Decision makers, policy makers, and influential special interest groups typically view many appropriations for programs that will help the poor, the handicapped, social deviants, etc. as mere expenditures and not as investment which produce substantial results. This paper sets forth several cases which illustrate that people can be an attractive…

The purpose of this high school consumer education course is to make the student sware of his place in the economic system. This is achieved through the attainment of certain goals: 1) an understanding of the American economic system; 2) the function of money and banking; 3) a consideration of various types of insurance; 4) an identification of…

This study examined the relationship between income and saving patterns in rural Puerto Rico. It was hypothesized that social and psychological variables are related to saving habits of families. The level of living as measured by a scale based on possessions was found to be significantly (.33) associated with the saving patterns of the family.…

According to U.S. Census statistics, for every step up in educational attainment, there is an increase in average income. The mean income for those with an associate's degree, $21,116 per year, is five percent more than a person with some college, and 40% more ($6,050), than a person with only a high school diploma or equivalent. The basic cost of…

This report examines decisions regarding investments in K-12 technology. The first section presents an overview of technology in K-12 public schools, including a sampling of how technology is being used to further education goals for teachers, students, and administrators. The second section establishes a set of figures that indicate the current…

This document discusses findings from the Paths on Life's Way project which began in 1989 with a sample of the British Columbia high school graduating class of 1988. By 1998, 1,055 individuals from all parts of the province remained in the study. Analyses of participation patterns indicated that only a few students had not attended some type of…

This report presents the results of a 1998 study of endowment assets of 509 higher education institutions, and is intended to allow administrators and trustees to evaluate the performance of their endowments and to acquaint them with the investment policies and practices of other higher education institutions. A brief abstract notes some…

Student aid--how many dollars should be provided and where the dollars will come from, what role the institution should play, and how the institution will be affected by federal cutbacks--is discussed. The Illinois Higher Education Loan Authority, a student loan program, is described. (MLW)

The rate of return on investments in higher education, defined as a measure of productivity that relates the costs of resources expended in instruction to the value of benefits produced, is discussed and computed for several student populations. The concepts of "overeducation" and "underemployment" are also discussed. (SF)

Discussion of investment of planned gifts to colleges and universities identifies three common administrative problems (inappropriate investment strategies, tracking of performance, no performance comparisons), three factors focusing greater attention on planned gifts (fiduciary responsibilities, rapid growth in planned giving, donor…

Explains economists' general approach to family behavior and describes how that framework is useful for thinking about families and children. Outlines how economists model parental investment in children. Examines the implications of approach for developmental science. Illustrates this approach using the example of the involvement of children and…

Analyzes household and school survey data from poor counties in six Chinese provinces to examine the effects of poverty, intra-household decision-making, and school quality on educational investments and learning outcomes. Finds, for example, that being poor and credit-constrained does not significantly affect learning in school (as measured by…

To sustain economic growth, the United States needs investment in university research, sensible national fiscal policies, vigorous exploitation by industry of the science available, and an investment in teaching. An improved and enlarged teacher trainee pool, sustained support, and foreign languages and international studies will be crucial…

Examines the historical context of the current Latin American educational crisis from the colonial era to the 1980s, comparing it to the educational investment undertaken by the Republic of Korea in a similar crisis. Calls for reform in state institutions, including a commitment to education, change in the economic model, and recognition of global…

Provides an overview of the current and future educational technology marketplace, which is considered a fertile area for financial investment. Growth factors, the emerging mainstream role of technology, and the K-12, home education, and adult education market segments are described. Current and future levels of spending for educational technology…