More than 20 states have adopted some form of regulation-relief legislation for their public schools. Two major issues confront the movement to deregulate the schools. The first is that there have been surprisingly few takers of regulation waivers; and second, whether, even if current deregulation efforts are successful, the end result is really…

This brief guide to the legal rights of gifted preschool, elementary, and secondary school children, first notes the lack of a federal law to protect the rights of these children in contrast to children with disabilities and the need for advocates for these students to urge adoption of appropriate statutes and regulations at the state and local…

This "ERIC Digest" considers the U.S. charter-school movement, which has produced about 800 schools in half the states and enrolls over 100,000 students. Charter schools reflect founders' varied philosophies and commit to achieve certain educational outcomes within a certain period, in exchange for waiving many restrictive regulations.…

This digest presents a brief review of recent Fourth Amendment decisions that affect the rights of students and the parameters of schools' authority to maintain a crime-free environment. Although Federal decisions apply nationwide and do mark the boundaries of permissible state and local action, state and local laws and regulations must always be…

Couselor credentialing is a way to symbolize professionalism and high standards to the public. Its purpose is to identify counselors who are at least minimally qualified to provide counseling services. This special digest collection on credentialing counselors covers many aspects of legislation, methods, and special concerns about credentialing.…

The major distinctions between evaluation and research are examined, the chief differences being the intent and type of criteria against which judgments are made. Conceptualization of the evaluation process in higher education is discussed on two levels. A collection of nine similes for understanding evaluation is examined in terms of major…