The Robert Bowne Foundation (RBF), which published "Afterschool Matters" from 2003 to 2008 and continues to fund the journal and related projects, is closing in December. "Afterschool Matters" sat down with Lena Townsend, executive director, to talk about RBF's legacy and continuing influence on literacy work in afterschool…

In today's world of restrictive school budgets and increasing property taxes, it is an unfortunate reality that many school districts will be faced with a budget crunch crisis that unenlightened school boards may try to solve by cutting or eliminating funds for music. At the crisis stage, it is often only the effective advocacy of an organized…

Guidelines for promoting gifted education programs are offered, including being judicious in promotion efforts, developing support among different role groups, and strengthening support within role groups (e.g., teachers, parents, students, administrators, community leaders, policymakers, and business leaders). A cyclic model of advocacy stages is…

Educators are encouraged to build advocacy for gifted education through the program itself by demonstrating the high quality products of participating students, and through continued commitment to public relations. Factors common to programs that have survived the economic downturn in New England are identified, including sustained advocacy…

This report presents the views of the Advisory Council for Special Education Needs for Queensland, Australia concerning effective education for students with special educational needs in regular schools. Three issue areas are identified: (1) commitment and advocacy; (2) effective management of education; and (3) improved human resource development…

This document describes the 11-year history of the formation of the Arlington County Coalition for Career Education, which was conceived to help achieve the infusion of sequential career education (CE) activities into the K-12 curriculum in Arlington, Virginia. The rationale for forming a coalition, rationale for infusing CE into the…

Twenty-nine recommendations were compiled from ideas generated by participants at the National Conference on Self- Determination, which was called by the United States Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, with over half the participants having disabilities of some kind. The participants came with different perspectives, but…

The report is based on a 1982 conference on the status of independent living programs, community based programs run by disabled persons to provide advocacy and support services to the disabled community. The philosophy of independent living is reviewed and its attributes of community responsiveness, provision of support services and advocacy, and…

The Child and Family Justice Project, designed to help communities improve the quality of life for their children and families, is described in terms of its development, evaluation, and its long range effects. (Author/MP)

This interview with the executive director of the National Association for Gifted Children documents responses to questions about gifted program advocacy, including opposition to differentiated education for gifted students, effective lobbying techniques, and relationships with legislators and the business community. (DB)

Addressed to advocates and decision makers, this agenda identifies state services in Michigan that will be most vital to the state's children and families in fiscal year 1991. Initial contents provide general policy recommendations of the Michigan Coalition for Children and Families. Policy recommendations for the programs of the departments of…

A child development team in a children's services unit of a mental health center should: (1) formulate a broad philosophy of treatment for young child clients; (2) evaluate treatment approaches to determine the extent to which they facilitate or conflict with that philosophy; (3) assess inservice training needs to ensure competency-based service…

This article discusses changes in teacher education, administrative practices, and governmental actions that are needed to make art an integral part of special education. (SJL)

What advocates have done in support of the policies fostered under Title I through its 30-year history must be reconsidered in order to influence policymakers. As advocates, educators must collaborate with their partners in the health and social service communities in pursuit of coherence and congruence of programs. (SLD)

This article argues that providing good gifted and talented education programs is in the nation's economic self-interest and is essential to the United States' future economic competitiveness in the world community. (DB)