The guidelines discuss ways to organize effective Community Advisory Committees (CACs) as required by California special education legislation. The CAC, it is explained, is composed of parents, handicapped pupils or adults, professionals, and interested citizens. Six functions are outlined, and potential effects on the district and the…

For almost 20 years, from 1917 to the 1930s, the traveling Chautauqua circuits and festivals brought education, inspiration, and entertainment to remote and not-so-remote communities. Now in the 1980s, emphasis is once more being placed on the value of local community life, on self-reliance and mutual help with respect to the social, cultural, and…

New voluntary agencies have grown out of the social changes of the 1960s. These grass-roots organizations, such as coffee houses, legal aid societies, and community counseling centers, differ in program style and attitude from traditional social agencies and may be more effective with alienated and cynical young people. (SJL)

Asset mapping is an effective tool for understanding the wealth of talent and resources that exists in each community--even those with small populations or suffering from poverty and economic distress. The long-term development of a community rests on its ability to uncover and build on the strengths and assets of its people, institutions, and…

This directory consists of profiles of more than 500 companies and organizations which responded to a West Virginia Education Fund survey during the summer of 1990. The purposes of the directory are: (1) to provide a reference that helps educators locate resources from business, industry and community groups; (2) to initiate and facilitate…

This publication describes what approximately 100 groups around the country are doing with regard to food, housing, energy, and health to beat inflation on the neighborhood level. The book is intended as a resource for citizens wishing to take the kind of consumer action that will save them and their neighbors money. Some of the programs featured…

This guide is designed to upgrade and/or develop the assessment and negotiation skills of management personnel who are involved in developing and coordinating resources among community agencies to provide comprehensive services for individuals with alcohol problems. This training program addresses the following topics: (1) community assessment;…

Community health fairs usually focus on adult health issues and seldom on child and family health or the link between health and education. This guide's purpose is to assist communities in developing child and family-focused health fairs. The guide is divided into two major sections: pre-planning and planning. The pre-planning section covers steps…

This guide is designed as an outline of the means to broaden the context of education within a community and to serve its needs through community involvement in educational program planning. Part 1 is a discussion of the need and means for community collaboration, including maximizing use of existing educational facilities and community resources…

This "Civic Index" is intended to help communities evaluate and improve their civic infrastructures, as well as look at the issues and find approaches to dealing with them. The 10 components of the Civic Index serve as a description of the types of skills and processes that must be present for a community to deal effectively with its unique…

Using the school-community council as a vehicle, this manual leads school staffs, parents, community representatives, and school council members step-by-step through suggested tasks to strengthen schools and to help restore confidence in the public school system. Chapter 1, "Schools and Communities Working Together: A Rationale," defines…