The 1988 Hawkins Stafford amendments to the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act required that the national evaluation and reporting system for Chapter 1 identify individual school projects in need of improvement. It is argued that the system is unsuited for this purpose, and suggestions for better indicators are provided. (SLD)

A growing body of evidence confirms that serious and persistent challenging behaviors in early childhood directly relate to later problems in school success, social relationships, educational and vocational success, and social adjustment. Conversely, key social skills associated with learning in group settings include being able to get along with…

Historically, faith-based organizations (FBOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) have been involved in the provision of social services, such as drug treatment, job training, community redevelopment, housing, and education. However, FBOs and CBOs have not often participated in U.S. Department of Education (the Department) grant programs. In…

"Heritage Keepers[R]" is an abstinence education program developed by Heritage Community Services of South Carolina and is among the 900-plus programs receiving federal funding under the Title V, Section 510 Abstinence Education Program. The "Heritage Keepers[R]" program provides a systemic approach to abstinence education…

The Center for Evaluation & Education Policy (CEEP) promotes and supports rigorous, nonpartisan program evaluation and education policy research primarily, but not exclusively, for educational, human services, and non-profit organizations. The Center is located at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. It is associated with the IU School…

The Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES) collects data on a nationally representative sample of Head Start programs, classrooms, teachers, parents, and children examining the quality and effects of Head Start. Three waves of data collection have occurred: in 1997, 2000, and 2003. Information presented in this publication is…

Job Corps, administered by the Department of Labor, is an employment and training program aimed at providing severely disadvantaged youth with a comprehensive array of services, generally in a residential setting. A study conducted meetings with Department of Labor (DOL) officials, analyzed national data on program participants, and visited six…

Six Indian Education Technical Assistance Centers (IETACs) provide technical assistance to American Indian and Alaska Native education programs funded by Title V grants from the Office of Indian Education (OIE). This study examines the services provided by the IETACs and identifies factors that influence their effectiveness. Data were collected…

Most discussions of welfare reform ignore two factors: its effect on children; and the fact that a welfare reform law, the Family Support Act of 1988 (FSA), already exists. FSA created state Job Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS) welfare-to-work programs, and if the JOBS program is adequately funded, it can improve the lives of welfare…

In response to the request of several congressional committees and subcommittees, the General Accounting Office (GAO) identified federal programs that serve at-risk or delinquent youth and provided information on the fiscal year 1995 appropriations dedicated to youth. Program characteristics and target groups were noted as part of an overall…

This report describes and evaluates Chapter 1 schoolwide programs in the School District of Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) since the reauthorization of that legislation in 1988. A brief description of the history and philosophy of Chapter 1 legislation and of the Philadelphia district opens the document. This district serves a population that is 77…

The Families Involved in Schools and Community (FISC) Project was a federally funded project to develop and demonstrate the use of a model Individualized Family Service Plan process for young children with challenging needs and their families. The model emphasizes an individualized family systems perspective, informal nonintrusive assessment and…

An interim report on the congressionally mandated National Study of Student Support Services (SSS) focuses on the characteristics of college freshmen program participants and on the level and type of services they receive. The federally funded grant program is designed to help economically disadvantaged students achieve success at the…

Achieving good quality in Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) training is hampered by the lack of a common definition of quality. Five ideas have been consistent in definitions: targeting programs; long-term, in-depth training; basic education; work skills training; and supportive services and guidance. A definition must include suggestions on how…

This final report for the PUSH-EXCEL project was designed to provide readers with an idea of the major actors and events that shaped the project's history and implementation, and to describe results of a 3-year evaluation of its impact (Chapter 1). Chapter 2 describes the original impetus for PUSH-EXCEL as arising from the Reverend Jesse Jackson's…