Implementing policy, system, and environmental (PSE) changes has several well-known challenges that have been documented in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education's (SNAP-Ed) comprehensive approach to obesity prevention and reduction. The purpose of the current study was to explore the use of community engagement (CE) as a strategy to…

This report examines community feedback to shed light on the impact technical assistance (TA) has on place-based programs for people in disadvantaged communities. Focusing on how TA can shape practices, expand stakeholder knowledge, and enhance stakeholder networks, it offers guidelines for future TA investments.

Observation tools that measure the quality of children's classroom experiences are a key component of pre-K quality improvement initiatives. However, the information provided by these tools has limitations for improving the quality of instruction for the full range of pre-K program types, even when supported by an instructional coach. This report…

This mixed methods analysis examined provider perspectives on barriers and facilitators to parent training use with Medicaid-enrolled clients. Provider survey data were analyzed using hierarchical linear regression models and thematic analysis was used to analyze follow-up interviews with providers. Qualitative themes were developed inductively…

Background: In 2016, the United States Department of Agriculture issued a final rule to strengthen local wellness policies (LWPs). As school districts pursue compliance, states can provide critical guidance by leveraging support from intermediary programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program--Education (SNAP-Ed). After Arizona…

Do nudge interventions that have generated positive impacts at a local level maintain efficacy when scaled state or nationwide? What specific mechanisms explain the positive impacts of promising smaller-scale nudges? We investigate, through two randomized controlled trials, the impact of a national and state-level campaign to encourage students to…

San Francisco's Mission Promise Neighborhood (MPN) is a federally-funded Promise Neighborhood initiative that supports community-based organizations, schools, and other public agencies to work in defined neighborhoods and build integrated supports for children and youth from cradle to college and career. Since 2013, the Gardner Center has…

In Djibouti, extreme poverty was 41.9% and relative poverty 79.4% according to the poverty profile elaborated by the national statistical office (DISED) in 2012. Malnutrition remains high in Djibouti, and comparable to Sub-Saharan countries, with 29.7% of children under the age of five chronically malnourished, 29.6% underweight, and over 17.8% of…

This paper focuses on a project developed in Texas that utilizes community organizing strategies to advance childhood food security. With a dual focus on organizing policymakers and local communities, The Texas Hunger Initiative provides an example of an organizing project with the goal of ending childhood food insecurity in Texas.

A strong early childhood system that is well funded, fully coordinated, and highly accountable is essential to a state's long-term economic health. Significant research during the past decade has identified short- and long-term benefits to children, families, and communities when young children arrive at school healthy and ready to learn.…

There are millions of youth ages 16 to 24 who are out of school and out of work. They cost the nation billions of dollars every year and over their lifetimes in lost productivity and increased social services. They also represent an opportunity for the nation to tap the talents of millions of potential leaders and productive workers at a time when…

A study compiled the reports of 12 Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services demonstration projects to examine services for individuals with severe disabilities and patterns of emphasis. Results showed a consistently greater emphasis on the program level and a lesser emphasis on other levels, particularly at the community level. The…

Investigates the management perspectives and the reported practices, priorities, and activities of all federally funded adult basic education programs in New York City. The views of the directors of the funded community-based organizations and those of the managers of the local education agency's program are compared. Recommendations for policy…

Sustainability is a critical issue for out-of-school programs. Time-limited grants, narrow categorical funding streams, and difficult economic conditions leave program leaders in a continual struggle to find a stable base of resources to continue their program over time. In the face of these challenges, many out-of-school initiatives have…

At the request of Congressman Charles B. Rangel, the General Accounting Office (GAO) conducted an investigation of federal efforts in drug abuse prevention and education activities, focusing on: (1) how the federal government provides leadership and coordination; (2) the federal agencies involved in drug abuse prevention and education activities;…