This overview introduces "Right from the Start: An Institutional Perspective on Developmental Education Reform," a series of three practitioner briefs on developmental education. Created by Achieving the Dream and MDC, the briefs spotlight successful reform efforts in developmental education at seven Achieving the Dream colleges. [The…

For the past decade, MDRC has evaluated a number of interventions designed to improve the outcomes of community college students, including enhanced counseling, learning communities, and financial incentives. Encouragingly, many of these strategies have produced positive effects, affirming that changes in institutional practices and policies can…

For the past decade, MDRC has evaluated a number of interventions designed to improve the outcomes of community college students, including enhanced counseling, learning communities, and financial incentives. Encouragingly, many of these strategies have produced positive effects, affirming that changes in institutional practices and policies can…

Three community colleges--El Paso Community College, Bunker Hill Community College, and Patrick Henry Community College--incorporated technology into the curriculum to support student progress in mathematics through developmental education. Each college took its own path: El Paso developed a self-accelerated emporium-style computer lab, Patrick…

This brief summarizes efforts to reform developmental education at Zane State College and the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC). Focused on accelerating student success and progress, the two schools pursued distinctive approaches to reform that aligned with their institutional missions and student populations. Recognizing that the…

Discusses objections opponents of public sponsorship of preschool education might have and points out consequences of failure to apply research findings concerning brain growth periodization. (RH)

The "Ready-Set-ABE" project was initiated to address the special needs of students entering adult basic education (ABE) programs directly from literacy training or others at a low level of ABE performance. The program was designed to provide these students with the tutoring they need to function successfully in mainstream ABE classes by…

Identified are four requirements of successful management of college real estate, such as commitment to total resource management and an entrepreneurial spirit, and three problems--taxes, communication, and administrative conflict. (DB)

This paper reports on the planning of a pilot developmental kindergarten program for a school district that traditionally emphasized an academic kindergarten program. Background information is presented which explains the reasons for initiating the change. Steps taken to plan the program are explained, and a list of possible impediments to…

This booklet notes that adolescents and young adults are a primary risk group for contracting Acquired Immune Defficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and asserts that public schools must assume a key role in giving students the information they need to avoid contracting AIDS. It recommends that teaching about AIDS take place within the context of a…

This developmental counseling program handbook was created to provide a model which could be followed by a new counselor in developing an elementary guidance program or adapted by an experienced counselor to be used in an existing program. It describes a sequential counseling curriculum for kindergarten through grade six (K-6), and includes brief…

This annotated bibliography focuses on two important aspects of the fund-seeking process: locating agencies whose interests and goals are similar to those of the proposed project, and preparing a written proposal which is tailored to meet the particular funding requirements of the chosen funding agency. The 33-citation first section emphasizes…

Classroom activities focusing on sex equity issues which help students and educators overcome limiting stereotypes, bias, and even discrimination based on gender are described in this document. The activities are arranged by these educational levels: elementary/primary; elementary/intermediate; middle/junior high; and high school. Within each…

The Children's Developmental Play Program at Jacksonville State University (Alabama) encourages fine and gross motor skills in developmentally disabled children while simultaneously improving self-concept and optimizing risk taking behaviors. (SB)

Presents an annotated bibliography of books, articles, and other commercially produced materials dealing with life-skills training. Gazda's developmental modalities provide the framework for these sources, many of which are relevant for group usage. (JAC)