For some time now, the arts education community has designed for broader outcomes for youth. These programs intentionally foster not only youth achievements within the arts or academics, but also youth and community thriving--through outcomes such as youth civic engagement, occupational identities, and wellness. In this report, the authors seek to…

The Council of Chief State School Officers' "Accommodations Manual: How to Select, Administer, and Evaluate the Use of Accommodations for Instruction and Assessment of Students with Disabilities" was first developed to establish guidelines for states to use for the selection, administration, and evaluation of accommodations for…

Out-of-school time programs can enhance academic achievement by helping students learn outside the classroom. The purpose of this practice guide is to provide recommendations for organizing and delivering school-based out-of-school time (OST) programs to improve the academic achievement of student participants. The five recommendations in this…

This article describes the 1st-year evaluation of a community-wide parent and family involvement program initiated in a midsized Southeast community and school district. The program consists of three major components: community-wide efforts, school-home communication, and home involvement. Formative and summative evaluation data were gathered…

A positive approach to advancing educational equity across a district is to see educational equity as a school-level problem that requires planned change. The success of such an approach depends on the care taken to define educational equity. The definition must encompass three characteristics: a sense of construct validity, preciseness, and…

Orientation for first-year college students is important for students, parents, and the institution. It should fit institutional traditions, values, and culture, involve parents, be staffed by well-trained current students, and be carefully evaluated for improvement. Mississippi State University's program focuses on retention and is festive,…

This guide was written to help rural elementary schools implement science teaching strategies for motivating students and to identify outside resources for strengthening science instruction. The guidebook emphasizes the need for active administrative leadership and strong teacher involvement in planning and implementing partnership activities. The…

It is no secret that strong parental involvement is essential for school success. Yet, it is still a challenge to get parents more involved in their children's education. According to the most recent MetLife Survey of the American Teacher, teachers and principals agree on the importance of parental involvement--71% of principals and 59% of…

The Achieving-Behaving-Caring (ABC) Program is an evidence-based approach to addressing the needs of elementary students at risk for emotional and behavioral difficulties and promoting successful home-school collaboration. This practical guide demonstrates how classroom teachers and parents can work together to boost individual children's…

Compares the Schools Reaching Out programs at two elementary schools in Roxbury (MA) and New York City with four similar projects elsewhere. Describes how an intervenor not involved with the ordinary operation of the school can help design, direct, motivate, and assess a school outreach program. (DM)

Alberta Education provides programming support and funding to school authorities to develop and implement special education programming for ECS children and students in grades 1 to 12. "Special Education Coding Criteria 2009/2010" outlines criteria within specific categories to help school authorities identify those children and students…

Reviews the Schools Reaching Out programs in New York City and Roxbury (MA). Describes and recommends three successful aspects of these programs: the parent center within the schools, home visits by teachers, and teacher action research teams. (DM)

This module provides the basis for inservice training on the establishment of Sharing Centers, which are small groups of parents and their pre-school (birth-3) children, both handicapped and non-handicapped who come together on a regular basis for shared social and developmental experiences. The Sharing Center, as created by the Macomb 0-3 Rural…

Guidelines are provided for parents, teachers, and administrators interested in implementing a volunteer program in classrooms or in an entire school system. This guide is divided into seven sections that deal with: (1) benefits derived from participation in a parent involvement program; (2) 10 points to consider in beginning a volunteer program;…

Defines, illustrates, and evaluates three approaches to home-school collaboration: School to Home Transmission, Interactive Learning; and Partnership for School Success. Discusses pitfalls to avoid. (DM)