One of seven studies in the "Education and Polity" series, this document looks at alternative futures and the interface of education with four areas: communication; employment and leisure; state policy; and technology. The studies were commissioned during 1984 and were conducted by interdisciplinary teams: two in Australia, two in India,…

In five chapters, this document's first part reports on research on the interrelationship of school and municipal finance in New Hampshire. The document's second part briefly summarizes the research report and discusses policy changes suggested by the results. Chapter 1 of the research report describes New Hampshire schools and the state aid…

This paper offers criticism of rural education research methods, and identifies areas in need of more or better systematic inquiry. It suggests the need to increase the quantity of the highest quality of research and the need for researchers to reach policy makers and "mainstream" education journals more effectively. Five main problems…

The extent to which student financial aid has changed the composition of young people attending and planning to attend college is considered. The income redistribution policies of the 1960s and 1970s included rapid expansion of federal financial aid programs and reflected a shift from the goal of promoting economic efficiency and faster economic…

Using extensive data from before and after school finance reforms, the author analyzes the reforms' effects on school finance inequities in Michigan and Missouri, for all school districts and for suburban districts. In Michigan, data from 1970-71 show, the state met neither of two equity standards--equality in expenditure per pupil and fiscal…

This commentary explores some of the most pointed criticisms of the "No Child Left Behind" (NCLB), and of high-stakes standardized testing more generally. The author focuses specifically on the impact of NCLB on urban schools -- schools which are the constant focus of reform in a culture that presumably wishes to educate its citizens in…

The author discusses the following issues: What does computer literacy mean? What is required for certification of teachers and for graduation from high school? What are the ethical, social, and economic issues relating to computer use? (CT)

Presents an overview of several countries and which factors produce difficulties in the education of minorities. Focuses on Australia, Canada, England, West Germany, India, Israel, Japan, and Malaysia. Suggests factors such as race, color, caste, religion, nationality, immigrant status, and worldview for consideration by policymakers. (SA)

Self-interested political, corporate, and education leaders have undermined recent West Virginia court decisions mandating educational reform. Three implications are: (1) principals, teachers, parents, and students must be equal partners in the educaiton reform process; (2) a constituency for rural children is needed; and (3) rural educators must…

Each of the 12 issues of this 1999 publication contains 1 or more analyses of postsecondary educational opportunities. Titles of the individual analyses are: (1) Parental Educational Attainment and Higher Educational Opportunity (number 79); (2) Refinancing Higher Education, 1952 to 1997 (number 79); (3) State Outreach Efforts to Students from Low…

This report presents an investigation of the immigrant experience in New York City public schools. In particular, it presents a statistical portrait of the resources and characteristics of the public schools attended by immigrant students, their distribution across schools, and the relationship between resources and outcomes, on the one hand, and…

This policy brief addresses the first two rulings of the North Carolina lawsuit on the state constitutional right to education, commonly referred to as "Leandro." The "Leandro" Supreme Court opinion and subsequent court rulings add a model of adequacy that dovetails almost perfectly with standards-based education reform. Model…

A study examined educational property tax burdens in Nebraska counties, using data on property taxes levied, property values, and per capita income. The study found that the average school tax burdens for residents in the lowest third (by per capita income) of Nebraska counties, which were nearly all rural farmers and ranchers, were 88 percent…

Offers a detailed discussion of school-level data collection on educational expenditures and research allocations. Describes some implications of this trend for school business administrators. Suggests that the long-term benefits of these new data far outweigh the short-term costs of their collection. (12 references) (MLF)

Argues that new high standards of curriculum content and student performance are important, but they alone are not enough. If traditional aspirations to make students wise and just are to be realized, It is necessary to move beyond standards to support teachers, provide necessary resources, nurture community, handle problems of race effectively,…