Recent research on parental involvement has explored connections between parental involvement in school and children's academic achievement. While many schools have active parent organizations and a base of parents who offer additional support, others struggle to make connections with their parents or community members. Even in places with active…

As communities across California commit to developing systems of high school pathways that will engage students in school and prepare them to succeed in postsecondary opportunities and contribute to a vital regional economy, many are realizing the importance of providing "broad-based support" for this work. Students need a choice of…

In this article, the author states his belief that community based learning among adults can be a powerful force for encouraging personal development and for strengthening democracy in this multicultural, globally interdependent, battered world. To do so, however, it needs to pervade all the curricula, degree programs, learning contracts, and…

Citizenship is an important part of the development of young people. By enabling them to learn about their rights and responsibilities, to understand how society works, and develop knowledge and understanding of social and political issues, citizenship prepares them for dealing with the challenges they face in life. Through citizenship, young…

How can physical educators make connections to the larger community? This article discusses how physical educators can better inform community physical-activity leaders and coaches about appropriate instructional practices and how they can inform students about activities available in the community. It also offers suggestions for how to invite the…

The goal of "closing the achievement gap" in education is often proclaimed and is emphasized in the "No Child Left Behind Act." What is meant by the achievement gap and how much progress has been made? A large body of literature examines the causes, conditions, and explanations for the achievement gap. Many educational…

This report, on St. Martin Parish, one of a series for the parishes of Louisiana, has three main objectives: (1) to provide information about schools to parents and the general public, (2) to provide a basis for educational planning, and (3) to increase educational accountability at all levels. It is organized into five sections, each…

Although it has been well established that parental involvement in school is linked to positive outcomes for children, there are a myriad of issues that make it challenging for some African American families to engage school personnel in collaborative problem solving (e.g., Hill & Craft, 2003). Some of the barriers that decrease involvement…

This report briefly summarizes Alaska student financial aid programs and participation levels for 1990-91. The programs described are the following: (1) Alaska Student Loan Program (program summary, loan award amounts, undergraduate loans, graduate loans, foreign study, loan repayments, default); (2) Alaska Family Education Loan Program…

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), a major reform of the ESEA, was passed by Congress and signed into law on January 8, 2002. NCLB redefines the federal role in K-12 education and aims to help close the achievement gap between disadvantaged and minority students and their peers. NCLB is very complex and has many requirements with which…

This report documents the risks that the current level of postsecondary performance poses for U.S. ability to raise educational attainment over the next decade. It examines the nature and extent of postsecondary participation in the United States currently, relates that information to certain social and economic characteristics of the population,…

This publication presents information on how neighborhood residents can be involved in collecting needed information about their community which they can use to guide reform efforts. Researchers interviewed people with experience collecting information at the neighborhood level, other researchers, leaders of community based organizations, and…

"The Achiever" is a monthly newsletter designed expressly for parents and community leaders. Each issue contains news and information about school improvement in the United States. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) $30 Million in Grants Awarded to Help Struggling Readers: Spellings Announces First Round of…

This book traces the progress of the parent movement for drug-free youth, and describes a set of varied approaches to drug problems. Chapter 1 focuses on the actions of the city of Atlanta, Georgia in confronting drug problems and shows how that initial parent activism contained the seeds of the current national movement. Chapter 2 documents the…

Discriminates between "community architecture" and conventional approaches to architecture. Focuses on community architecture as it relates to the participation of users in their environment, the establishment of partnerships between specialists from different fields, and the evolutionary development of people's environmental needs. (TW)