New Report Offers Guide To Changes in Title I
A report from the Education Trust, a Washington, D.C.-based organization that advocates K-16 systemic improvement, is designed to help local educators navigate the recent changes in the federal Title I program.
The 29-page report outlines new provisions in the 1994 reauthorization of the compensatory-education program for disadvantaged children. In particular, school districts receiving Title I funds must now establish challenging content standards in mathematics and reading or language arts, along with accompanying assessments. In addition, more schools will be able to use their Title I money for whole-school improvement.
“A New Chance: Making the Most of Title I,” $9.50 each from the Education Trust, 1 Dupont Circle, Suite 360, Washington, D.C. 20036.
College Tuition
As colleges and universities compete to attract and retain the brightest and the best, fewer and fewer students are paying the full tuition price, a survey has found.
The Washington-based National Association of College and University Business Officers tracked tuition at 147 institutions from fall 1990 to fall 1995. The survey measured tuition “discounting,” a figure obtained by dividing the amount of financial aid that an institution provides freshmen by its total freshman tuition revenue. That figure, the study says, rose by more than 28 percent over the five-year period.
At lower-priced small colleges, for instance, the tuition discount went from 24 percent to 33 percent. For large colleges and universities the savings climbed from roughly 21 percent to 27 percent.
The 1995 “Tuition Discounting Executive Study,” $19.95 for NACUBO members, $29.95 for nonmembers, from NACUBO’s publication office at (202) 861-2580. Further information can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.nacubo.org.
Bilingual Education
The Center for Equal Opportunity has released a report chronicling what it calls the failure of bilingual education.
The report from the conservative Washington-based think tank led by Linda Chavez, a critic of bilingual-education programs, includes articles by researchers, sociologists, and parents.
The report is based on a conference on bilingual education that the center held in Washington last September. It includes an index of statistics on limited-English-proficient students, including state and local expenditures on programs designed to serve them.
“The Failure of Bilingual Education,” free with $5 for shipping, from the Center for Equal Opportunity, 815 15th St. N.W., Suite 928, Washington, D.C. 20005.
Evaluating Technology
A report from the American Federation of Teachers questions the educational and financial suitability of some uses of technology being proposed for higher education.
Most of the technological changes being proposed for universities come from commercial interests, administrators, and legislators, not individuals directly involved in the classroom, the union report says. It calls on AFT affiliates at colleges and universities to assert their right to have a say in evaluating new technology.
“Teaming Up With Technology: How Unions Can Harness the Technology Revolution on Campus,” $3 each, from the American Federation of Teachers, 555 New Jersey Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001-2079. When ordering, request item number 608.
Standards and School Reform: The Education Leaders Council has published a guide to creating effective academic standards.
The 137-page report from the council, an affiliate of the nonprofit Center for Education Reform in Washington, lists resources and model standards and describes standards-setting efforts in the states.
“The Standards Primer: A Resource for Accelerating the Pace of Reform,” $9.95 plus $3 shipping and handling, from the Education Leaders Council, 1001 Connecticut Ave. N.W., Suite 204, Washington, D.C. 20036; (800) 521-2118.
Goals 2000
The U.S. Department of Education’s first report to Congress on the Goals 2000: Educate America Act is now available.
The 34-page report includes a brief history of the 1994 law, a description of how states and school districts are using their Goals 2000 money, a look at how the program is helping reshape the department’s technical-assistance effort, and a state-by-state chart of allocations.
“Goals 2000: Increasing Student Initiative Through State and Local Initiatives,” free from the Education Department at (800) USA-LEARN. It is also on the World Wide Web at http://www.ed.gov/G2K/GoalsRpt/.
