The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) documents dimensions of quality in undergraduate education and provides information and assistance to colleges, universities, and other organizations to improve student learning. Its primary activity is annually surveying college students to assess the extent to which they engage in educational…

What if, in 2020, a new generation of leaders ends the war in Iraq and turns its attention to pressing domestic issues eventually resulting in a healthier economy and renewed investments in the urban core? What if, in 2020, having tried and failed at the beginning of the 21st century to improve urban education with prescriptive, high stakes…

This article describes progress made in organizing US high schools into small learning communities, a practice spurred by the recognition that many of America's large comprehensive high schools had become impersonal and alienating. Small learning community reforms show a pattern of sustained growth over the last four decades but also frequently…

The objective of this systematic review is to summarize the available evidence on the effects of prevention and intervention programs aimed at primary and secondary students for increasing school completion or reducing school dropout. Program effects on the closely related outcomes of school attendance (absences, truancy) will also be examined.…

The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) documents dimensions of quality in undergraduate education and provides information and assistance to colleges, universities, and other organizations to improve student learning. Its primary activity is annually surveying college students to assess the extent to which they engage in educational…

Service-learning--community service tied to academic learning--has become a common instructional strategy in schools across the country. Senior and culminating projects-- multidimensional projects through which graduating high school seniors demonstrate their accumulated knowledge and skills--are becoming increasingly common as well. This paper…

Education is the foundation of democracy. As such it must work for all young people. Yet far too often young people disengage from learning and do not reach their full, human potential. Community schools--places where partners come together to offer a range of supports and opportunities for children, youth, families, and communities before,…

Civics and social-studies educators worry that schools are neglecting to show the complex and difficult sides of democracy, including the importance of debate and dissent. Strategies to help young people grow into citizens include encouraging critical thinking, teaching students to understand other points of view, and linking service learning to…

This book presents an autobiographical look at one man's first-hand experience with the evolution of national service from 1945 through 1988. Throughout the account significant documents and articles by the author and others are included such as newspaper and magazine articles, significant correspondence from national and government leaders, and…

This annotated bibliography of 245 items published from 1970 through 1987 is intended to guide newcomers toward and remind service-learning veterans of key literature in the field. Sections of the bibliography include definitions and history, rationales, service-learning in higher education and in secondary education, theoretical and philosophical…

The aim of the report is to inform and ignite interest in moving beyond a reflection on the dual purpose of public education to an action plan that seeks to strike the balance between academics and civic engagement for our students. In the winter of 2004, working under a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, leaders in education reform,…

This report addresses impact of the Learn and Serve America Higher Education (LSAHE) service learning initiatives on communities, higher education institutions, and students, and is based on 3 years (1995-97) of data collection and observation at 27 institutions. LSAHE has awarded grants to higher education institutions and community organizations…

This publication is the second of three volumes of a resource book intended for anyone who wants to start, strengthen, or support a program or course that combines community or public service with learning. This volume, which is organized in four parts, provides a variety of practical issues and ideas for programs and courses that combine service…

This book is based on the premise that schools are communities and that schools must be created as moral communities if moral education is to succeed in the schools. Sections of the book explore the key elements required to turn schools into moral communities. Chapters include: (1) "Administrative Issues"; (2) "How Children Develop Morals"; (3)…

This guide for policymakers at all levels illuminates common ground between education reform and service learning and encourages the inclusion of service learning as a viable partner in education reform efforts. Leading school reform models are analyzed with a focus on their compatibility with service learning. Also included is a description of…