Sixty-five years after the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education, the federal and judicial role in school desegregation has declined. In a more difficult political and legal environment, it has fallen on school districts to develop and implement voluntary integration plans through diversity-minded student assignment…

One high-leverage strategy rooted in a strong research base--the revitalized tutoring center--provides a wealth of opportunity to students who may be otherwise underserved. This embedded, open-all-day tutoring center supports collaborative teacher teams by using peer tutors and community volunteers. By centralizing resources and providing supports…

Examines some of the issues that came out of a three-day national conference sponsored by the National School Volunteer Program, Inc. (IRT)

Nicaragua's National Literacy Crusade of 1980 has brought impressive results. Through a mass mobilization effort, people of all ages served in 60,000 Sandinista Literacy Units; those who read taught those who could not. This article describes the program's implementation and outcomes. (Author/WD)

Describes an alternative high school program that used community volunteers to teach some classes and what happened when members of the educational community opposed the use of those uncertified volunteers. (IRT)

Describes how a typical high school in Huntington Beach, California, curbed disruptive student behavior by personalizing the school experience for "problem" students. Through mostly volunteer efforts, an adopt-a-kid program was initiated that matched kids' learning styles to adults' personality styles and resulted in fewer suspensions…

School systems today are rediscovering what was well-known in yesterday's one-room schools -- that tutoring of younger students by older students works. (Author/JN)

Southern Illinois University at Carbondale assists underprepared college freshmen by employing the mentoring talents of retired faculty members, supplemented by a noncredit course stressing study skills and adjustment to college. Suggestions are provided for developing and orienting retired college faculty for similar programs. (MLH)

The Make a Difference model transforms community service from free labor and low-level tasks to efforts yielding genuine community improvement and enhanced academic performance. Students study the organization they work for and/or the chosen problem. California middle-school students conducted interviews, located primary sources, and created a…

Briefly reports some findings of a survey of elementary principals involved in the California Early Childhood Education experiment. (IRT)

Schools are discovering a wealth of experience and expertise available in their communities' senior populations. The graying of America guarantees older adults' continuing availability as a volunteer force. This article provides advice on developing intergenerational and outreach programs, stressing recruitment strategies and benefits of senior…

Describes how to plan and implement intergenerational programs that benefit both students and senior citizens. Seniors can be invited to discuss their hobbies or careers, provide firsthand accounts of historical events in social-studies classes, and work with students on biography or gardening projects. Senior volunteers can also serve as…

Although the immediate, primary mission of the Peace Corps is serving other countries, there are many domestic dividends, including enhanced postservice employment opportunities. An exciting new feature is the Crisis Corps, introduced by Director Mark Gearan, composed of former Peace Corps volunteers "reenlisting" for short periods…

NetDay began in California as an idea developed by Michael Kaufman, of KQED, and John Gage, of Sun Microsystems. They proposed the "electronic barn raising" concept, drawing on community resources to wire schools and encourage citizens to cooperate. Other states and Australia now participate. (MLH)

Discusses the Adopt-a-School program, in which businesses donate services and volunteers to particular schools. Lists some of the companies involved, describes programs in eight cities, and warns of too much business influence on school philosophies and curricula. (RW)