating minorities and the disadvantaged: (1) "Growing Up Blighted: Reflections on the 'Secret Power' in the American Experience" (C. Burgess); (2) "The Evolving Political Structure of American…

"Political correctness" has recently been appropriated by organizations and individual advocates seeking to attack and focus negative media attention on reforms in higher education. This report documents both the facts and media distortions that have shaped almost a decade of campus debate on affirmative action, multicultural and…

California, in response to pessimism about the efficacy of public education, adopted the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST), a three-part test of reading, writing, and mathematics required of teacher applicants. This paper takes a critical look at the genesis, passage, implementation, and consequences of the CBEST legislation. In…

The management crisis within higher education in developing countries reflects the wider crisis in educational management and public administration. The contemporary management context is further threatened by narrowing management capacity and capability due to the continued dwindling of already scarce resources and the increasing across-the-board…

This sociological perspective on multicultural education focuses on racial and cultural groups, but accents class and power correlates. The results of the civil rights movement took the nation to visions of integration, and when these faltered, to the recognition of diversity in the form of cultural pluralism, which nonetheless implies structural…

The countries of the European Community represent a commitment to European economic and political unity as part of a trend toward the globalization of the world's economic life. Economic, social, and political challenges are bound up in economic competitiveness. Countries are examining human resource issues in order to compete for the world…

One of a series of studies related to the Delphi research project: "Policy Instruments for Higher Education in the Western Europe of the Future", this paper presents interviews by a Dutch researcher with 15 authorities on U.S. higher education and the written contributions of two other experts: M. Peterson, E. Hines, M. Gade, G. Rhoades,…

A systems model for the study of state higher education policy is adapted to reflect structural relationships within and among key units of government and organizations informally involved in the policy-making process, as well as more fluid political and economic contextual elements that mediate and shape the interaction between them. The model is…

Internal and external changes affecting higher education and responses that student personnel workers can take are discussed. Societal changes that influence colleges include a declining birth rate, changing sex roles, and shifts to an information-based society. Notable political trends that affect colleges include accountability requirements,…

The context for financial aid policy affecting black doctoral students in Oklahoma and Florida was studied using the case study method. Attention was focused on environmental and organizational variables affecting the implementation of financial aid policy. Historical patterns surrounding race relations in both states before the 1973…