Direct certification has been described by policymakers and academics as a tool which may replace National School Lunch Program (NSLP) eligibility data (Douglas Geverdt, National Center for Education Statistics, personal communication, August 28, 2023). It suggests a policy future in which we change the metric of how we identify disadvantage. On…

Promoting the Readiness of Minors in Supplemental Security Income (PROMISE), a study of 13,444 randomly assigned youth and their families, includes six model demonstration projects and a technical assistance center funded through the U.S. Department of Education and a national evaluation of the model demonstration projects funded through the…

Approximately 1.3 million K-12 public school students across the United States were identified as experiencing homelessness in 2019-20. In all cases, the stress, instability, trauma, and school mobility created by homelessness increase risks to physical, social, and emotional health and to educational engagement and achievement. Districts play an…

America is ramping up efforts to improve outcomes for students experiencing homelessness. In addition to increased awareness of the problem, groundbreaking legislation and policies at all levels, public and private support organizations, local communities, and states are undertaking a variety of efforts to boost outcomes for some of the country's…

Child- and family-serving programs in community-based settings wield tremendous power for improving the lives of infants and toddlers. In this article, three authors, from Ohio, Montana, and Sierra Leone, describe the principles of adaptive leadership and will share their real-world applications. Their stories explore critical questions for…

An increased level of collaboration is often a specific requirement for groups and agencies involved in complementary grant program activities. This ensures that programs with a common funding source are as efficient and effective as possible in areas where their missions converge. In this report, the authors highlight collaborative activities…

There is growing unease about suspension and expulsion of children at the preschool level. Preschoolers are expelled at three times the rate of K-12 students (Gilliam, 2005). Boys--particularly African-American boys--comprise a disproportionate number of these cases, a fact that has caused concern among parents, policymakers, and advocates alike.…

EDUFAIM (Educating Families to Achieve Independence in Montana) was designed to integrate state efforts to help welfare recipients attain self-sufficiency through education in nutrition, health, family development, resource management, and housing. Evaluation of 34 participants showed changes in locus of control, depression, anxiety, knowledge,…

A study was conducted to determine if the pre-center incomes/salaries could predict the post-center salaries of participants in the Mountain-Plains program, a residential, family-based education program developed to improve the economic potential and lifestyle of selected student families in a six-state area. By using the reported family income…

This guide to the 1994 summer reading program in Montana provides information and techniques for developing and implementing a summer reading program at public libraries. The first section concentrates on planning and promoting programs, specifying elements of planning, promotion, and program evaluation. "Decorating the Library" contains…

This "special focus" journal issue consists of 13 individual articles on the theme of rural family programs relating to school, health services, church, and other institutions. It includes: (1) "Towards a Rural Family Policy" (Judith K. Chynoweth and Michael D. Campbell); (2) "Montana: Council for Families Collaborates for…

Regression analysis was employed to determine if there were any similarities between the tests administered to participants of the Mountain-Plains program, a residential, family-based education program developed to improve the economic potential and lifestyle of selected student families in a six-state area. The study compared the Wide Range…

This report presents a research-based framework for identifying high-quality early childhood centers. Quality in a school-based early childhood center is identified by: (1) classroom parameters, including curriculum and adult-child interaction; (2) client parameters, relating to children, families, and communities; and (3) school structure…

This manual is a guide from the Montana State Library for libraries interested in setting up a family reading program with a multicultural theme. The purpose of a family reading program is to encourage reading and foster an enjoyment of reading among children and families. This manual contains an introduction which gives planning information,…

Conducted to determine which, if any, variables tend to indicate potential success (operationally defined as completing the training program), an analysis examined pre-center characteristics and demographic variables of participants and attempted to apply that data to success in negotiating the Mountain Plains program, a residential, family-based…