The First Step to Success program was implemented with 22 kindergartners who showed early signs of developing antisocial behaviors. All 16 who completed the program showed significantly increased levels of academic engaged time, with follow-up levels generally maintained at acceptable levels. Overall behavioral improvement was significant but…

Describes the High/Scope Preschool Curriculum, an approach that supports young children's learning and enables children, particularly those at risk, to achieve greater school success and adult socioeconomic status. Discusses the central principles of curriculum: active learning, positive adult-child interactions, child-centered learning…

An African program for high-risk college students focusing on aspects of the learning context, including the student-teacher relationship, perceptions of textbooks and notes, and the nature and role of tests, resulted in improvements in student attitudes, quality of learning, and academic performance. Implications for college teaching are…

Discusses school sex education programs with regard to prevention of AIDS/HIV infection among adolescents. Outlines problems and success factors of teen sex education programs. Considers why teenage sex is common and why sex education, in isolation, is not a deterrent. Describes specific rural problems and approaches. Contains 22 references. (SV)

Describes a revised developmental study skills course offering integrated instruction in critical thinking, reading, and writing strategies. Daily journal writing, reading lessons, library research, and a final oral and written report led to higher motivation, comprehension, and thinking levels than experienced by previous years' students. (DMM)

Describes the "workability" of a K/1--kindergarten/first grade--multi-age classroom. (BB)

Two studies, involving 16 high-school students and 45 business leaders, analyzed the effects of programs to modify attitudes toward individuals with disabilities, by comparing the traditional pretest/posttest design to a retrospective pretest/posttest approach. The traditional design indicated no significant attitude changes, while the…

Contemporary developments concerning the effectiveness of family involvement in early intervention programs are described within the framework of Public Law 99-457 and illustrated with investigations focusing on children at biological risk, children with cerebral palsy, and children with general developmental delays. (Author/DB)

This consideration of effective ways to educate low-income, educationally at-risk students in kindergarten documents an approach that has been effective in accelerating academic growth. Results of a longitudinal study of children who received Direct Instruction in primary school indicated benefits when participants were in the ninth grade. (RH)

Using data from 28 mildly retarded high-school graduates, the economic costs and outcomes resulting from special education services were determined. Results indicated that with appropriately identified, measured, and valued costs and benefits, it is possible to employ a formal benefit-cost framework to assess the efficiency of special education…

Examines the relationship between completion of a freshman orientation course at the University of South Florida and retention (enrollment during a subsequent semester following completion of the course), academic performance, and graduation. Findings show that course participants performed better on measures of retention and academic performance,…

Reports the level of participation of parents in a parent-targeted school-based drug prevention program, and the differences between students whose parents participated and those who didn't. Results indicate that parent-targeted drug prevention programs may stigmatize attending parents and may be unlikely to attract the highest risk families. (JPS)

The Urban Collaborative Accelerated Program is an alternative public school in Rhode Island for middle school students who are in danger of dropping out. Success in the program is credited to collaboration among three school districts, strong community support, and school-based decision making. Offers tips to keep alternative schools from…

Interviews with 2,000 children (ages 10-16) and their caretakers revealed that two-thirds of the children had been exposed to child abuse and victimization prevention programming. Programs that involved practice, prompted discussions with parents, and included information on dealing with bullies were more likely to result in skill utilization. The…

This study examined the effects of a self-management procedure to teach three middle school boys with learning and behavior problems to improve the completeness and quality of their story compositions. Results indicated that stories were more complete when students used a simple check-off system to plan and monitor their work. (Author/DB)