Middle schools embrace exploration as a guiding principle across the school curriculum. Noting that the research on exploratory courses is sparse, this digest discusses what is known about exploratory curriculum in middle schools. The digest first looks at the role of exploratory curriculum, pointing out that the purpose of exploratory courses is…

Faculty development programs encompass a wide range of activities and allow community college faculty to improve instructional material and delivery and keep the spark of creativity and enthusiasm alive under pressures from decreasing budgets and heavier workloads. A recent program at Borough of Manhattan Community College focused on student needs…

There are an estimated 30 million people in the United States with native languages other than English. Within this group are a number of limited-English-proficient individuals. Whether seeking a first American job or better employment, this group encounters a job market that is changing drastically in the number of jobs it can offer to…

Urban areas are the sites of many smoking prevention strategies targeting special populations. This digest provides an overview of these initiatives. Adolescents smoke for the same reasons that they use alcohol and other drugs. Personal factors that contribute to risk are enhanced by tobacco company advertising that makes smoking seem attractive.…

Noting that research has shown that the more extensive the parent involvement, the higher the student achievement, this Digest discusses standards for parent/family involvement and describes online resources that can help parents and educators attain those standards. It discusses existing national standards for family involvement programs and…

Although instructional leadership is acknowledged to be a critical skill in educational administration, few principals and superintendents have had in-depth training for that role, especially in a standards-based environment. Current definitions of instructional leadership include much deeper involvement in the "core technology" of…

Adult education programs must increasingly serve non-native speakers of English, many of whom are neither literate in their native language nor in English. It is suggested that first language literacy promotes second language acquisition and that literacy skills in the native language are likely to transfer to the second language. This digest…

Multicultural education, anti-racist education, and conflict resolution are curriculum-based approaches to reducing racial conflict. Since the 1930s, attempts have been made to develop curricula to change negative racial attitudes and encourage appreciation for people of all races. In the 1980s, multicultural education has focused on the unique…

Due in part to the 1989 passage of the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act Amendments, new programs designed to educate college administrators, faculty, and students about alcohol and other drug abuse have taken new directions and dimensions, involving both campuses and local communities in the process. The higher education community has…

Schools and school districts across the United States are establishing and expanding foreign language programs. Although most programs are found at the secondary school level, an increasing number are being established in elementary schools. A survey by the Center for Applied Linguistics indicates that 31% of U.S. elementary schools are offering…

This digest describes the implementation of a successful district-wide elementary school foreign language (FLES) program that resulted from the superintendent's vision to have all students in the district study a common foreign language throughout their schooling. This vision was based on the superintendent's belief that American secondary school…

Although the benefits of articulation between secondary and postsecondary vocational programs are clear, progress in articulation between proprietary schools and secondary and/or postsecondary programs has been slow. The fundamental barrier to articulation between proprietary schools and postsecondary vocational education programs is faculty…

This brief report summarizes a monograph of the same title. Evidence of increasing interest in high school-college partnerships is presented. Among the reasons cited for renewed interest are: changing student population, students' frequent lack of skills preparedness, and the awareness of a need for new models of inservice staff development for…

Quality Circles (QC's) consist of small groups of people who perform the same work and who voluntarily meet on a regular basis to discuss problems, seek solutions, and cooperate with management in the implementation of those solutions. QC's operate on the premise that employee participation in decision making and problem solving improves the…

Changes in the U.S. economy are altering employment patterns, and these changes have implications for workers whose language is other than English. This digest summarizes the existing types of programs that prepare English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) adults for the workplace or help workers whose first language is other than English who are already…