Combining Surveys and Case Studies to Examine Standards-Based Education Reform

This paper uses examples from the study of the effects of the Washington education reform to explore how these methods can be used in complementary ways. It presents specific examples of the benefits of using both methods and makes recommendations for more effective integration of case study and survey methods in the future.

Generating Electric Power in the Pacific Northwest: Implications of Alternative Technologies

This report examines the implications of using alternative power-generation technologies to meet future energy demands in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States.

The Effects of the Washington Education Reform on Schools and Classrooms: Initial Findings

Managed Care and the Workers' Compensation Bargain

Summarizes the October 1999 issue of Medical Care. Thie issue reports the results of an evaluation of a workers' compensation managed-care pilot in Washington State.

Toward a K-12 Education Accountability System in Washington State

This report sketches a strong and unique accountability system for Washington State, one that is driven by measurements of student performance and incentives to improve, creates clear lines of responsibility, gives every school a chance to perform and improve, employs powerful incentives, and doesn't stop until every child is in a good school.

Medical Necessity and Defined Coverage Benefits in the Oregon Health Plan

The qualitative study described in this article addressed whether medical necessity remains a salient and useful concept in the Oregon Health Plan.

Defining and Implementing Medical Necessity in Washington State and Oregon

This paper reports on a qualitative study of how health care providers in the states of Washington and Oregon define and implement medical necessity.

Setting Health Care Priorities in Oregon: Cost-Effectiveness Meets the Rule of Rescue

The Oregon Health Services Commission recently completed work on its principal charge: creation of a prioritized list of health care services, ranging from the most important to the least important.

The Oregon Priority-Setting Exercise: Quality of Life and Public Policy

In 1989 the Oregon State legislature passed the Oregon Basic Health Services Act, which created a Health Services Commission charged with developing a priority list of health services. The goal of this legislation was to permit the expansion of Medicaid to 100 percent of all Oregonians living in poverty by covering only services deemed to be of sufficient importance or priority.

Diverting Prisoners to Intensive Probation: Results of an Experiment in Oregon

This Note presents the results of an evaluation of an ISP implemented by Marion County, Oregon, which documents a number of important lessons regarding implementing a prison-diversion ISP.

Comparisons Among Three Diverse Cities: San Jose, California, Seattle, Washington, and St. Louis, Missouri

Description of RAND's comparative urban research program, emphasizing comparisons and problems that emerged in a study of three cities. The intent of the research was to create a framework to guide policy decisions at all levels of government.