This paper discusses some of the ways in which "low participation" in a Central American adult literacy project, often attributed by planners to "barriers" to or "lack of motivation" for literacy, revealed through ethnographic fieldwork a complex story of resistance and co-option. People engaged with literacy and the…

An organic garden operated as a community supported agriculture (CSA) venture on the New Mexico State University (NMSU) main campus was begun in January 2002. Students enroll in an organic vegetable production class during spring and fall semesters to help manage and work on the project. The CSA model of farming involves the sale of shares to…

It is nearly impossible for one individual or a small committee to understand the complex needs of an entire school system and its community. Only by partnering with local business and community leaders, parents, teachers and third-party experts can local boards of education and school administrators grasp the unique needs of their community. Only…

A renewed call from national and state governments to strengthen connections between public schools and their communities invites people outside of the school system to play an active role in the decision-making process. Despite recent efforts to connect public schools and their communities, the two parties remain disconnected. This paper reflects…

School districts often find themselves in a double bind when dealing with the public: they seek public input, but also are vulnerable to manipulation by organized interest groups that are not representative of the entire community. The dilemma is how to procure the overall community's public judgment of a topic and allow widespread participation.…

This paper presents findings of a study that examined the experiences of first-time women superintendents. It was part of a national case study of 18 beginning superintendents who assumed the position during the 1992-93 school year. The paper presents data from case studies of two women superintendents, both in urban districts, with a focus on how…

This report by Maine's Task Force on Year-Round Education to the State Board of Education explores the feasibility of changing the school calendar--to distribute instructional time over more calendar months in order to enhance student learning. The new schedule could reduce teacher and student absenteeism, limit the loss of learning during summer…

Strategies for administrators who deal with community criticism of school change are provided in this handbook. Chapter 1 explains the need for a comprehensive communications strategy and a communications team. Chapter 2 describes ways to build support with various constituencies, including how to gather information about different groups'…

Noting that every community is faced with providing high quality, affordable, and accessible child care, and that child care resource centers (CCRCs) are among the best tools for helping communities meet child care needs with the combined resources of the community, this manual is designed to help CCRCs design a public education program to meet…

This report is designed to help the state, local school systems, and schools plan, implement, and assess parent/community involvement programs to promote greater student success. Following an introduction and an executive summary highlighting the state team's findings, section 1 discusses research on the relationship of parent involvement to…

In Arkansas 110 adults were asked questions over the telephone about the quality of Arkansas' educational system. The use of the data gathered through the phone survey will help enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of educational decisions made by policymakers in Arkansas. Opinions of parents and the community are generally positive.…

During World War II Arizona's Mexican-American communities organized their own patriotic activities and worked, in spite of racism, to support the war effort. In Phoenix the Lenadores del Mundo, an active fraternal society, began this effort by sponsoring a festival in January 1942. Such "mutualistas" provided an essential support system…

A parent involvement policy to improve public relations in a high school is examined in this report. The policy goal was to attract at least one thousand parents, approximately one-half of the parent population, to the school each year for a positive nonathletic experience. Methodology to analyze policy effectiveness involved interviews with staff…

During the early decades of this century in rural Iowa, basketball for girls served to bring excitement and diversion in an otherwise bleak environment. It provided a chance for the girls to travel, occasionally to large cities. Playing basketball enhanced the girls' relationships with school peers and teachers and served to bring recognition and…

A concerted effort to pool resources and coordinate work by federal, state, and local educational agencies will be necessary to overcome the fragmentation that is occurring due to the current climate of changing demographics, increasing illiteracy, and the social effects of minorities in our schools. California has shown major changes in the…