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Public concern about the quality of education is increasing dramatically. This report presents findings of a national survey conducted by the Education Commission of the States (ECS) following the November 1996 general election. Data were gathered through a telephone survey of 1,200 registered voters, 40 percent of whom were Republicans, 40 percent of whom were Democrats, and 20 percent of whom were Reform Party/independents. Forty-nine percent said that candidates' stands on public education made a real difference in who they voted for in presidential and congressional races. Seventy-two percent of voters placed education reform at the top of the 1997 congressional agenda, along with crime and Medicare. A majority of respondents said that they wanted teaching that clearly links studies to real life, tough academic standards, more parent influence at the school level, and less bureaucracy. Most attributed public schools' disappointing performance to bureaucratic control, safety and discipline problems, insufficient money for teachers and programs, inadequately prepared teachers, and special interest groups with conflicting goals. Almost half said that high schools did not adequately prepare students for higher education. Fifty-four percent said that public schools need a major overhaul (of that percent, 27 percent were favorable to vouchers and charter schools). Finally, respondents identified the most important improvements that schools could make: (1) raise expectations of student learning; (2) set clear standards; and (3) teach young people how to apply what they have learned. Nine graphs and four charts are included. (LMI)

This paper examines strategies for state and local leaders to finance supports and services for young children and their families in the wake of welfare reform. It focuses on strategies for revenue reform and for creating public/private partnerships to provide decision makers with current and relevant information on a variety of effective tools that can be used to support early childhood. The sections of the paper are as follows: (1) an introduction focusing on how increasing pressures on state and local budgets and the special challenges faced in financing early childhood supports and services can result in financial innovations; (2) "Revenue Reform Strategies," including expanding the state and local revenue base, aligning tax policies with changing economic and demographic conditions, diversifying and balancing tax systems to capture new revenue, targeting tax relief, and earmarking revenue; and (3) "Strategies to Create Public/Private Partnerships," such as employer initiatives to expand and improve services, leveraging private resources for community development, and creating comprehensive community support systems. (KB)

As school districts increasingly encounter financial constraints and public demands for improved performance, some turn to private management. This paper summarizes the outcomes of private management in four school districts across the United States. Each case was unique. In Dade County (Florida), Education Alternatives, Inc. (EAI), was responsible only for the implementation of a new instructional program in one school; in Hartford (Connecticut) and Baltimore (Maryland), EAI had much broader management authority over a larger number of schools; and in Minneapolis (Minnesota), the president of Public Strategies Group managed the superintendency but not individual schools. The paper discusses common themes of the case studies and lessons learned from them. First, because of intense controversy surrounding private management, successful implementation requires a strong coalition of community support. Second, both parties need to clearly specify their expectations of each other in the contract. And finally, both parties should reach an agreement about how evaluation will be accomplished and how success will be defined. (LMI)

This report compares two studies, one conducted in 1993 and the other in 1996, that examined public attitudes toward higher education in California. Grouping the findings as enduring values, changing concerns, and "dealing with the next tidal wave," the report concludes that Californians: believe education is essential for a decent job and middle-class lifestyle; believe that no qualified or motivated person should be denied an education for lack of money; are less anxious in 1996 than in 1993 about access to education, and less likely to call for fundamental overhaul of the public higher education system; are more resistant to price increases; are more likely to value a college education for what is learned; support more effective use of higher education facilities and making college-level courses available to high school seniors; support building new campuses and allowing students to go to private institutions; support the use of new technologies; favor supporting students rather than institutions; do not want to limit access; and have mixed reactions on who should bear responsibility for change. A special section focuses specifically on Latinos' views of higher education, noting that they are more likely than the population at large to view higher education as extremely important. (CH)

Though each community college has its own unique identity based on location, they all share the common commitments to (1) a comprehensive educational program; (2) teaching; (3) lifelong learning; (4) serving its community as a community-based educational institution; (5) workforce training and re-training for business and industry; and (6) open, accessible, equitable admissions for all students. These goals are achieved through the implementation of programs such as the Baccalaureate Transfer Program, Career Education Program, Work Force Training Program, Adult and Continuing Education Program, and the International Education Program. The impact of the United States community college continues to rise due to its wide accessibility and its provision of valuable services such as work force training. Support for community colleges continues to increase, with an even greater expansion expected into the 21st century, affirming their roles as leaders of higher education. They will play key roles in this high technology era as major drivers on the nation's information highway. One major concern, however, is the lack of financial resources to meet the challenges for the future. The State of Illinois Community College System has developed a strategic plan for a successful future. With plans such as these, American community colleges are ready to continue to meet future challenges and serve their communities. (YKH)

This report is about libraries and the challenges they face in the digital world, and where the public supports, or fails to support, libraries in this time of change. Library leaders' visions for the future are compared with the public's prescriptions for libraries, derived from public opinion research. Informing the study were library leaders' written vision statements and interviews; the public's view of public libraries; and the public policy agenda, especially as reflected in the Telecommunications Act of 1996. This research affirms the need for alliances among all nonprofit information providers to define their relative and collective roles in an expanding marketplace of information. Americans love their libraries, but have difficulty figuring out where libraries fit in the new digital world. Libraries must adjust their traditional values and services to the digital age. The growing use of home computers seems to complement, not compete with, library use. Libraries have enormous opportunities nationwide to influence and direct public opinion because strong public sentiment already supports key visions for the future of libraries. The report includes the following chapters: (1) Public Visions, Private Reflections; (2) Public Support for Libraries; (3) Key Public Policies as the Context for Libraries; and (4) The Prospects for a Coordinated, Collaborative Effort. An appendix provides the public opinion survey instrument on the future of libraries in the digital age. (SWC)

This three-year project was designed to explore ways in which state coordinating boards and multicampus boards can support institutional restructuring and gain commitment from state and institutional officials for higher education reform. Six states--Virginia, Minnesota, Tennessee, Oregon, Florida, and Georgia--each undertook a significant postsecondary reform effort and allowed the State Higher Education Executive Officers project staff to observe and analyze the agencies' process of gaining commitment to change. State strategies ranged from broad-based restructuring efforts to targeted programs intended to stimulate innovation among campuses and faculty. Minnesota's project examined issues related to distance education and instructional technologies; Virginia, facing budget cuts and increasing enrollments, began a series of campus-based and state-led restructuring initiatives; Tennessee conducted a study of the systemwide academic program inventory; Oregon evaluated 24 state-funded projects designed to improve student learning productivity through technology; Florida explored alternative ways to deliver high-demand undergraduate courses that were causing enrollment bottlenecks; and the Georgia project involved development of fiscal policy for distance education. Appended are descriptions of each state project, its setting, specific activities, and project impact. Also appended are five issues of the project's REDESIGN newsletter, designed to be a forum for discussion of public policy issues facing the states. (CH)

A report statistically examines the problem of deferred maintenance in U.S. public schools, including the repair funding required to comply with federal mandates in the next 3 years; federal, state, and local contributions by state in 1991-92; the estimated percentage of schools needing repairs listed by state; and the changes in apportionment of state budgets from 1987 to 1994. Public school maintenance funding trends and options are discussed, including lease financing and privatization. The report reveals that decades of deferred maintenance, combined with rising anti-tax sentiments and an aging population, have created a $112 billion national problem that threatens the opportunities of youth and the future competitiveness of the United States. A model for passing a bond issue as illustrated through the Coalition for Adequate School Housing (Sacramento, California) is examined. (GR)

When state governments in Australia decentralized many administrative responsibilities to schools in the late 1980s and early 1990s, it was assumed that they would develop fresh management, development, and governance capacities. In general, such decentralization attempted to replace bureaucracies with corporate management, limit school evaluation to the auditing of performance indicators, cut support structures in favor of contracted expertise, and displace hierarchy with collegial networks. The principle of public accountability was redefined in public education as a local issue to be resolved largely through site management, market, and political mechanisms. This paper presents research findings that show that Tasmanian parents prefer a more educative and communitarian approach to accountability, and that this view is broadly shared with other key stakeholders--teachers, principals, and state government officials. Parents were slightly more likely than other stakeholders to prefer greater subsidiarity, pluriformity, and complimentarity in their schools and education system, rather than neocentralist and "self-managing" corporate managerialism, uniformity, and comparability. Data were derived from a questionnaire sent to parents, teachers, department of education administrators, and principals in 28 primary, district high, and high schools in Tasmania. Six tables are included. (Contains 25 references.) (Author/LMI)

A discussion among school and business leaders in Seattle (Washington) revealed that no one had a clear picture of the total community effort in support of schools or the external resources schools actually needed. The Program on Reinventing Public Education of the University of Washington conducted a study to determine how external resources were being distributed in the Seattle schools and whether these resources were meeting the needs of schools. School principals were surveyed in 1995 about the 1994-95 school year. The survey asked about funds from Seattle's Families and Education Levy, but did not ask about funds raised from sources within the school, such as a Parent Teacher Association. Survey results showed the immense scale and variety of external resources provided to Seattle schools. The Families and Education Levy alone provided over five million dollars in the school year, and was hailed by principals as indispensable to their schools. Local businesses offered multiple resources. In fact, public sector programs, grants, and contributions made up 49% of the dollar value of services available to Seattle public schools, and another 10% of the total dollar value of resources came from one private grant to a single high school. The remaining 41% came from local private sources in the form of 321 separate programs and services. Many of these were transient; almost half identified in a 1991 study of private contributions had disappeared by the 1995 survey. Researchers found that the overall distribution of these resources appeared to be random and unrelated to goals and strategies for school improvement and student achievement. (Contains three figures.) (SLD)

School districts often find themselves in a double bind when dealing with the public: they seek public input, but also are vulnerable to manipulation by organized interest groups that are not representative of the entire community. The dilemma is how to procure the overall community's public judgment of a topic and allow widespread participation. This paper presents findings of a study that tested the practicality and applicability of a deliberative opinion process for school districts. Officials of the Weatherford, Oklahoma, Public School District designed a variation of Fishkin's (1994) deliberative opinion poll, called the Deliberative Opinion Caucus (DOC). The officials used their variant of the DOC in March 1994 to evaluate the feasibility of a year-round school calendar. A total of 31 out of 400 registered voters in the district accepted the invitation to participate in the session. Participants listened to presentations highlighting the pros and cons of year-round education, engaged in both group discussions and a general open discussion, and completed an opinion poll. Respondents were somewhat favorable to alternative scheduling and preferred the "45 days in session, 15 out" format. They also indicated their overall support of the schools system. More importantly, respondents strongly approved of the DOC mechanism. They described its strengths as an informative process and an opportunity to hear opinions and interact. Weaknesses included poor attendance, one-sided material, and no student participation. Despite the low turnout, the designers of the process learned from the practical difficulties. Recommendations for improving the DOC included more indepth surveys, varied coverage of issues, and followup of nonparticipants. (Contains 30 references.) (LMI)

This report discusses the findings of a study that investigated the number of magazine articles focusing on gifted and talented children. Results found that between January 1, 1982 and December 31, 1996, 170 articles on gifted and talented children were located. The largest number of articles published was found to be in 1984 (12 percent), followed by 1983, 1987, 1990, and 1994 (9 percent each), 1982 and 1985 (8 percent each), 1986 and 1993 (6 percent each), 1989 (5 percent), 1988, 1991, 1992, and 1995 (4 percent each), and 1996 (3 percent so far). The largest number of articles were found in education-related magazines. The diminished number of articles dealing with the needs of gifted children is discussed, and recommendations are made for increasing the number of published articles on gifted education and making use of magazines as a public relations tool. Appendices include tables with the magazines, authors, and titles for each year of the study. (CR)

This collection of nine pamphlets is intended to increase the general public's awareness about the nature and importance of learning disabilities; to facilitate the access of parents and individuals with learning disabilities to practical information and sources of assistance; to expand access to practical information about existing research findings, innovations in learning methods, and relevant technology; and to increase the use of such information by teachers, school administrators, parents, pediatricians, and others. The largest pamphlet offers definitions, basic facts about learning disabilities, data on public attitudes and awareness of learning disabilities, and recommendations from a two-day 1994 summit on learning disabilities policy. Three brochures are directed at specific populations: parents, teachers, and doctors. The remaining five brochures provide information on: (1) warning signs (to improve early diagnosis and timely intervention); (2) learning disabilities research highlights (mainly from research centers sponsored by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development); (3) legal rights (under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990); (4) advocating for a child with leaning disabilities; and (5) resources (a list of 11 national organizations). (DB)

This document presents findings of a commissioned survey that explored public attitudes toward a number of issues affecting K-12 education in Saskatchewan. Data were derived from telephone interviews with 708 individuals and focus-group interviews. Of the telephone sample, 54 percent had children attending school. Themes that emerged were classified as education today, governance, future directions, time in school, and the CORE curriculum. Thirty-eight percent of the respondents identified lack of funding as the biggest problem facing Saskatchewan schools, followed by discipline problems (21 percent) and student-teacher ratios (15 percent). Fifty-four percent believed that elementary-secondary expenditures were inadequate. Most parents expressed satisfaction with the educational environment of their children's schools and the quality of teaching. Overall, most respondents were satisfied with their school boards, leadership at their children's schools, and opportunities for input. The majority of respondents favored making schools available for community use and giving schools increased flexibility. Fifty-three percent of parents agreed with the changes made by the new CORE curriculum. Forty figures are included. Appendices contain the survey instrument, demographic information on respondents, and survey data. (LMI)

This report analyzes policy trends in gifted education in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut from 1984 through 1994. The decrease in state funding of gifted education during this period is investigated, along with the rise of private and university gifted programs. Findings from the analysis indicated that gifted students possess few of the legal rights or privileges of other special populations and thus, gifted education funding continues to be disposable at the state or municipal level. Although the blame for cuts to gifted education has been placed on the "fiscal crisis", both Connecticut and New Jersey implemented their first major cuts to state-level funding against increases in general education expenditures that were six percent above inflation. In each case, these cuts resulted in significantly fewer pupils being served over time. School districts that suffered most from these cuts were lower economic-level districts or those districts more dependent on state support to keep their programs intact. The need for the development of state or federal level policies ensuring rights for gifted students is urged. Attached charts include information on per pupil expenditures to gifted pupils, the number of children identified, and the number of children receiving gifted education services. (Contains 35 references.) (CR)

The purpose of this research was to explore the possible roles and responsibilities that public libraries might assume in the National Information Infrastructure (NII). Data was collected from September 1994 through June 1995, relying on the following data collection techniques: focus groups, personal interviews, survey data analysis, case studies, participant-provided document content analysis, and phone interviews. The existing Federal public library policy system is examined to determine the degree to which that policy system might have to be changed to accomplish the administration's policy objectives regarding public libraries in the NII, and policy recommendations are offered to revise and extend the existing public library policy system to promote proposed policy objectives related to a new role for public libraries in the NII. The policy review section examines current and future federal funding of public libraries and library management; Library Services and Technology Act; S. 652 (Telecommunications Competition and Deregulation Act of 1995); H.R. 1555 (The Communications Act of 1995); the Clinton Administration and telecommunications reform; and National Telecommunications and Information Administration Information Infrastructure grants. Research findings include the following areas: public library roles; public library connectivity; other barriers to establishing public library connectivity; impacts of public library connectivity; planning connectivity; and a new policy context. Findings indicate that all aspects of the public library connectivity environment are experiencing rapid changes. While public awareness of the NII grows, so does skepticism concerning the quality and benefits of government services. Public libraries must expect to face increasingly difficult times in competing for resources to maintain existing services while simultaneously introducing new Internet/NII-based services. It is illustrated that public libraries can make important contributions to achieving national economic and educational objectives, but to do so libraries must be willing to change in order to provide services most needed by their communities. The report examines several policy initiatives at the federal, state, and local government levels which were developed from the research findings. (Contains 24 references.) (MAS)

This paper presents findings of a study that determined if there is a significant relationship between federal expenditures for education and federal expenditures for public assistance. Data on federal primary and secondary educational expenditures, federal public-assistance expenditures, the number of public-assistance recipients, the enrollment in public primary and secondary schools, and annual inflation rates for 1959-91 were obtained from publicly available reports of several federal agencies. Indices were developed in order to deflate the educational and public-assistance expenditures and to remove the effects of population changes, inflation, benefits per recipient changes, and student-enrollment changes. To allow for a delayed reaction, the deflated public-assistance expenditures were shifted year by year and correlated with the deflated educational expenditures. When the public-assistance expenditures were shifted 12 years in relation to the educational expenditures, there was a significant correlation of r=-.907. A linear regression of filtered public-assistance expenditures that was shifted 12 years in relation to filtered educational expenditures indicated an inverse relationship of $1.82 of public-assistance expenditures for each $1 of educational expenditures. Recommendations for further study are offered. Appendices contain statistical tables and four figures. (Contains 10 references.) (Author/LMI)

This paper describes "Initiating Philanthropic Activities in Croatia (Rijeka) through Teacher's Education," a project started in 1995 and supported by the Indiana University Center on Philanthropy, and designed to help promote the values of philanthropy, primarily through teacher education. The project is part of the program called "Eastern European Initiative," which aims to spread and support the philanthropic idea over the region and build networks of philanthropic programs and activities. The main purpose of the project is to develop curriculum for teacher education in philanthropy with the emphasis on ethical aspects. The project stresses the importance of nurturing philanthropic behavior from an early age in order to develop caring behavior and to teach the values of peace, cooperation, and help. The paper begins with a background review, including the situation and problems regarding the emergence of philanthropic activities in Croatia, covering political, social economic, and ethical issues. The second section of the paper describes the 3-year project. The first stage of the project (January 1995-August 1996) addresses curriculum development and administrative work for study programs for future teachers, translations, preparation of text-book and study materials, introductory seminars and lectures for students, workshops in regional centers, developing guidelines for action research activities, beginning action research, lectures by key persons, and establishing a philanthropic library and database about persons involved. The second stage (September 1996-June 1997) will stress courses, action research, and publishing activities and will offer courses to other institutions through the regional center in Ljublijana. Activities from the first year will be continued. The final stage (July 1997-December 1997) will include evaluation of the courses and action research. (ND)

This booklet provides data and information to show that substance abuse prevention is working and encourages all sectors of society to become involved. Twenty percent of the document features background information about what's working to prevent substance abuse, lists of risk and protective factors, data that show the relationship between substance abuse and society's problems, and organizational and bibliographic resources. Eighty percent of the document consists of a chart book of camera-ready facts, figures, charts, and graphs that can serve as a quantitative primer to prevention. The fact sheets summarize data that establish alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs as significant cofactors in other major public concerns. The sheets were designed to raise awareness and help generate support for prevention programs and policies among legislators, business leaders, media, educators, health care providers, and others in the community. The information is designed to accommodate the needs of diverse groups of organizations, individuals, and levels of government. Among the materials designed to enlist the help of the media are samples of a press announcement; an opinion editorial; a letter to the editor, along with a sample cover letter; a public service announcement; and newspaper ads. A fold-out chart gives a point-by-point strategy for reaching the media, and offers advice on how to place public service ads and announcements. (RJM)

To help raise the level of funding for the nation's community colleges, Project Reinvest was created to help colleges communicate their role in solving the nation's problems and the importance of adequate funding. Specifically, the project seeks to encourage colleges' participation in efforts to develop a genuine understanding of their institutions and the need for strong local support and to provide information and assistance for colleges developing fundraising campaigns. To assist fundraising efforts at the national level, articles on the colleges will be prepared for such periodicals as flight magazines, business-oriented magazines, and general circulation publications. In addition, efforts will be coordinated with local institutions, the American Association of Community Colleges, and the League for Innovation in the Community College to increase visibility through newspaper articles and radio and television presentations. To aid efforts at the local level, packages of support material will be prepared for use by local colleges, including guides on building local support and private fundraising and converting local campaigns to the state level. Participating institutions will be enrolled through their presidents in a project information interchange and networking system managed by the project director. Finally, the director will also conduct site visits to help institutions organize or make community presentations. (KP)

This seven-chapter report explores in depth how issues relating to race, language, and culture can be incorporated into every stage of a reform process targeting supports to disadvantaged children and families. The report draws on 1993 research involving a survey of 98 collaborative programs in California, site visits to seven collaborative programs (six in California and one in Colorado), in-depth interviews with individuals involved in collaborative reform initiatives nationwide, and a literature review. The report's chapters discuss: (1) the links between human-services reform efforts and issues of diversity; (2) the use of community assessments to engage diverse stakeholders in identifying community strengths and resources to evaluate the cultural appropriateness of current services and to identify community needs and goals; (3) some strategies and approaches to the grounding of human services in an understanding of cultural, linguistic, and racial diversity; (4) staff development and other steps that agencies can take to equip themselves with workers who are able to respond to the needs of diverse children and families; (5) the institutional changes needed to promote culturally and linguistically appropriate services; (6) governance strategies that support inclusive decision making; and (7) recommendations that apply to all groups to ensure that issues of diversity are addressed. Appendixes contain the research methodology and surveys. Contains 58 references. (GLR)

Based on a relevant doctoral study with the same title, and covering the years from 1930 to 1986, this report analyzes the origin and development of family policy measures in South Africa against the background of sociopolitical and socioeconomic change. Its main focus is on the changes that family life has undergone over the years in South Africa and the implications of those changes for family policy, including changes in (1) political policy; (2) marriage and divorce measures; (3) child and family care; (4) social security and (5) political measures with an effect on family life. The original study involved the analysis of selected policy documents related to social change and family life. The first chapter of this report provides an orientation to the study, while the second chapter discusses the conceptualization of family and family policy. The third chapter reviews the development of family policy in South Africa between 1930 and 1983, divided by sociopolitical events as follows: 1930-1938, the Great Depression; 1939-1947, World War II and after the war; 1948-1982, the Apartheid era; and 1983-1986, a transitional period. The final chapter presents an overview of the findings regarding the family and family policy, and social changes and their implications for family life. In conclusion, the report suggests that despite recent criticism, the family is an institution that should be cherished and protected. Enlightened family policy, accompanied by thorough research, planning, and the involvement of all population groups in the policy-making process, can make a real contribution to the quality of marital and family life in South Africa. Contains approximately 90 references. (AA)

The statistical data presented in this report provide a sketch of higher education in the European Union for the period 1980-89. An introductory chapter defines the topics covered by the report: enrollment, number of graduates, teaching staff, actual duration of study for higher education graduates compared to stipulated duration, unemployment rates of graduates, and public expenditures. Conceptual differences between Member States are identified and there is a short discussion of comparative levels of education and comparative trends. In the second chapter text and approximately 50 figures and tables look at each of the topics in detail for each of the 12 European Union member states--Belgium, Denmark, Germany, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom--covered by the report. In the third chapter text and approximately 20 tables compare national trends in higher education for each of the countries and each of the topics noted above. An appendix contains 45 tables of underlying data. (Contains approximately 60 references.) (CH)

The Federal Government provides support for education well beyond programs funded through the Department of Education. Federal support for education, excluding revenues foregone through allowable income tax deductions, was an estimated $87.5 billion in fiscal year (FY) 1993, an increase of $24.1 billion (38%) since FY 1990, representing, after adjustment for inflation, a 25% increase. This publication provides data on federal support and trends in recent years. On-budget federal funds for educational programs in FY 1993 were estimated at $68.4 billion, an increase of 33% since FY 1990 in current dollars (20% after adjustment for inflation). Nonfederal funds generated by federal programs (predominantly postsecondary education loans) were estimated at $19.0 billion, a rise of 62% in current dollars from 1990 to 1993. The period marked an increase in on-budget program funds for elementary and secondary education of 12%, with a decrease of 13% in funds for postsecondary education, and a 58% increase in other education funds. It is noted that elementary and secondary schools and colleges derive only about 11% of their revenues from the Federal Government. Three figures and nine tables provide detailed information about expenditures, with an additional six detailed tables in six appendices. (SLD)

A random telephone survey of 562 residents of the Pacific Northwest was designed and conducted to determine public sentiment toward the teaching of values within the public schools. The respondents were asked either the open-ended question of whether it was appropriate to teach values within the public school curriculum, or one of two closed-format questions about sets of specific values taken from the Rokeach Value Survey. Schwartz and Bilsky's theories on human values were used to characterize the values on which the public was surveyed. The respondents believed it very appropriate to teach values within the public school curriculum as 69.6% of respondents indicated values definitely should be taught while only 6.5% said definitely not. The results of this survey point to the universalism and benevolent value types as being considered particularly relevant by the public for school curriculums. Support for teaching values of conformity (obedient, self-control, and polite), self-direction (freedom and ambition), and security (family security) was also strongly present. Respondents were either opposed to or equivocal about teaching hedonism, stimulation, or religious values in the schools. The survey shows avoidance of teaching specific values clearly needs reassessment. (CC)

This report provides information on the amounts and types of financial assistance available to students both within the member states of the European Community and across its frontiers. The first part of the report summarizes the main systems of financial assistance for students in higher education in the European Community, looking at several factors: tuition fees; types of financial assistance available; means testing of awards; the academic criteria applied; whether the amount of assistance is variable, and if so, what the criteria are; other social benefits received by students; portability; and eligibility. A table and a chart summarize this information for the countries covered: Belgium (listing the French and the Flemish communities separately), Denmark, Federal Republic of Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, and the United Kingdom. The remainder of the report provides information for each of the factors for the countries noted above. (CH)

Categorical education programs provide state funding to schools and local education agencies for the purchase of specific types of local services, such as transportation, subsidized meals, and supplemental instruction. California has at least 57 separate categorical programs. This document provides an overview of California's experience with categorical programs and offers recommendations for reform of such programs. Following the executive summary and introduction, chapter 1 defines categorical programs. Chapter 2 provides information on each of the existing categorical programs in K-12 education in California. The third chapter presents a brief history of categorical programs over the last 30 years. Problems with the existing system of categorical programs are identified in chapter 4. Chapter 5 outlines the principles for reform of the state's categorical programs, and the final chapter offers seven recommendations. These recommendations take two general forms: the first four propose to create specific new programs by consolidating or redirecting funds from existing categorical programs; and the last three propose a broad rethinking of major state programs and strategies. Six figures are included. (Contains 68 references.) (LMI)