Reports a New York State Education Department mandated government participation course. Course requirements were to examine public policy issues and to incorporate a participatory element. Describes four programs that were implemented by school districts: Effective Participation in Government Program; The Community Service Corps; National Issues…

Parents (N=202) of students with severe/profound disabilities were surveyed concerning their children's educational programing in four curricular domains: domestic, community, vocational, and leisure. Parent satisfaction with programing was high. They rated the domestic domain as most important, the vocational next, the community third, and…

The trend toward the use of volunteers to assist teachers in the education of individuals with disabilities is examined, and the significant role of each volunteer group (older and retired adults, mentally retarded adults, and high school and college students) is identified. Strategies for successful volunteer programs are discussed. (MSE)

Reports on a study of the impact of service learning on the moral development of 70 undergraduate students. Finds that those with service learning experience showed a significantly higher rate of growth on a moral development measure than those who did not participate. Makes recommendations for further research. (CFR)

Explores innovative ideas for parent and community involvement in schools, placing the responsibility for school-community connections more on the school than on the parents, and acknowledging the knowledge and skills of low-income parents. These ideas are illustrated in the Educational and Community Change Project in Tucson (Arizona). (SLD)

Profiles efforts in the five urban schools in the Boston (Massachusetts) Whole Village Project. Each school identified its own most urgent need, and then mobilized school, parent, and community resources to address the problem through cooperation. Programs include emphases on family planning, home reading, cultural awareness, and overall parent…

Sunrise Museum's Science Hall in Charleston, WV, offers 30 hands-on exhibits that introduce children to science. Museum programs use a 9-foot soft-sculptured, unzippable doll to teach children about nutrition and basic anatomy and recruit representatives from local businesses and industry to conduct weekend science workshops. (LP)

It is vital to include youth in national-service plans. Basic approaches include putting young people on the team; putting youth on the national-corporation board; getting administrators into national-service; creating youth forums; and letting young people make decisions. (SLD)

The success of the national-service campaign may hinge on whether community agencies and those that they serve are involved in the process. Critical areas are the use of language that people can understand; public meetings; outreach that stresses diversity; funding; planning; action context; management; training; and evaluation. (SLD)

In June 1995, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Vernonia (Oregon) School District's right to conduct random drug tests of its student athletes. The court balanced a seventh grader's privacy interest with the state's interest in curbing drug abuse among student athletes. Before adopting drug-testing policies, school boards should assess the local…

Educational technology can be used to engage students in interesting activities through which teachers can present skills, concepts, and problems to be solved. At-risk students benefit from the investigation of relevant real world problems and the immediate feedback and privacy that technology affords. (EA)

Provides a framework that recognizes the multifaceted nature of school restructuring and identifies four restructuring emphases: student experiences; teachers' professional life; leadership, management, and governance; and coordination of community resources. Describes six critical outcomes (authentic student achievement, equity, empowerment,…

Both the Civic Achievement Award Program (CAAP) established by Congress in 1987 and CAAP in Action are now funded entirely by Burger King Corporation. The two programs, involving about 1 million students yearly, are interdisciplinary, link academic learning and research activities with civic participation, and foster closer school-community…

Describes classroom projects in a second-grade classroom based on the Foxfire approach to instruction. Projects planned and implemented in the classroom by students included: (1) sub shop; (2) recycling; (3) Black cemetery; and (4) garden. Students engaged in brainstorming, creating webs, weekly planning, and writing about their activities. (KS)

Discusses the history of U.S. community service programs and asserts that the potential benefits for students include increased self-esteem, enhanced motivation and interest in school, improved academic achievement, and increased social responsibility. Includes a list of six curriculum resources and a bibliography. (CFR)