Higher rates of smoking initiation and continuation by female compared with male adolescents, as found in many developed countries, may call for gender-specific prevention programs. Risk factors of smoking initiation and continuation were examined prospectively (1997-2002) among 3205 Dutch elementary schoolchildren (mean age 11.64) in an…

Drawing primarily on three case studies, this article proposes a framework that those concerned about the welfare of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth can consider when developing, evaluating, or arguing for more effective programming: a relational assets approach. The relational assets approach merges the…

In most large-scale assessments of student achievement, several broad content domains are tested. Because more items are needed to cover the content domains than can be presented in the limited testing time to each individual student, multiple test forms or booklets are utilized to distribute the items to the students. The construction of an…

In 1997 the British Columbia Open University (BCOU) adopted a virtualization strategy based primarily on twinning off-line independent study distance education courses (textbook-based with study guide and telephone and e-mail tutor support) with alternate online versions (textbook-based with integrated conferencing and communications provided…

Family support programs have proliferated in many different settings in response to an increasing emphasis in the public policy arena on a family support strategy. These guidelines for effective family support practice represent the consensus of family support practitioners as assessed in focus groups with over 2,000 staff and parent participants.…

Two elementary schools in White Plains, New York, have been involved in the Child Development Project (CDP) since 1991. This paper describes how the staffs and administrators built caring communities into their schools. The paper is written from the perspective of a staff developer who became a district coordinator for staff development. The paper…

Public/Private Ventures Inc. conducted a 30-month study of AmeriCorps, the signature program of the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993. The central emphasis of this study was to examine the role of the states in implementing the new AmeriCorps program. The experience of 20 programs in 9 study states was documented through 4 visits to…

The work done by the Validation Panel that was commissioned by the Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation (Joint Committee) to monitor the development of "The Program Evaluation Standards: How To Assess Evaluations of Educational Programs" is described, and its conclusions summarized. This report focuses on the…

This guide, which is organized in a question-and-answer format, is designed to answer questions commonly asked by employers interested in establishing workplace literacy training programs. The questions and answers have been grouped in sections on the following topics: the extent of the employer commitment required to establish a workplace…

The passage of Public Law 94-142 (Education for All Handicapped Children Act) in 1975 had a great impact on the role of school psychologists. One of the controversial requirements of Public Law 94-142 alluded to the involvement of school psychologists in Individualized Education Program (IEP) development. This study was undertaken to obtain…

Discussing the "Whole Language and More '93" meeting, this paper presents a series of helpful how-to's (and some valuable caveats) for those involved in conference planning. The first part of the paper presents a discussion of 10 steps the conference organizer would take again, including: promoting the conference; organizing various…

This book offers educators ideas, plans, games, and reproducibles for making the school cafeteria into an inviting place where students can learn and have fun. Chapter 1, "The Dreaded School Cafeteria Scene," discusses observing the big picture and getting others involved. Chapter 2, "What Could Be," helps create a vision of…

A needs assessment survey was conducted to help determine and create a faculty development program that would best meet the needs of the Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) community. The topics and themes of the previous year's professional development workshops, presentations, and seminars were listed and reviewed. A survey was mailed to faculty…

This "Fastback" provides suggestions for expanding or developing an academic summer program, which is an educational strategy that uses a program evaluation to achieve specific goals or outcomes designed to serve a selected student population in a school or community setting during the summer. Although no single model exists for these programs, a…

This paper describes the development and validation of a school-accountability model. The model is based on the assumption that schools represent dynamic systems in which a change in one element will affect all other elements. The model's primary elements are educational input, processes, and outcomes. The paper examines various accountability…