Summer is almost over, and believe it or not, it's time to hit the books once again. On the Internet, journalists can research for educational statistics and trends, talk to teachers to see what's working in the classrooms, or keep up with the latest developments centered around President Clinton's education agenda, all in front of the computer screen.

School enrollment and expenditures at all grade levels are on the rise. The National Center for Education Statistics projects that the total enrollment in public and private elementary and secondary schools will increase to 54.3 million, which represents a 7 percent increase between 1995 and 2007. The number of high school graduates will increase to 3.0 million, a 21 percent increase, and the enrollment in institutions of higher learning will increase to 16.1 million, a 16 percent increase. Wonderful news.

To coincide with increasing enrollments, current expenditures for public elementary and secondary schools are expected to increase 25 percent to reach $314.1 billion, with the number of classroom teachers rising to 3.34 million. Teacher salaries are expected to increase 4 percent for an average yearly salary of $38,270.

Expenditure and enrollment levels are at an unprecedented high. Yet in 1995, the average "grade" that the public would give the schools in their community and the nation at large was a 1.97, less than a C. The general public sited lack of discipline as the item most frequently stated as a major problem in the schools, followed closely by lack of financial support. With a projected enrollment for fall of 1997 of close to 67 million students, and total expenditures projected at well over $500 billion, the public's sentiment is rather alarming, to say the least.

These statistics and more are available through the National Center for Education Statistics, a division of the U.S. Department of Education. You can view or download NCES publications at the site, locate an expert at NCES by topic, survey, or service, or view a summary of the health of U.S. education. The site features statistical data on family structure, jobs, education, and other elements that comprise the world of young people. Compare the condition of education in the U.S. to that of other industrialized countries. Summaries on teacher working conditions, minorities in higher education, and educational progress for Blacks, Hispanics, and women are also included.

The U.S. Department of Education's extensive site features updates on current legislation and budget proposals affecting education. The site contains announcements of new funding opportunities, a Teacher's Guide to the Department of Education, and a listing of who's who at the Department.

Learn of the programs highlighted by the Department, such as the America Reads Challenge, America Goes Back to School, Flexibility and Waivers, and the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

The Department of Education's site also contains articles such as "Estimating the Costs of an Educational Voucher System" and "Teachers' Use of Various Instructional Methods" , which discusses which teaching methods are most effective.

For conducting research for educational data, Education World, a search engine with a massive database of over 50,000 sites, is the place to start. You can even pinpoint your search to specific categories, such as Employment Listings, State Resources, and The Experts Say.

Education World is much more than a search engine though. It also features articles and categories geared toward educators and administrators. For example, you can learn of the FCC's ruling on May 7, 1997, to approve discounted telecommunications rates for schools and libraries. Or, you can read an article entitled, "Saving Grace," which discusses handling ADD in the classroom. The site provides articles broken down by age group as well. Learn about successful magnet schools or general resources for Montessori schools broken down by state.

At Education World, teachers can learn of training opportunities for professional growth and development as well as financial training for unique needs. The site includes a lesson plan section divided by discipline and a curriculum guidance category. Issues and resources for administrators, and even reviews of the best educational books, are also included.

After President Clinton's State of the Union Address on February 4, 1997, education in this country has been thrust to the forefront of citizen awareness. The President stated, "Now, looking ahead, the greatest step of all--the high threshold of the future we now must cross--and my number one priority for the next four years is to ensure that all Americans have the best education in the world." The full text of the President's Address can be found at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/WH/SOU97/.

The President's aggressive Call to Action for American Education is currently being met with opposition, however. Politics Watch provides an overview of each of the President's ten principles in his Call to Action plan. Keep watching this site, where updates will be posted as the issues progress from ideals to the actual plans established in the schools.

The President's first principal is a national crusade for educational standards, which represent what all students must know in order to succeed in the 21st century. Developing Educational Standards offers information about educational standards and curriculum frameworks from national, state, local, and other sources.

To help schools meet the standards and measure their progress, Clinton proposes to develop national tests of student achievement in reading and math. The national testing proposal is proving to be a major challenge, however. Some state leaders want to see the tests developed first, while other leaders are worried that the idea could lead to excessive federal involvement in the schools. States are questioning whether the tests will be worth the trouble or money.

The Voluntary National Tests site discusses the annual reading test in English at grade 4 and the math test at grade 8 as proposed by the President.

If schools are to achieve the desired goal of success, they must hold high expectations for all students, especially the growing segment of at-risk students. At the Pathways to School Improvement, the critical issues in assessment are outlined, as well as how to use technology to provide effective schooling for at-risk students.

The Trends in Education Reform site outlines the major issues in school reform in hopes of better understanding the connection between technology and educational change. These issues include school choice, peer competition, and a better understanding of the learning process.

A popular, yet controversial, school reform strategy, and the President's fifth principal in his Call to Action, is that every state should give parents the power to choose the right public school for their children. The Use of School Choice website discusses this idea.

Inclusion classrooms are another popular school strategy. The Rural Inclusion site addresses the challenges and benefits of inclusive education.

Technology and how it affects learning is a hot issue today. A site that emphasizes the immense potential available through the Internet of teachers working together for the benefit of education is The Global Campus. The project's goal is to share over the Internet outstanding educational materials such as images, sounds, text, and video to be used for nonprofit, educational purposes.

Another site that highlights the benefits of computer technology is Homework Help. Students having trouble with homework or needing assistance with a school project can post a note in the discussion forum and receive help from certified volunteer teachers.

For high school students trying to decide on a college, CollegeView College Search is an excellent place to start. The site profiles over 3500 colleges and universities, provides financial aid information, features virtual tours of campuses, and allows you to download electronic applications and submit them over the Internet.

Briefly in closing, three additional sites worth a visit are:

EROnline Educational Resources, a well-rounded site with a comprehensive listing of educational websites;

Study WEB, a wonderful site for students and educators to conduct research; and,

Education Week on the Web, an online newspaper on American education.

Robin Nobles is a freelance writer who can be reached at robinnobles@robinsnest.com.

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