By engaging students in community service projects, action learning uses resources of the real world to give students opportunities to participate in performing tasks and making decisions that confront societal problems. Such projects should be decided on after a study of the needs of the community. After a project is selected, all relevant…

In September 1970, Congress launched a comprehensive program to make funds available directly to those school districts facing problems associated with school desegregation. The legislation was entitled the Emergency School Assistance Program (ESAP) and took $75 million from previously authorized appropriations. Ten percent of the funds was…

To debunk the myth that evaluation is a process better left to people with a PhD, this guide describes how organizations and coalitions can develop and utilize an evaluation strategy to make underage drinking prevention programs successful and effective. This booklet first describes the purpose of evaluation as well as the myths and facts about…

This report is the product of a 2-year project during which the Committee on Community-Level Programs for Youth, a 15-member panel, evaluated and integrated the current science on adolescent health and development with research and findings regarding program design, implementation, and evaluation of community programs for youth. It highlights…

In early 1994, Central Falls, Rhode Island's Kids First, a collaborative partnership between the Central Falls School Department and local community leaders, launched a pilot universally-free school breakfast program (UF-SBP) called "Operation Breakfast." One of the goals of Operation Breakfast was to improve SBP participation; school…

Critically reviews conventional community education programs on child abuse/neglect and describes a practice model used by the Supportive Child/Adult Network (SCAN), which is said to be effective because it encompasses specific goals and strategies. (Author/CM)

Presents a theoretical framework to guide community career system evaluation activities. This evaluation framework is intended to be comprehensive in scope to provide assistance to all school and community programs that are attempting to improve career development outcomes for students. (Contains 64 references, 2 figures, and 1 appendix.) (GCP)

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)

The 11 programs and sites participating in the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Intensive Supervision Demonstration Project are described. The demonstration was designed to assess the effects and costs of sentencing convicted felons to community-based programs. The evaluation by the Rand Corporation and data collection methods and random…

This paper describes a split-ranking multiphase questionnaire design used to establish a set of valid evaluation targets, evaluating Community Living Support Services (CLSS) in Victoria, Australia, through a survey of CLSS managers and Disability Program Evaluation Unit managers. Results indicate differing priorities between the groups, but an…

A prominent leader in the movement towards restorative approaches in juvenile justice presents cutting-edge practices for community service. Such programs balance community safety, accountability for behavior, and development of the competency of youth. This article describes the benefits and challenges of implementing this model and suggests the…

The Youth Handgun Violence Prevention Project (YHVPP) was conducted in the Denver Metropolitan Area from July 1999 to June 2002. Several factors associated with youth attitudes and behaviors regarding handguns were identified and verified empirically. Interventions were designed to modify these factors and to evaluate their effectiveness in…

Inadequate preparation for parenting during the prenatal period, and the inability to provide adequate parenting have been cited as major reasons for a myriad of problems experienced by parents. This study examined support and education programs based on the aggregate 7-year experience of over 75 support and education programs funded by the…

This casebook provides a reference and technical assistance tool for citizens and consumers with varying levels of knowledge or experience in the field of evaluation and monitoring, focusing on mental health centers. The purposes of this casebook and current knowledge about citizen evaluation are discussed. The 51 case summaries presented are…