Recognizing that knowledge will enable the world's people to cope with worldwide relationships, Alger criticizes the social sciences for inhibiting needed research that would increase awareness of the linkages between human settlements and worldwide phenomena. Presents a progress report on the effort to identify islands of inquiry into the…

The rationale for conducting a community survey to obtain information on a specific problem or issue for local school board policy formation is illustrated in this case study. A survey mailed to 10 percent of all district households in a small midwestern city yielded a 31 percent response rate. Survey analysis was utilized by the school board to…

The Drug Impact Index provides a set of indicators designed to determine the extent of the local drug problem in a community. Each indicator includes a technical note on the data sources, a graph showing comparative statistics on that indicator for the Portland area and for the State of Oregon, and brief remarks on the implications of the data.…

Appropriate for high school students, four units focus on the role, problems, and functions of city government. Designed to be covered in 5 to 6 weeks, the units involve students in interviewing city council members, listing community needs, inviting local officials as guest speakers, and examining problems resulting from the structure, limited…

When local school board members in New York City assumed office on 31 local school boards in 1969, this should have resulted in more responsive local boards with sufficient power to control local policy; but this was not the actual result. Specific examination of the decentralization bill, the politics of the election, and the election procedures…

Identifies the importance of studying those western frontier communities which survived several boom bust cycles. Describes several South Pass Wyoming mining towns and urges that studies such as these be used by teachers to investigate the dynamic forces which shaped their towns and cities. (KO)

Rapid residential growth in rural areas or on the fringes of urban areas brings both costs and benefits. Seven factors determine whether new homes and subdivisions generate more revenues than expenditures. Local governments can substantially influence four of these seven factors in order to reduce the public costs of residential growth. Less…

The St. Louis (Missouri) Regional Child Care Partnership was created in 1990 to improve child care in the St. Louis and Metro East areas, where the quality, availability, and affordability of child care are community-wide problems. The partnership was formed by the Child Day Care Association of St. Louis and the St. Louis branches of the Junior…

Reports on an Arkansas survey that illustrates a technique for analyzing the school-related concerns and perceptions of teachers and community members. Shows how the survey can identify problem areas in the schools and explains how administrators can use the survey to improve school-community relations. (SB)

The phenomenon of negative geography--the assertion that any location is better than the one selected--is discussed and ways in which this approach differs from traditional geography methodology are analyzed. Case studies of two citizens' groups which protested the relocation of a city mission and halfway house in their neighborhoods illustrate…

Existing data bearing on the relationship between residence and concern with environmental quality are rather ambiguous. A careful examination of all known studies of the residence-environmental concern relationship clarifies the existing ambiguity: studies which have focused on environmental problems at the state or national level seldom find a…

The 1977 Assembly focused on community forums, planned events providing an opportunity for broad participation and informed discussion of current issues of concern to local citizens. The background papers and recommendations of the Assembly are included in this report. "Why the Community College Should Be the Institutional Base," by…

Data from 1961, 1971, and 1973 surveys of households and community "knowledgeables" focused on the subjective assesssments of the quality of life (QOL) of residents of Harlan, Perry, Whitley, and Wolfe counties in Eastern Kentucky, and assessed policy implications. Overall, residents assessed their counties favorably. They rated wages…

Concerned with the freedom to teach and learn, this document offers guideline procedures for avoiding censorship disputes and for dealing with controversies which surround these issues. The experience and advice of several superintendents, principals, librarians, teachers, and curriculum workers who have recently been involved in textbook…

Varied reactions within Richmond, California, to efforts to achieve racially balanced schools were analyzed in this article. The authors state their intention was to unravel the complexities of a policy problem in one community--not to pronounce unequivocal judgment on resolutions achieved. (Author/DB)