This report is a collection of abstracts describing the salient features of 20 adoption programs for children and infants of black and biracial background and attempts to delineate those program features which appear to be associated with effectiveness. Information on each program was collected by means of an unstructured interview with…

Assuming that the client is central to any service program, the American Indian Task Force examined a national sample of "grass roots" social service organizations and/or individuals and schools of social work to determine the capability of providing relevant social work education to American Indians. Accordingly, the highest priorities…

A new organization is proposed that will serve as a regional library network for the midwestern United States: the Midwest Regional Library Network (MIDLNET). MIDLNET must meet four requirements in order to assure its success: it must meet the needs of the major academic research libraries in the area, it should be a limited sponsor network, it…

A case study in career advancement in the community action agency in Suffolk County, New York, presents information on demography, economics, institutional resources, minority groups, political structure, funded programs, and the agency's background, as well as on the problems, objectives, benefits, activities, and strengths and weaknesses of the…

Considerations to be made in developing a new student orientation program include program aims and foundations, audience, scheduling and length, funding, delivery, staffing issues, content, and evaluation of program effectiveness. Sources for further information and advice are suggested. (MSE)

To help create safe havens and positive opportunities for youth in Native American and Alaska Native communities, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) became a partner with Boys & Girls Clubs of America (B&GCA). This guide describes how the B&GCA proven prevention model can be adapted for use in Indian Country to…

The CASASTART Field Guide is the result of 9 years of research, experience, and evaluation in cities where the program has enhanced the capacity of communities to serve high-risk youth through formal partnerships that reduce their use of drugs and alcohol and promote their positive development. The Field Guide is a practical "how to" manual on…

The needs and motivation of short-term ESL students and immigrants are contrasted, and the wide variety of programs and services needed for immigrant English instruction is emphasized. Aspects of ESL instruction that need changing or restructuring include adult and community education, teacher training and examination, and innovative educational…

Describes the development and operation of a multi-disciplinary center of gerontology at North Country Community College (New York), focusing on its tasks (education; community services, development, and planning; and research) and its structural development, e.g., integration into the college, internal governance, staffing, linkages with other…

Analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of the 1984 Jackson Committee report, "The Australian Overseas Aid Program." Urges the use of the report in the classroom as a basis for discussing overseas aid policy, demonstrate the problematic nature of North-South relationships, and encourage students to become part of the overseas aid program…

This study examined the status of local gifted education programs in 19 states and reasons attributed by 1,579 educators for the status of the programs. Programs in states with gifted education mandates and good economic health were intact and expanded, while programs in states without mandates or in poor economic health were threatened. (SW)

A program to mesh the skills of counselors and tutors was implemented in an educational-opportunity program designed to serve underprepared and economically disadvantaged students at a New York four-year college in the late 1980s. The model's success resulted in additional private funding at the original site and incorporation of the model into…

The first full-service school in Evansville, Indiana, began at Cedar Hall Elementary School in the mid-1990s. In the planning phase of the Cedar Hall pilot, a number of community-based organizations, businesses, parents, and churches were invited to come together to develop a full-service school framework. In 2000, a district council was…

Designed for district- and school-level character education committees, "Character Education by Design: A Blueprint for Successful District and School Initiatives" is a how-to guide for developing an effective character education initiative, one that will not only enhance the climate of the school and social behavior of the students, but…

The youth development approach has gained traction over the past twenty-plus years, across a range of youth-serving fields, including public health. While it is important for Adolescent Health Coordinators, other practitioners and policy makers focused on youth to be familiar with youth development concepts, it is critically important that they…