This handbook, in English and Spanish, is designed for educators who want to develop meaningful parent and community involvement in public education in culturally and linguistically diverse communities. The advice of leaders of Hispanic, African American, Native American, and Asian communities is incorporated into five strategies to help develop…

This article discusses student-led conferences. Student-led conferences can be organized in many ways; most involve students following an outline or a script to share work with their parents. Although this is a seemingly simple process to follow, student-led conferences require considerable planning and organization. The benefits, however, are…

Guidelines are provided for parents, teachers, and administrators interested in implementing a volunteer program in classrooms or in an entire school system. This guide is divided into seven sections that deal with: (1) benefits derived from participation in a parent involvement program; (2) 10 points to consider in beginning a volunteer program;…

Notes on planning for successful parent and family weekend programs at colleges and universities include discussion of the event's purpose, scheduling, use of a planning committee, funding, effective promotion, attention to program detail, tailoring programs to subgroups and target populations, event ideas, and family involvement in other campus…

This planning guide begins with a working definition of "magnet school" and then gives short descriptions of six sample types of elementary level magnet programs: a fundamental or academic prep school, a Montessori school, a music academy, an earth science school or environmental center, a bilingual-multicultural magnet, and a fine arts academy.…

Alberta Education has prepared this school handbook to help teachers and administrators select age-appropriate activities that can be done almost anytime and anywhere. The Daily Physical Activity (DPA) school handbook is designed to provide information, ideas and inspiration for developing a successful DPA plan. The handbook is divided into four…

The report and an accompanying executive summary of a statewide needs assessment on young handicapped children in Iowa examine services available, effectiveness of services, and needed changes. The introduction provides an overview of State Planning Grants, Iowa's history of early childhood special education, and this project's approach to…

The resource manual is intended to help Florida school districts provide services to gifted students. Rules and regulations are cited along with recommended procedures for the following program areas: definitions, eligibility criteria, screening, referral, evaluation, determinaton of eligibility and placement, provision of an educational plan,…

The manual outlines Michigan's procedures in providing special education services to students with emotional impairments. The first section depicts the special education process, beginning with pre-referral intervention strategies and referral and proceeding to evaluation, the individualized educational planning committee (IEPC) meeting, delivery…

The position paper of the New York State School Boards Association covers concerns of identification of the gifted and talented, program development, program evaluation, teacher qualifications, community and parental involvement, and legislation. Twenty-one recommendations are made and include the following: The definition of giftedness should be…

This sourcebook, which builds on a 1993 publication, "The Prevention of Youth Violence: A Framework for Community Action," offers insight into best practices to prevent violence by children and adolescents. It was developed with input from people working to prevent youth violence and people whose positions made them likely to play a role…

The Spanish-language version of this best practices sourcebook builds on a 1993 publication, "The Prevention of Youth Violence: A Framework for Community Action." It offers insight into tested strategies to prevent violence by children and adolescents. It was developed with input from people working to prevent youth violence and people…

College alumni associations are using a variety of approaches to improve alumni participation. Surveying alumni for needs and preferences can be fruitful. Program ideas include career planning, parent programs, community service, student relations activities, and high school recruitment. Qualitative and quantitative evaluation is crucial to…

On October 20, 1994, President Clinton signed into law the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994. This statute contains amendments to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, including the reauthorization of Chapter 1, as the newly entitled Title I. The reauthorized Title I drastically restructures the direction of former remedial…

The guide is designed to help elementary school administrators and school communities in making decisions about FLES (foreign language in the elementary school) program design and implementation. An introductory chapter provides definitions of relevant program types (FLES, exploratory/FLEX, and immersion). The second chapter reviews the current…