The commentaries in this special issue as well as the articles they address contribute to the knowledge base about advanced learners, how they are identified, and how they are best served. In our Editors' commentary, we have organized our thoughts following the same order in which the commentaries appear in the remainder of this issue. As the…

In the past decade, the federal government, some states, and numerous communities have initiated programs to help couples form and sustain healthy marriages and relationships in order to increase family stability for children. Thus, the authors value the attention given to this emerging policy area by the "American Psychologist" in a recent…

Evaluating extension programs by the human capital approach involves observing changes in clients' output, input costs, time savings, and economic well-being. (SK)

In this short essay, Douglas J. Besharov argues that Congress should mandate an honest assessment of Head Start's strengths and weaknesses to enable the program to more effectively enhance early childhood education. He discusses evidence of Head Start's limited effectiveness and proposes that it begin operating based on research.

This report is one of a series of papers presented to encourage discussion on the evaluation of important development issues. The recent emphasis within the Agency for International Development (AID) on knowing the impacts of development assistance, particularly the benefit incidence of projects and programs, makes it important to look at the…

Argues that shortcomings in program implementation and evaluation contributed to failure to demonstrate effectiveness of the Comprehensive Child Development Program (CCDP). Articulates lessons from the CCDP, including addressing roles of demonstration projects and their evaluations, problems in evaluation early in program implementation, the…

Responds to Gilliam et al.'s critique of evaluation of the Comprehensive Child Development Program (CCDP). Restates the policy implications of the study and comments on the design of the intervention and the evaluation. Concludes with remarks on how evaluation and research should be used to help low-income families. (Author/KB)

Demonstrates typical concerns and problems associated with administering and maintaining a rural community Head Start center as exemplified by the Carbon County Child Development Program in Rawlins, Wyoming. Emphasizes the poverty of families served, lack of federal financial support, enrollment trends, and educational benefits of the Head Start…

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLBA) requires districts with schools receiving Title I funds that have not met state performance goals for 3 consecutive years to offer low-income students enrolled in these schools supplemental educational services (SES), such as tutoring. This testimony discusses early implementation of SES, including: (1) how SES…

This paper summarizes findings of a survey of 157 Ronald E. McNair (DOE) research internship programs, which prepare first-generation, low-income, and under-represented minority students for entrance into and successful completion of graduate school programs. The hypothesis for the study was that more rigorous research experience was more likely…

The Chapter 1 program of the Educational Consolidation and Improvement Act would be made more efficient and effective by implementing the following recommendations: (1) improve the targeting of funds; (2) let good educational practice rather than accounting practice shape Chapter 1 programs; (3) establish systems of output accountability for…

This Digest is a summary of the principal policy implications from Medical Education Financing: Policy Analyses and Options for the 1980s, comprehensive policy analyses of options for financing both undergraduate and graduate medical education. Five general classes of options are evaluated: (1) reimbursement reforms, (2) loan programs, (3)…

Discusses four trends in family life which are particularly affecting Head Start and other programs serving low-income families (1) feminization of poverty, (2) teenage parenting, (3) increasing number of employed mothers, and (4) increasing challenges to attaining economic self-sufficiency. Explores the implications of these trends for Head Start…