The Supreme Court recently decided that Title IX covers employment practices in schools and colleges; however, portions of the Court's decision (whether Title IX provides "institutionwide" or "program-specific" coverage) raise serious questions about the future of Title IX as a force for sex equity in education. (Author/MLF)

The Metropolitan Youth Education Center in Denver (Colorado) offers flexible scheduling, small classes, and a broad range of courses to help high school dropouts earn diplomas. (MLF)

Describes the development of a graduate interdisciplinary course aimed at helping students learn enough about legal problems in higher education to become alert to potential legal problems and to refer them to counsel. (Author)

The degree of involvement of 46 graduate students in sponsored research projects was investigated. The projects were administered by three social science and three natural science departments at the College Park campus of the University of Maryland. (MLF)

Summarizes responses from directors of early childhood education in all 50 states to a survey asking for information about their kindergarten and prekindergartern programs and about future prospects for expanding early childhood education. (Author/MLF)

A study of 158 students reveals that the learning-disabled students perceive their locus of control to be significantly more external than do their non-disabled counterparts. (Author/MLF)

Findings from a study of 633 students indicate that children from intact families are significantly better off in their personal and familial adjustment than are children whose fathers have died, who, in turn, are significantly better adjusted than are children from divorced families. (Author/MLF)

A study of the statistics on enrollment trends, popular attitudes, school effectiveness, standardized test scores, and educational reforms convinces the author that the American educational system is strong, effective, and beginning to gain the popular support it deserves. (PGD)

Argues that, as an exquisitely designed pattern detector, the human brain can most effectively acquire reading skill through exposure to varied texts, and that teaching isolated "reading skills" may only serve to improve scores on skill tests. Contrasts the theoretical bases underlying these two approaches to reading instruction. (PGD)

Notes how several long-accepted methods of teaching writing actually retard or prevent development of competence in writing and suggests alternative methods. Student energies should be focused on communicating ideas rather than on displaying formal perfection. (PGD)

Too many approaches to mathematics instruction at the elementary level focus only on the production of correct answers rather than on the development of mathematical thinking skills. Author urges encouragement of children's own thought processes. (Author/PGD)

Reviews the impact on education of the first year's application of Massachusetts' Proposition 2-1/2, examines local factors linked to retrenchment policies, and considers the law's distributive impact among variously sized population centers. Analyzes projections of the law's second-year urban impact and its implications for educational equity in…

A study of Massachusetts teacher contracts and interviews with educators in four districts indicated several factors that can affect the impact of applying seniority agreements when laying off teachers. These factors include the size of the layoff unit, bumping rights, prerequisites for teaching in a second field, and reassignment prerogatives.…

California's Round Valley School District has instituted a merit pay program that calls for teacher initiative and cooperation, school board involvement, a limited evaluative role for principals, confidentiality of awards, substantial financial incentives, and open debate over the program's features. (PGD)

Describes the implementation and evaluation of a program rewarding good teaching in the Catalina Foothills School District in Tucson (Arizona). Based on motivation-hygiene theory, which claims that money is not a motivator, the program funds teacher attendance at conferences and purchases of instructional equipment rather than teacher pay…