Describes the efforts of a project which attempted to meet the needs of pupils who have become disaffected with school. Discusses how the participating schools reorganized and worked to strengthen community relationships and to provide new directions in curriculum planning and program assessment and accreditation. (ML)

The past 50 years have witnessed a vast transformation of public education from tens of thousands of relatively independent, "grass roots," citizen-controlled school districts to centrally controlled, massive bureaucracies. Ten recommendations are made which would bring public education back under the control of ordinary citizens. (RM)

Data regarding community participation for 66 school systems enrolling 50,000 or more students show such participation at the local school and districtwide levels for all 66 systems. Sixty-seven percent also report community participation at the decentralized level. (CMG)

Articulates profitable routes to institutional reform for people dissatisfied with the quality of social service provided by the institution of which they are part. Argues that the creation of cultural and institutional democracy requires recognition of clients as constituents, and some elements of participatory decision making, community control,…

A program is described in which Spanish-speaking senior citizens volunteered to meet with first- and second-year language students twice weekly on a one-to-one basis for unstructured conversation. Both students and staff benefited, and results show the practical value of integrating such a conversation lab into the regular foreign language…

Describes the development of the Hispanic Health Council, a research, training, and advocacy organization directed to improving health conditions for the Puerto Rican community of Hartford by providing a base for collaborative research and program development by community residents and anthropologists. (Author/CJM)

The use of volunteer speakers and "guest instructors" is proposed as a means of keeping educational institutions and students in touch with the outside world. (LBH)

Education decentralization requires that substantial information be available to local and regional stakeholders. Increasing transparency, establishing a basis for accountability, and providing tools for effective management at the local level help parents, teachers, and school officials assess school performance and status. Several countries have…

This manual provides a step-by-step methodology for promoting community participation in improving learning in local schools. The Civic Engagement for Education Reform in Central America (CERCA) School Report Card (SRC) approach empowers local school communities to gather information on the quality and conditions of teaching and learning in their…

"Data Trends" reports present summaries of research on mental health services for children and adolescents and their families. The article summarized in this "Data Trends" describes how an organizational and community intervention model (ARC: Availability, Responsiveness, Continuity) can be used in conjunction with the…

Youth court, also called teen court, peer jury, or student court, is an alternative to the traditional juvenile justice system and school disciplinary proceedings that empower youth and communities to take an active role in addressing the early stages of youth delinquency. The program provides communities with an opportunity to ensure immediate…

Developed in the early 1980s, the Hill Areas Education project provides basic education to children and adults of Thailand's six ethnic minority groups, who live in the remote mountainous region of northern Thailand. The project delivers a locally relevant curriculum, equivalent to the six compulsory grades of the formal education system; promotes…

Nonprofit organizations, private foundations, and for-profit corporations interested in shaping public education regularly partner with charter schools in New York. State law allows charter schools to pursue external partners to help meet their fiscal, facilities, operational, and instructional needs. This qualitative study of 10 schools in New…

This guide urges all black adults and all caring Americans to join the crusade of the Children's Defense Fund to protect black children. Chapter 1, "Why Everyone in America Must Care about Black Children--and All Children," sets for key facts about the status of black children and suggests a personal audit each adult should perform to…

The Youth Fair Chance (YFC) program is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor to help young people finish high school, get better jobs, and address personal and family problems. Twelve YFC programs operate in urban areas, and four operate in rural areas, including a locale with a high proportion of Native Americans and one that is home to many…