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It has been argued that alcoholism is the single worst social affliction in the world. In addition to the dangers of drinking and driving, alcohol and other drugs also have a detrimental and disruptive impact on education. Harassed principals and teachers are distracted from the main mission of education by violence and other anti-social behavior brought about in part by the direct or indirect use of drugs. Alcohol abuse lowers performance and grades, creates disruptive classroom behavior, increases school vandalism, and impedes the learning process for non-drinking students. For these reasons the President has made the prevention of alcohol and drug abuse a high priority. And the key to prevention is education concerning the truth about alcohol. For 10 years the Department of Education has been developing school-based alcohol and drug abuse education programs. The Department's primary goal is to provide leadership, training and technical assistance to school systems to use local resources to deal with local problems. The program has established teams of school and community personnel, supported by training and follow-up assistance, in every state and territory. A growing number of parent groups is springing up all over the country as well. Those interested in acting for change can make a difference that may literally change the world. (JAC)

Although quality education is a concern in every field of study, science, mathematics, and technology have a special importance in this country. They make up one of the cornerstones on which our success as a nation is built. To maintain our strength and independence, skills in these fields cannot degenerate. President Reagan has said that the declining condition of science/mathematics education has become serious enough to compromise the nation's future ability to develop and advance our traditional industrial base, and to compete in international marketplaces. The problems are particularly severe at the secondary level where there is a growing shortage of qualified science/mathematics teachers at a time when efforts are under way to raise standards and increase enrollments. In response to these problems, dozens of bills have been introduced to Congress. What is more urgent, however, is the necessity to forge an effective partnership with states, local education authorities, and private industry so that each can do its part of the job to resolve the problems. Although the federal role must be a limited one, several initiatives have been proposed, including allocating funds to states as scholarships for individuals not currently qualified to teach science/mathematics. (JN)

The federal role in the teaching of entrepreneurship skills development in the public schools is one of advocacy and leadership and one that will assist states and local education agencies to infuse and include entrepreneurship skills training into broad occupational program areas, career awareness, general training, and specific skills training. Besides exposing students to the history of underlying ideas and principles of the free enterprise system and entrepreneurship, it is vitally important to teach them specific entrepreneurial skills, such as self-organization. Other overlooked sources of entrepreneurial skills are books that have influenced the growth and development of the American economic system. The success of entrepreneurship and new ventures rests both on the general health of the economy and the nation's broader social climate. Important to successful entrepreneurship are the various levels of government favor or disfavor and a cooperative spirit between educational establishments and the needs of business entrepreneurs. Dramatic contributions have been made by the nation's entrepreneur high-technology companies, and the administration in turn has begun to respond by encouraging a substantial upgrading of mathematics and science instruction through block grants to the states. (JMK)