The Inquiry into the Future for Lifelong Learning proposes a strategy for lifelong learning for the next quarter-century. In this article, four of the Inquiry's commissioners--Leisha Fullick, John Field, Teresa Rees and Helen Gilchrist--reflect on some of the report's key themes. Fullick discusses the role of "local responsiveness" in…

This article describes the initiation of a statewide public-private partnership to expand and enhance services for infants, toddlers, and their families. It presents information regarding the initiation and implementation of the project; the program requirements, including those for professional development; and the design of a three-phase program…

A growing body of literature on community gardening, watershed restoration, and similar "civic ecology" practices suggests avenues for integrating social and ecological outcomes in urban natural resources management. In this paper, we argue that an environmental education programme in which learning is situated in civic ecology practices…

Research Findings: Research suggests that early care and education programs are most effective when they include strong components of family involvement. The Center for the Study of Social Policy recommended that early care and education programs build family-centered practices to strengthen families and reduce the incidence of child abuse and…

Background: No research to date has extensively described moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and healthful eating (HE) opportunities in the after-school environment. The current study described the quality of the after-school environment for its impact on children's MVPA and HE. Methods: An alliance of 7 elementary schools and Boys and…

Sexuality education integrated into math, economics, and computer science classes? Parents participating with teachers and students in working groups to plan sex ed programs in public schools? Eight- to ten-year-olds publishing their own book "Don't Talk to Us about the Stork"? Does this sound utopian? Actually, it is a reality in…

The impact of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) is usually understood in relation to schools and districts, but the legislation has also affected community-based organizations that operate school-linked programs. This case study of an after-school program in California demonstrates how educational accountability systems that emphasize students' academic…

The aim of our study was to examine formalized mentoring as a learning strategy for volunteer sports coaches and to consider implications for other volunteer groups in the community. Despite the increasingly popular use of mentoring as a learning and support strategy across professional domains, and the sheer scale of volunteer sports coach…

The school dropout rate is a problem which educators cannot solve alone. It will take a total societal effort to design solutions. This document presents the ideas and strategies discussed at a conference on dropout prevention attended by leaders of national education organizations. Theoretical as well as practical suggestions are given to begin…

This paper summarizes and synthesizes perspectives gleaned from the literature on community schools. Basic characteristics of such schools are that community schools (1) have something for everyone, (2) provide opportunities for citizens to apply solutions to problems, and (3) help maintain open channels of communication with the community.…

The response of black colleges and universities in the area of community development are discussed in relation to management and organization development, telecommunication, human resource development, educational innovations, and environmental services. Management and organization development encompasses small business development, public service…

The purpose of this study was to survey the adult reading and information needs in the Velva, North Dakota community. The study was to determine whether a community information and reading center is needed, and if so, could the school media center be augmented with suitable materials and staff to meet the expressed and latent needs of the…

The most important single outcome of the grant from the Mellon Trusts to the George Washington University (GW) was the development of the Division of Experimental Programs. This new division is centrally concerned with turning GW's Washington location to academic advantage. Under the terms of the grant, GW was to develop means to relate the…

A Los Angeles based grassroots organization, the Thursday Night Group, promotes the vision that the world can be different and that we all--adults and children--can do something to find solutions to the nuclear threat. How the group serves as a resource to elementary and secondary schools is described. (RM)