Leading Charlotte foundations formed a funding collaborative to support a five-year district turnaround initiative to dramatically improve educational outcomes for students in the West Charlotte High School corridor, one of the city's lowest-performing feeder zones. The "Project L.I.F.T." initiative involves four areas of education…

The leadership institute, targeting new and aspiring county Extension directors, was completely revised to reflect face-to-face and online constructivist learning theory and practice. New co-learning and engagement methods were incorporated, and all facilitators and teachers/presenters were trained and coached to use the new methods and…

The Learning Partnership (TLP) initiated a Family and Community Engagement Strategy (FACES) initiative in three Ontario communities to foster active and responsive relationships among community partners and enhanced family engagement in transitions to school. A case study research design, grounded in participatory action research, was used to…

This evaluation study provides descriptive information about the implementation and outcomes of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) program in West Virginia, from September 2012 through May 2013. The report draws on information from online surveys of directors of 30 CCLC programs and from school teachers for 4,102 participating…

Making Connections was the Annie E. Casey Foundation's signature place-based, community-change initiative of the 2000s. It sought to build on previous work and launch an effort focused firmly on the framework of family strengthening. The Foundation started Making Connections in 22 places, focusing eventually on first 10, then seven sites. It…

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) has become a policy priority in many countries. A growing body of research recognises that it provides a wide range of benefits, including social and economic benefits, better child well-being and learning outcomes as a foundation for lifelong learning, more equitable outcomes and reduction of poverty, and…

The purpose of this report is to disseminate the findings from an analysis of the proposals submitted by English councils under the Sustainable Communities Act for England 2007 (SCA), conducted by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) in August/September 2009, as requested by the Local Government Association (LGA). It aims to…

Effects of project participation were evaluated at two Johannesburg sites of "Growing Up in Cities"--a project that involves children in documenting and improving urban environments. Survey responses of participating children and their parents revealed increased awareness of the environment and community needs, better communication…

The Urban Education Studies focuses its efforts on the study of promising educational programs in urban school districts. Experience has confirmed the basic assumption that many programs and strategies of demonstrated or potential excellence are to be found in the urban setting. The generalizations gleaned from the data and on-site visits…

A new Chapter 1 law, P.L. 100-297, was passed in 1988. Chapter 1 schools must examine the program operated during the previous school year. Schools that fail to demonstrate overall achievement gains must develop a Program Improvement Plan (PIP), a document describing how the Chapter 1 program in that school will be modified. This guide provides a…

Since 1994, the National Science Foundation has funded Rural Systemic Initiatives (RSI), a set of systemic reforms to enhance math, science, and technology education in economically disadvantaged, rural areas through instructional and policy reform and community development activities. As part of an evaluation of the program, surveys were sent to…

This book discusses possible approaches to initiating innovative educational programs and open education within the physical limitations of a traditional elementary school building. The authors stress their view that innovative education is more a product of innovative teachers and administrators than of building design. The book is aimed…

Covering the first 3 years of the Experimental Schools (ES) 6-year program (begun in 1971), this interim report presents: the conceptual design of the ES program; the 10 rural project sites and the 18 comparative school districts; the educational changes proposed by the ES projects; and the comprehensive evaluation design. Data presented on the…

A strong local economy which allows residents of a community to work and shop near their homes is perhaps the best safeguard against the threats of urban sprawl, economic stagnation, physical deterioration and loss of unique identity facing many small towns. Utilizing a six-phase process advocated by the University of Wisconsin-Extension,…

This practicum report presents a detailed account of a project by an elementary school principal in designing, implementing, and evaluating a comprehensive improvement program to alleviate problems which have occurred as a result of the transitional state of the neighborhood at the Clara Barton Public School, in the school district of…