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This report builds on information prepared for and presented at the June 2001 meeting of the National Alliance on the American High School (the Alliance). It focuses on one layer of the education system, state policy, which was selected for study because major changes in practice are hard to establish and even harder to sustain when state policies are inhospitable toward high school reform. State statutes and state board requirements affecting public high schools were studied, and data were gathered from a number of credible sources. The state policies reviewed fell into three clusters: (1) policies specific to high schools that deal with compulsory schooling ages, course credit, graduation, and diplomas; (2) policies to ensure opportunities to learn, which include those related to education financing, safe, non-violent schools, help for students who are falling behind, teacher certification requirements, and options beyond the regular comprehensive high school; and (3) policies surrounding standards, assessments, and accountability. The policies specific to high school carry some unpleasant messages about how relatively unchanged high schools have remained during the past two decades. Legislation relative to the high school curriculum and graduation suggests that findings of 20 years ago are still true. If students show up, can pass their courses, and do not cause trouble, they will graduate. The most significant difference is that today many students will also have to pass a state examination to receive a diploma. State policies keep the odds for students unbalanced, with clear tracks with different opportunities for different students. State leaders need to take a closer look at how their states have addressed high school education. (Contains 2 tables, 20 maps, 13 endnotes, and 28 references.) (SLD)

The slump experienced by many high school seniors stems in part from the failure of the K-12 school system and colleges and universities to provide incentives for high school seniors to work hard. Senior slump appears to be the rational response of students to some disjunctions between the K-12 and postsecondary systems, including a lack of assessment in grade 12, a college admissions calendar that provides little incentive for seniors to take demanding courses, a lack of coherence and sequencing between the K-12 system and colleges, and the emphasis on access and admission to college rather than preparation for completing college. Recommendations in this report are geared toward reclaiming the senior year as a time of serious work. These policy suggestions focus on: (1) strengthening the high school curriculum and linking it to the general education requirement of the first year of college; (2) recognizing various achievement levels on statewide K-12 assessments that meet college or university standards; (3) improving college admissions and placement priorities; and (4) assigning responsibilities for K-16 issues to a single entity in each state. An appendix discusses findings from Stanford University's Bridge Project. (Contains 1 table and 20 references.) (SLD)

This publication examines the relationship between K-12 and postsecondary education, calling for greater policymaker attention to inter-level issues. The document examines the growing relationship between K-12 and postsecondary education, citing some recent initiatives to connect these two levels of education; most importantly, it argues that such efforts must be intensified and broadened. The paper notes the importance of keeping both quality and quantity in mind, creating both a set of equity linkages to reduce the effects of economic and social difference and a set of content-based linkages to help students achieve at their highest possible level. Following the introduction, the discussion covers concerns specific to preschool (Head Start/poverty); early school (dropouts/links); middle school (absenteeism/standardized tests/ transience); and high school (school ranking/graduation rates/ college-going rates). This section also cites successful educational reform efforts in Texas and North Carolina, discusses co-registration and age-grading as useful bridges from high school to college, and notes some beginning K-16 initiatives. The discussion of transition from college to life after school covers such topics as proportional equity, distance learning, race and class, equal opportunity, and equity. In the summary section, the report reviews some major changes since 1985 and notes trends for the future. (Contains 40 references.) (CH)

This report focuses on school superintendents--those currently in the position and those in the pipeline. The report reaffirms the importance of the superintendency, raises concerns about the lack of national data collection on school superintendents, and concludes that Americans need more demographic information about, and increased understanding of, the role of the superintendent. The report opens by criticizing the lack of information that has been generated on superintendents and proceeds to supply details on those who hold this position. It looks at the proportion of women in the job, as well as the race and the age of the job holders. The report discusses how long superintendents stay in the job, longer than the news media suggest, and how much they earn. The report explores the routes to the superintendency and looks at the pool of potential candidates for the position, which includes assistant superintendents, central-office administrators, and principals. The makeup of this pool reflects promising diversity in gender and race, although there is almost a total lack of Asian Americans in the pool. Another feature of this pool of potential superintendents is that secondary school principals are much more likely to become superintendents than are elementary school principals. (Contains 16 references.) (RJM)

A project to map the outlines of school-community initiatives for educational improvement was undertaken to provide more information about these cooperative efforts. The mapping project aimed to identify the major types, purposes, and strategies of school-community initiatives and explore the dynamics of implementing, sustaining, and expanding these initiatives. Information was drawn from a national cross-section of 20 school-community initiatives based on surveys, interviews, and group conversations. These results represent a snapshot of school-community initiatives. The report contains recommendations for establishing school-community initiatives and profiles of the 20 programs. (SLD)

To provide more information about school-community initiatives, a mapping project was developed to show the broad outlines of the movement to bring about change through school-community efforts and to show some of the movement's more specialized details. Focusing on initiatives at the kindergarten through grade 12 level, the mapping project selected 20 initiatives as examples. Part 1 of the report, "Charting the Basic Terrain," describes four major approaches to school-community initiatives, the primary purposes and strategies associated with each approach, and the relationships among them. Part 2 of the report, "Mapping Key Features," describes 10 aspects of school-community initiatives about which policymakers and practitioners often ask and presents summary profiles of the 20 initiatives. Part 3, "Strengthening Schools and Sustaining Innovations," broadens the focus of the study from a descriptive analysis of school-community initiatives to consideration of their impact on the quality of education and their long-term staying power and expansion. School-community initiatives contribute to school improvement by fostering positive relations with staff, developing parent participation and leadership, and ensuring access to the school's decision-making process. The sustainability of school-community initiatives depends on stable leadership and permanent financing strategies, as well as diversified funding, careful site selection, visibility, and organized constituent support. A brief set of recommendations for funders, policymakers, and practitioners is included. Appendix A contains additional information about each initiative and contact information. Six other appendixes discuss particular aspects of the operation of school-community initiatives. (Contains 5 tables, 21 figures, and 21 endnotes.) (SLD)

This document examines employer involvement in school-to-work (STW) through the lens of seven business organizations: American Society for Training and Development; Business Coalition for Education Reform; The Business Roundtable; Committee for Economic Development; National Alliance of Business; National Association of Manufacturers; and U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The first part of the document is a review of what materials published by the seven organizations have to say about the following topics: why employers are involved in STW (STW activities are consistent with and support emphasis on education reform, STW is part of a larger effort to develop a rational work force development system, STW is a strategy for economic growth); the National Employer Leadership Council Employer Participation Model (a model that was developed by the National Leadership Council and identifies ways employers can participate in STW by working with students and teachers, strengthening company practice, and building an STW system); and employer involvement in STW after the School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994 expires in 2001. In the remainder of the document, background information is provided on each of the organizations along with overviews of pertinent documents published by each organization. (MN)

Hispanic Americans are diverse, but researchers are often limited by available data that do not highlight their diversity. This report presents information about the total Hispanic American population, along with data on the largest subgroups that make up that total. Good and bad news about Hispanics is presented using data from the U.S. Bureau of the Census to describe them in terms of origins, families, access to jobs and education, population diversity, immigration, geographical distributions, and other demographic characteristics. Also included are data on the states and cities in which Hispanics live and information about how the Hispanic population has changed demographically. The report concludes with a discussion of the major issues facing Hispanic Americans, including family changes, undereducation, employment, income disparity and poverty, migrant groups, the rise of the Hispanic middle class, and voting patterns. Appendixes present four tables of demographic profile information, and four figures charting supplementary data. (Contains 4 text tables, 3 text figures, and 32 references.) (SLD)

A study was conducted to explore the motivation for (or against) employer participation in long-standing school-business partnership programs that offer substantive work experience and learning at the worksite. Information was gathered through a literature search, in-person surveys of school personnel and selected employers (n=21), a phone survey of a larger sample of 224 employers, and employer focus groups in 7 sites throughout the United States. A total of 18 secondary schools were included in the survey, along with participating employers. Highlights of the findings are as follows: (1) schools tended to have both worksite-based programs and programs without such a component, with work areas usually determined by faculty skills and the few resources allocated to the partnership programs; (2) the extent to which students learn occupation-specific skills varies greatly among work sites, with such tie-ins most likely in comprehensive vocational-technical schools; (3) the schools are usually able to place all willing students in these programs despite their lack of organized and focused employer recruiting; (4) employers are generally pleased with the student workers and consider them productive employees; and (5) employers are motivated to participate in the programs as much by the desire to acquire entry-level workers as by the desire for community service. Recommendations were made to improve the knowledge component of the worksite programs and to increase employer recruitment. (The survey instruments are included in the report. Contains 30 references.) (KC)

This third volume in a four-volume study of industry- and education-driven skill standards in the United States and other countries contains information regarding industry driven credentialling and accreditation of programs. Section A includes descriptions of nine organizations involved in one or more components of skill standards/certification. They represent an emerging field with an emerging program; use of American National Standards Institute standards to drive the process and participation in worldwide certifications; certification only with no related educational activities; a program that has been developed to meet the needs of work-site training; organizations that have developed both occupational program certifications and individual certification systems; and two apprenticeship models. Section B is the inventory of organizations that shared information regarding their involvement with credentialling efforts. Programs are categorized into 24 occupational areas. Program information includes organization, address and telephone, contact, context, who is eligible, course of study required/prerequisites, levels of certification, how financed, who manages, standards setting process, occupational analysis, assessment process, maintaining and updating standards, partners, and information use. Section C contains a sample of accreditation organizations involved in the program approval process for specific occupations. Appendixes include summaries of the certification programs by industry and occupation and of occupations by industry category that are often licensed by the states. (YLB)

This second volume in a four-volume study of industry- and education-driven skill standards in the United States and other countries contains information on how the individual states have been involved in the development of skills standards related efforts. Section A presents information regarding how nine states--Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Oregon--have approached the challenge of development of a skills based education system. Topics covered in these summaries include historical development, general information, overview of the system and program, management issues and administration, financing, levels of certification, barriers, assessment, instructional approaches, and partnerships. Section B provides an inventory on efforts in 40 states and the District of Columbia to move forward the education/industry collaborative efforts to provide the necessary skills based education. For each state, the address and name of a contact is followed by descriptions of state leadership in occupational skills standards and related processes, assessment and certification processes, financing occupational skills standards and related activities, and usage of occupational skills standards. Appendixes include the following: a step-by-step explanation of how the current Vocational-Technical Education Consortium of States process can be modified for application to the identification and validation of national standards; illustrative examples of skills standards developed in 12 states; and survey instrument. (YLB)

This first volume in a four-volume study of industry- and education-driven skill standards in the United States and other countries describes current practice. Chapter I is the executive summary. Chapter II is an overview of historical and current issues that will affect a voluntary network of industry-based skill standards, competencies, and certification systems. Chapter III describes purposes and legal rationale for performing job analysis; alternative techniques; time factors, resources, and skills; and job analysis as typically practiced. Chapter IV lays out issues surrounding assessment as part of a national standards program: legal issues, technical considerations and guidelines for test development, and selected industry practices. Chapter V makes observations on the issue of terminology and common language. Chapter VI describes some key umbrella organizations that accredit accreditors, certify certifiers, or approve testing and assessment instruments. Chapter VII summarizes findings of a survey of state vocational-technical education agencies regarding their involvement in skill standards. Chapter VIII reports findings of a study of the role of national industry and occupation-focused organizations in the skill standards issue. Chapter IX answers six questions to clarify the scope of the roles for the federal government and private sector in the development and implementation of skill standards to improve competitiveness in the global market. The volume contains 71 references and 25 legal citations. (YLB)

This publication draws on census figures and various other sources to pull together the available demographic data on American Indians and Alaska Natives. According to census figures, in the United States in 1988 there were l.7 million Native Americans belonging to about 500 tribes and native groups and speaking about 200 languages, but only 308 groups have a relationship with the federal government. Consequently, federal Indian agencies use numbers different from those used by the Census Bureau. Sections on population and residence (1) compare American Indian population, age, birth rate, infant mortality, mortality rate, suicide rate, and poverty rate to figures for total U.S. and non-White populations; (2) estimate numbers of Indians living on or near reservations in 21 states; and (3) provide details on the 10 states with largest Indian populations, the 10 largest tribes, and the 10 most populous reservations. The section on health discusses birth rates, infant mortality rates, mortality rates and leading causes of death, alcoholism death rates, and life expectancy. Sections on education and employment examine school enrollments; high school dropout rates; higher education enrollment; educational risk factors; associate, bachelor, and masters degrees awarded in selected subject areas, and unemployment. This publication contains 23 references and 22 data tables, graphs, and maps. (SV)

This study, the second of 2 conducted by the Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL) on the governance of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) program, describes the growth and development of collaborative decision-making in 4 of the initial grantee communities after 2 years of funding. IEL's first report asked the original 99 grantees: What roles do cross-sector partnerships play in implementing 21st CCLC programs? This follow-up study asks: To what extent have grantee communities developed the collaborative capacity needed to run effective programs and to recognize and move toward accomplishing the full potential of the 21st CCLC program? Findings suggest that formal, cross-sector governing bodies have functioned weakly at the community level, if at all. In addition, a 3-year grant period and an emphasis on programming have left grantees with little time or incentive to develop long-range governing strategies. The report calls on the U.S. Department of Education to continue to request 5-year grant authority from Congress for subsequent 21st CCLC grant competitions and to give priority to applicants with demonstrated collaborative capacity. It also recommends that the grant provide technical assistance to teams at the site level where it is not currently provided and could make an immediate difference. IEL's experience strongly suggests that collaborative governance is necessary both to build effective school-community initiatives and to transform 21st CCLCs from successful after-school programs to a sustainable system of community schools. Appendixes include: Year One Findings and Recommendations: A Recap and Resource Material Strengthening Partnerships: Community School Assessment Checklist. (DFR)

This monograph and its companion volume, "Shaping Education Policy in the States," portray the contemporary role of state legislators and map the structure of educational leadership in terms of both the characteristics of influential legislators and staff and the nature of influence structures in state legislatures. An outgrowth of the "State Legislative Education Leadership Study," this volume reports the results from surveys of legislators and staff members in all 50 states. Background information is provided in the form of an overview of the study and of the role legislatures play in education. How legislatures are organized and what kinds of people achieve positions of legislative authority and reponsibility are major focal points. Additional discussion centers on where and how legislators choose to spend time and effort and the relationships among legislators and various groups such as staff, teachers, and state departments. The major functions of legislative education leadership discussed include (1) developing and processing legislation; (2) reviewing the executive budget; (3) overseeing ongoing state programs; and (4) providing services for constituents. The study also touches on conflicts and disputes faced by legislators. Finally, possible trends for the future are offered along with views of what the new generations of legislators might be like. (MMJ)

This report is a demographic study of the United States education system from kindergarten through post-graduate education. Part 1 provides a briefing on the major demographic trends that form the framework of the analysis in terms of: (1) number of births in different groups; (2) rate of age increase in various groups due to varying birth rates; (3) changes in family status; (4) differences in educational needs by region; and (5) education, including educational supply and job demand, and the growing need for day care and early childhood programs such as Head Start. Part 2 concerns the retention of students through the school system to high school graduation. Part 3 concerns the accessibility of college to different socioeconomic groups. Part 4 discusses retention of students through college graduation in the context of the number of years it takes students to reach that goal. Throughout, suggestions are offered on how to deal with the impact of increased minorities in the educational system and how best to structure curricula to better educate the population as a whole. (CG)

This document on the working conditions of urban teachers reports data from a survey of 31 elementary, middle, and secondary schools in five urban school districts. More than 400 interviews were conducted with teachers, school administrators, central office personnel, district officials, board members, and union officials. The observations, interviews, and analyses confirm that, in most of these schools, the working conditions of teachers are bleak and would not be tolerated in other professions. Among the findings are the following: (1) physical conditions are sub-standard because of a lack of maintenance, repair, and space; (2) safety is not a serious problem to teachers, except in very depressed neighborhoods; (3) teachers do not have even the basic resources needed, let alone access to new technologies; (4) teachers consider hiring more personnel to address the personal problems of students a higher priority than hiring more teachers to reduce class size; (5) teachers generally understand the cultural gulf between them and their students but are unable to deal with what they consider aberrant student behavior; (6) teachers perceive that they are losing control over what they teach, primarily because of district-wide testing policies although they are in control of how they teach; and (7) teachers have little confidence in supervision, staff development, or central office leadership. Characteristics of good working conditions are identified. Tables illustrate the data. Appendices compare these findings with those of other studies, provide a list of about 100 references, describe the methodology, and compare school effects. (BJV)

This document is the result of an Institute for Educational Leadership conference convened to brief Congressional staff on dropouts, dropout programs, and what information about dropouts merits consideration by policymakers. This report is intended to be a readable account of the dropout problem appropriate for the general public as well as for policymakers. An executive summary outlines the scope of the dropout problem and lists school-based initiatives that address the dropout problem. This report explores the issue of school dropouts and prevention, reviews the research, examines model programs, studies ways schools can develop links with job training programs, and considers other policy matters. Section 1 provides descriptive data about which students are likely to be at risk. Section 2 examines problems in collecting accurate data on dropouts. Section 3 considers the roles played by the student's in-school experience, family conditions, and work/economic factors in the student's decision to drop out. Section 4 discusses major demographic changes that may make the dropout issue a more significant problem in the future. Section 5 examines the connection between schooling and a dropout's decision to leave. Section 6 looks at successful programs in dropout prevention and dropout vocational guidance. Section 7 suggests policy ideas for federal, state, and local agencies, and for higher education. Lists of resource materials and conference speakers are appended. (NB)

This report presents findings of a 1985 national study of the local school board. Information was gathered from case studies in nine major metropolitan areas, questionnaires administered to over 200 school board chairpersons, and literature on board governance. Chapter 1 offers an overview and questionnaire results. Chapter 2 summarizes major findings. The historical role of school boards is discussed in chapter 3. Chapter 4, on the working board, interprets challenges faced in developing operating structures. The board-superintendent relationship is explored in chapter 5. The report probes, in chapter 6, issues confronting boards. Board members' and citizens' satisfactions and dissatisfactions with board service and practices are analyzed in chapter 7. The need for increased attention to board development for individuals and for boards is stressed in chapter 8, along with recommendations. The final chapter presentes 15 indicators of an effective board. Major findings are that citizens support the ideal of local governance of education through school boards, but not necessarily the board of their own community. Despite this approval, the public knows little about boards' functioning. States' increased visibility in education creates further confusion about responsibilities. Difficulties are forecast as student populations diversify and management becomes more complex. Local governance needs informed support from communities. Thirty-nine references are included. (CJH)

Dropouts are defined throughout this document (including in its graphic displays) as: early school leavers, expelled, intermittent learners, leftouts, pushouts, stopouts, suspended, and truants. Sufficient research has been done about school dropouts to begin a comprehensive solution. Schools and other institutions must mobilize the knowledge to devise ways of: (1) identifying at risk youth early in their school career, (2) intervening in their personal lives with a unique array of prevention services through longitudinal case management, (3) using skills-training programs to alleviate the crisis of incompetence which alienates dropouts from the labor market, (4) improving training for educators and social service staff, and (5) establishing a state level monitoring agency. In a rebuttal statement by a member of the publication's advisory board, the report is praised for its sense of urgency and commitment, but two caveats are added: (1) research on the problems of dropouts is not yet adequate regarding the implementation or impact of various programs and policies, and (2) ways to coordinate the proposed services to dropouts and at risk youth are vague and lack the framework needed to create an organized efficient agency at the state level. (VM)

This report provides basic information about some 140 federal programs and tax provisions affecting children and their families. It contains brief descriptions of each program/tax rule, participation and funding information (to the extent available), and table summaries of selected program characteristics, such as how benefits and services are targeted by age, income, and other factors, and administrative arrangements and matching requirements. The programs described include 37 programs or tax rules providing for education and training, 21 programs or rules for health care, 19 programs or rules for housing, 19 programs and rules for income support, 9 programs for nutrition needs, and 34 programs or rules for social services. Slightly more than half the number of programs support education and training and social services, including child care, but the majority of federal funds directed at children and families are concentrated in programs and tax provisions that support family income and basic health care, housing, and nutrition needs. About 30% of the federal initiatives for children and families restrict benefits and services to low-income groups, and another 25% emphasize these groups. Programs described as pertaining to education and training include a wide range of programs, such as bilingual education charter schools, programs for early childhood education, and school-to-work initiatives. Among the tax provisions related to education are welfare-to-work tax credits and the work opportunity credit. (Contains 30 tables.) (SLD)

This report summarizes demographic information about rural populations in the United States and discusses a variety of issues that are relevant to rural youth poverty. Although recent poverty rates for rural areas were higher than urban poverty rates, the media and political forces have almost completely neglected the rural poor. Extensive census reports and statistical data are abstracted in an attempt to characterize rural areas demographically, to differentiate and define these areas, and to draw attention to the poverty of rural youth compared with youth poverty in metropolitan centers. The following areas are considered: (1) population trends; (2) jobs, wages, and unemployment; (3) wealth and poverty distribution; (4) geographic and ethnic distributions; (5) rural youth, the rural "hyper-poor," and migrant children; (6) health issues; and (7) educational issues. The report contrasts rural and metropolitan school size, teacher and administrator responsibilities and benefits, and student performance. A final section discusses the importance of public policy changes focused on comprehensive services and new economic opportunities that may allow rural areas to maintain their current residents and rural children to achieve their potential. Contains 30 references. (RAH)

Despite years of concern about the toxic effects of high lead exposure and recent knowledge about the less apparent effects of exposure to low doses of lead, a total of 3 to 4 million children in the United States are still being exposed to concentrations of lead that could compromise their cognitive and social development. This paper discusses: (1) the long-term consequences of early exposure to lead; (2) prenatal exposure to lead; (3) definitions of a toxic dose of lead; and (4) reasons why little is being done to control lead exposure. In discussing the long-term effects of lead exposure, the report examines behavioral problems that often occur in children with exposures to low levels of lead and that may lead to children's failure in school. Data examined indicate that lead exposure is greater than average in groups in which subnormal intelligence, attention disorders, and behavior problems are found at higher than average rates; and that half of the black children living in poverty have elevated blood lead levels. Steps in a plan to prevent childhood lead poisoning, announced by the Centers for Disease Control in 1991, include an increase in the number of childhood lead poisoning prevention programs, effective abatement of leaded homes, and a national surveillance effort. (SM)

This paper uses data from the 1990 census to investigate changes in demography that are very likely to occur between 1990 and 2010. The paper begins by examining changes that occurred in the United States between 1980 and 1990. Some overall growth rates for various racial and ethnic groups are examined, as well as growth rates for different regions of the United States. Data on how population changes affected congressional representation, prisoners and dropouts, and shifts in families and households also are included. Among the trends likely to occur between 1990 and 2010 is that populations of minority youth increasingly will become concentrated in a small number of states. The next section of the paper examines the implications of these trends for education and jobs. A major issue to be considered is the relationship between the inner-city and the surrounding suburbs and which political and social problems will be addressed and solved. The paper concludes by offering a scenario for the next two decades based on current demographic trends. A 14-item list of the sources used in this report is included, as is an appendix in the form of a table: Total Children Under Age 18 and Minority Youth As a Percent of the Total Youth Population by State, 1990 and Projections for 2000 and 2010. (DB)