The North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC) released this report in response to recent calls for a return to institutionalized care for children. The response is based on NACAC's long-held position that: (1) every child deserves a family; (2) institutionalization is not an acceptable substitute for a family; and (3) many important,…

In 1982, the Maryland State Department of Education initiated a longitudinal study of its Extended Elementary Education Prekindergarten Program. The study was designed to examine the effects of early education on low-income children's later school performance. The school performances of program participants and members of a comparable nonpreschool…

This user's guide provides an overview of an approach to learning about different cultures that is based on an understanding of young adolescent development. It highlights three teaching methods that are considered of particular importance to the educational process: (1) the integration of materials in social studies and language arts classes; (2)…

This user's guide presents an interdisciplinary teaching approach for middle school instruction in the area of African-American history. It emphasizes the importance of cultural diversity and the need for tolerance to allow students to see racial harmony as a step to global peace. The guide is divided into four sections that encompass…

In December 1989, the School District of Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) and Research for Better Schools, Inc., with the support of the Pennsylvania State Department of Education, initiated a collaborative 2-year study of the district's Chapter 1 schoolwide projects. This report presents findings from the study of Spring Garden Elementary School…

In December 1989, the School District of Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) and Research for Better Schools, Inc., with the support of the Pennsylvania State Department of Education, initiated a collaborative 2-year study of the district's Chapter 1 schoolwide projects. This report presents findings from the study of Walton Elementary School (grades K…

In 1991, the Task Force on Cooperative Education undertook a study regarding improvement of the cooperative education (CE) system in the United States. The first stage of the project entailed a mail survey of approximately 1,300 selected cooperative and professional educators, cooperative employees, and university state councils to determine…

This paper describes the use of "buddy journals" to generate enthusiasm for writing, provide writing practice, and build friendships between two classes of middle school students with learning disabilities and cognitive impairments. The buddy journals were introduced to the students as a way to get to know someone better and perhaps make a friend.…

This report presents the findings of an educational plant survey conducted for the University of Florida during March 1994. The survey is designed to assist the university in developing a plan for housing the programs and services that it provides. The report includes an overview of the university's history and purpose, enrollment trends, academic…

In March 1994, a study was conducted to determine the perspectives of Illinois community college graduates regarding their preparation for employment, their continuing education goals, and their satisfaction with their major and college services. A total of 6,245 occupational program graduates, including graduates of agriculture; conservation and…

This study sought to identify and analyze critical factors in a Hispanic student's decision to persist or drop out at California state four-year institutions. In-depth telephone interviews with 151 Hispanic American students at five University of California campuses and seven California State University campuses were conducted. The interviews…

Noting that renaming common folk practices as "emergent literacy" practices legitimizes these unacknowledged ways of learning to read and write, this book highlights the importance of out-of-school literacy experiences and the value of real literature and real writing. It stresses a reciprocal relationship between basic research on the…

This curriculum guide is designed to prepare students in grades 6-10 to work in the world of the future. The 8-day course provides exploratory, hands-on learning activities and information that can enhance the education of students of all types in an integrated curriculum that provides practical applications of academic skills. The guide contains…

This curriculum module contains lesson plans and application activities that were developed to help adult students master the writing skills needed to earn a general high school equivalency diploma. Included in the module are materials designed to help students demonstrate effective writing and master specific objectives in the following writing…

This module is the first of 10 in the Essential Communication and Documentation Skills curriculum. It establishes the program objectives and sets the tone for the full week of training. The curriculum is designed to improve the competence of New York State Division for Youth direct care staff in the workplace areas of observation, reading,…