Improving rates of honors program completion is a goal of virtually all honors directors and deans, and research can help identify and evaluate promising strategies. A number of recent empirical studies have investigated predictors of program completion, including students' admission credentials and honors program features. Though specific…

In this report, the Rennie Center for Education Policy & Research focuses on Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs) as a key tool that districts and schools can use to prepare students for college and career success, as well as the costs districts incur to implement ILPs. In Massachusetts some public school districts have utilized ILPs to pursue…

As numerous studies from 1906 on have confirmed, children lose ground in learning if they lack opportunities for building skills over the summer. Nonetheless, summer learning loss comes up but rarely in the national discussion of education reform. By the end of summer, students perform on average one month behind where they left off in the spring.…

Recent advances in technology are transforming our lives, but in many cases they are also limiting the way children are exposed to local communities and physical spaces. Technology can help young people actively connect with their neighborhoods, but doing that requires different methods and tools from the ones typically available in schools,…

Making Connections was the Annie E. Casey Foundation's signature place-based, community-change initiative of the 2000s. It sought to build on previous work and launch an effort focused firmly on the framework of family strengthening. The Foundation started Making Connections in 22 places, focusing eventually on first 10, then seven sites. It…

This module provides a set of quantitative snapshots of the Community Science Workshops (CSWs) to complement the other reports that comprise the CSW Evaluation Portfolio--the Description of CSWs, the Benefits to Youth, and the Evaluation Brief modules--and to build a solid representation of the scope and scale of the CSW's work and…

This paper takes a descriptive look at Community Science Workshops (CSWs). This paper discusses what CSW is, how it arose and spread, how local CSWs are structured and led, and what programs and experiences they offer to youth. (Contains 2 footnotes.)

When youngsters in a Massachusetts Upward Bound program became disciplinary problems instead of learners, it appeared that the program more than the youngsters needed correcting. (Editor)

The guide is designed to help states and localities create or strengthen their own youth councils. It is a synthesis of theory and practice that provides a general framework for thinking about youth councils, explaining the principles for youth action and the importance of youth engagement. It also incorporates advice and lessons from people in…

This brief paper describes the "Brookline After School Special:" a program created to meet the after-school needs of older elementary school-age children throughout the city of Brookline, Massachusetts. The rationale for the program, a discussion of aspects considered in implementing the program, and reflections on the first year of…

Father involvement enhances children's well-being. A growing body of research supports this conclusion, showing that children with involved fathers exhibit greater school readiness, increased cognitive development, higher levels of empathy, and other positive characteristics (Administration for Children and Families 2004a). Research also indicates…

The guidelines outlined in this pamphlet were developed in cooperation with members of local parent advisory councils and school officials. The guidelines describe the rationale for parental involvement, the specific steps to be taken in organizing parent advisory councils, and the roles and responsibilities of these councils. (CLK)

THIS INSTITUTE, SPONSORED BY THE UNITED COMMUNITY SERVICES OF METROPOLITAN BOSTON, THE MASSACHUSETTS COMMISSION ON AGING, AND THE BOSTON UNIVERSITY COUNCIL OF GERONTOLOGY, FOCUSED ON RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING OF TRAINERS WHO COULD BE AVAILABLE TO AGENCIES AND INSTITUTIONS FOR TRAINING PERSONNEL WORKING WITH THE AGING. ONE CONFERENCE PAPER DISCUSSED…

The Rainbow Connection Society at a community elementary magnet school in Lynn (Massachusetts) attempts to establish a schoolwide version of the best aspects of U.S. society in a school setting. A "microsociety" theme forms the hub of six educational strands and all facets of school programming. (SLD)

A report is given of a conference which recommended changes in the manner in which new teachers are inducted into the schools in Massachusetts. The focus of the conference was on mentoring programs. The basic philosophy of the conferees was that an effective mentoring program must be a communal enterprise, drawing upon and fostering a collegiality…