A number of studies are reviewed in an attempt to identify those schooling inputs that affect schooling outcomes, specifically cognitive achievement of students, in developing countries. Part 1 of the paper outlines the nature of the major tool of analysis, the educational production function (EPF), and the problems associated with its use as a…

The Committee on Education and the Workforce, to whom was referred the bill (H.R. 2123) to reauthorize the Head Start Act to improve the school readiness of disadvantaged children, and for other purposes, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with an amendment and recommend that the bill as amended do pass. Amended sections include:…

The Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998 (Perkins III) requires, in Section 113(c)(3)(C), that the Secretary provide the appropriate committees of Congress copies of annual reports received by the Department from each eligible agency that receives funds under the Act. Section 113(c)(3)(a) further requires the Secretary to…

The Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998 requires that the Secretary provide the appropriate committees of Congress copies of annual reports received by the department from each eligible agency that receives funds under the Act. Congress has made "accountability for results" a central focus of the Perkins III…

Rural areas of the developing world are the last frontier of the information technology revolution. Telephone and internet penetration there remains a small fraction of what it is in the developed world. Limited means of electronic communication with the outside world are just one source of isolation of rural communities and economies from the…

The State Higher Education Finance (SHEF) report is a tool to help policy makers and educators address broad public policy questions. SHEF seeks to inform policy deliberations with information and perspective on financial issues and national trends. The fiscal 2004 SHEF study documents a four-year period when state funding for higher education…

In this book, the 11 members of the Koret Task Force on K-12 Education provide a broad overview of the U.S. education system, examining its structure and operation, identifying key problems that hinder its performance, and offering perspectives on the requirements of genuine reform. The 11 chapters include: (1) "American Traditions of Education"…

This paper describes U.S. Department of Defense Schools, an education system with significant outcomes that may be pertinent to raising academic achievement among minority students. A research group examined the high achievement of African American and Hispanic students in Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools. Results find that…

In 2001, the National Education Goals Panel commissioned researchers from Vanderbilt University to study the consistent high achievement of African American and Latino students in Department of Defense schools. This digest summarizes the results of their study and presents supporting research that identifies policies and practices that may…

This collection of papers presents the critical reflections on the management and planning of education of 18 senior officials working in 12 small island nations. The papers are a result of their participation in the Postgraduate Diploma in Educational Planning and Management in Small States program at the University of Malta. The book is divided…

This publication addresses tuition and other fees practiced in education as a means of cost sharing in Lesotho (a small, underdeveloped African nation). The case of Lesotho is an extreme example of household and community financing of education, both at the primary and secondary level, with parents paying for the bulk of their children's…

In the year 1998, California began a massive experiment that focused on testing students and holding teachers and administrators accountable for results. The goal: dramatic, system-wide improvement. Schools' performance began to be measured using California's Academic Performance Index (API). In 2001, with passage of No Child Left Behind (NCLB),…

Federal agencies are responsible for a variety of educational activities. These vary from operating programs for which specific appropriations are made to others which provide educational services incident to some other Federal purpose. Because of the variable nature of these services having educational significance, it is difficult to secure…

Market forces have been powerful in United States higher education throughout history. Public university revenue shares from state governments have declined, destabilizing institutions. Universities have compensated by increasing shares from grant and contracting organizations, resulting in a de-emphasis on instruction and increased emphasis on…

A study in a new university investigated the relative importance of six factors (job security/promotion, availability of research resources, contribution to university mission, personal stimulation/challenge, colleague relationship, and professional recognition/development) on research commitment and productivity. Discipline, rank, and gender were…