Summary of State Compensatory Education Programs.

The summary descriptions of state programs in compensatory education (SCE) contained in this report update information presented in the 1981 Bay Area Research Group (BARG) report. A more restrictive definition of compensatory education is used in this current report, whereby only programs in which a specific target population is named and in which district discretion in spending state funds is restricted qualified for inclusion. An appropriate State Department of Education official from each of the 23 states BARG included as having an SCE program was interviewed to determine any changes since the prior year's report, and data was also collected from 10 more states for a total of 33 contacted. Based on the tighter definition, it was determined that as of the 1984-85 school year, 16 SCE programs existed nationwide. Interviews and reviews of statistical information were conducted in the following categories: (1) State funds (1983-1986); (2) Funding approach/basis for allocation; (3) students served; (4) targeting provisions; (5) monitoring; and (6) other special provisions. It was found that there has been a modest increase in states' efforts to support special instructional programs for disadvantaged children. Statistical and descriptive data are presented in tables. (VM)