Doing something positive about youth gangs will require hard work, attitude change, and enlisting the help of many people. In addition to the many obvious causes of gangs, there are less well-known factors, such as academic achievement, that are related to youth participation in gangs. Participation in extracurricular activities helps young people…

The National Parent Teacher Association (PTA) has developed standards for parent and family involvement in education in conjunction with the National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education and in keeping with the National Education Goals of 1990. These standards are research-based and grounded in sound educational philosophy and practical…

This paper discusses education reform and the need to involve communities in making significant changes to the educational system. The introductory section discusses schools as communities of learners. In such schools the community emerges from a collaborative relationship among parents, community institutions, and the school. Schools will be…

This book is designed to help identify, analyze, and address problems that are found in rural parts of the United States. It focuses on the community as the place where individuals come together in order to solve those problems. The book's 13 chapters are divided into 4 sections. The first section discusses rural definition and community…

The case study described here was conducted as a doctoral research project at Northern Arizona University. The study documents the success of the Shuswop Indian Band of Alkali Lake, British Columbia (Canada), in their 15-year battle with alcoholism, once the people themselves decided on recovery. The study looks back at the 95 percent recovery…

The first goal of the America 2000 initiative was to have all young children able to start school ready to learn by the year 2000. This paper summarizes the efforts of six communities to meet that goal through increased collaboration between health care providers and educational institutions, on the assumption that children's health is directly…

This document presents a case study of the reinstatement of Advanced Placement European History at Brookline High School (Massachusetts). The paper explores the parents' role in reviving the course and indicates that proponents of the course were rebuffed despite a petition campaign in support of the course. Course backers formed the…

The principle of primary education has long been established in the impoverished sub-Saharan nation of Mali, but despite official affirmations in favor of access to education, Mali still has one of the lowest rates of primary school attendance. This booklet describes the efforts of Save the Children/USA in mobilizing community support for 22…

Many schools and states have moved in recent years to more "authentic" ways of assessing student learning. However, most assessments are essentially summative, one-shot measurement of outcomes. This book is based on the work of Designing Schools for Enhanced Learning, a group of schools and educators that have worked with the Regional…

Many rural youth in Russell County, Virginia, are at risk of becoming dropouts due to economic and social factors seen throughout Appalachia. These influences include high levels of unemployment and poverty, adult illiteracy, low self-esteem, and lack of role models that demonstrate the value of educational attainment. United Way of Southwest…

The objective of this document is to provide information about estuaries, the impact of uses on the environmental health of an estuary, and what communities and concerned individuals can do to manage and protect their local estuarine resources successfully. Much of the information presented here pertains to other embayments along the Maine coast…

This article examines ways in which the school-linked integration of services can be provided to students and their families. The first section presents several points that illustrate the critical need for improving service delivery to families. The need is escalated due to faltering support services, increasing poverty among young families,…

At Virginia Highlands Community College (VHCC), citizens advisory committees (CACs) were instrumental in the initiation of the first programs and services at the college and have continued to suggest needed additions, deletions, and modifications of offerings as the college has grown. This handbook outlines basic guidelines and procedures for…

This paper is published annually by the Celebrating Partnerships Conference Planning Committee to share information on successful partnership programs that address community issues and concerns. The papers were presented at a conference in honor of National Community Education Day. This collection illustrates the efforts of diverse community…

This digest explores the possibilities of cost reduction in extending the coverage and upgrading the quality of preschool education especially in developing countries. The digest also seeks to highlight the importance of community participation in developing and managing preschool institutions and programs. Chapters cover the following topics: the…