The purpose of this guide is to amplify the specific issues concerning substance abuse which Head Start grantees need to address, and to suggest resources and strategies to respond to these issues. The guide consists of five chapters, a bibliography, and two appendixes. An introduction (chapter I) discusses the problem of substance abuse and the…

The second in a series of four resource guides containing annotated citations of books, records, and audiovisual materials for African-American children and adolescents is presented. The materials offer positive images of black children and realistic depictions of black culture, heritage, and life experiences that are relevant to black children…

This overview examines underlying precepts and components of family support programs. The role of the family in a child's resistance to alcohol and other drug (AOD) abuse is discussed. Comprehensive prevention programs encompassing the family, school, and community have shown more promise in helping children avoid AOD abuse than programs that rely…

This report provides information for states and school districts on the use of Medicaid to support related services for students with disabilities. The report first presents some background material on the Medicaid program, including information about relevant laws and regulations. The Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment…

This book is designed to provide parents and educators with a set of innovative strategies effective in getting low socioeconomic status (SES) and African-American families meaningfully involved in the educational process of their children, thus motivating the children to achieve and behave better in school. Chapter 1 discusses the need for…

This manual is designed to support community organizations, concerned educators, and parents as they work to improve local public schools on behalf of immigrant students. Each chapter focuses on central elements of quality schooling from the perspective of the young immigrant. Within each chapter, an analysis of current conditions prevalent in…

The summer reading program of the New York State Library is intended to assist youth in increasing their intellectual base by broadening their backgrounds through reading during the summer. The 1992 "New York is Reading Country" theme is intended to add a few more layers to what students already know about the state and to be helpful in…

Some of the issues faced by institutions as they attempt to design a system of constructs that reflects the diversity of their schools are addressed. The choice of statistic, percentage passing versus mean, used in reporting test results can impact the allocation of services to subpopulations in the school. Percent passing statistics tend to focus…

This practicum report describes a 12-week project to decrease truancy and improve motivation and academic performance of three students (ages 12 to 18) hospitalized with severe emotional disturbances. A visible and powerful reward system using a menu strategy was developed and implemented in which students participated daily in establishing goals…

The Cognitive Skills Assessment Battery (CSAB), a school-readiness test, is administered to all public school students at the beginning of Grade 1 in South Carolina. This test is designed to measure a student's readiness to begin the formal school curriculum. The number of beginning first graders tested in 1992 (54,357) represented a decrease from…

Two public hearings on the implementation of the federal Child Care and Development Block Grant in California are summarized. Over 200 testimonies were either received by the state's Child Development Programs Advisory Committee or presented during the hearings. In spite of the diverse demographic representation, the variety of viewpoints and…

This paper examines on-site, school-age child care and the relationship between attendance at on-site, after-school child care programs and familial, environmental, and developmental factors. Topics discussed include: (1) the quality of school-based environments in kindergarten and child care; (2) the socioeconomic status and size of families of…

This literature review addresses the relatively recent perception of Chinese-Americans as superachievers by examining empirical research studies, statistical data, historical accounts, fiction, biographies, autobiographies, and newspaper stories. It is argued that only with a historical perspective can the myths be sorted from the realities about…

This practicum, designed to improve positive experiences of at-risk preschoolers, involved the coaching of parents in regard to their interactions with their preschoolers. The goal of the practicum was to provide parents with tools that would help them enrich the home environment of their preschool children. Parents of preschoolers in Chapter 1…

This study investigated the school adjustment of 1,300 low-income, minority children in the Chicago Public Schools. Chidren's progress from preschool to fourth grade was traced. Data were collected from teachers, parents, children, and computerized records. The study primarily examined mediated effects of preschool; influences on cognitive growth…