The social class gap in higher education (HE) participation rates has its origins in the compulsory schooling system and, despite over a century of universal education, differential rates of attainment by social class remain the norm. Against this background, policy initiatives to extend HE participation to under-represented groups are attempting…

The Teen Outreach Reproductive CHallenge (TORCH) is a peer education program that provides information on various topics relevant to adolescent sexual health to a diverse audience, ranging from teens to health care providers. This information is disseminated through various projects by a group of New York City high-school students who are…

This paper presents a comparative examination of four local learning centres that provide learning opportunities throughout life in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece and Turkey. The paper aims to assess some of the strengths and weaknesses of different types of local learning centres and partnerships in South-Eastern Europe--in line with the value and…

Museums and cultural institutions have long provided a crucial resource for students and teachers in science classes. Many of those institutions consider working with schools to be a core part of their missions. This article describes Urban Advantage, one of the largest and most coordinated programs in the country which goes further than many…

Numerous connections between the visual arts and sciences are evident if we choose to look for them. In February 2006, students and faculty from the Art and Geol/Geog departments at NW Missouri State University put together an exhibit at a local art gallery featuring works that were born out of science, inspired by science, or exploring the…

This article describes how Texas' Closing the Gaps initiative pays close attention to the demographics of its growing minority communities. West Texas A&M administrators created the University Success Academy (USA) in 2004, which was largely funded through the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's First Generation College Student (FGCS)…

As a senior honors student at Weston Ranch High School in Stockton, California, last spring, Lakea Youngblood gained admission to the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of California, Los Angeles, California's two most sought-after public universities. While both schools offered the northern California native similar financial…

In the summer of 2006, the New York City-based Spanish-language newspaper "La Prensa" ran a series of articles on the surprisingly stressful life of the young Latina in America. The series brought to light grim statistics uncovered in the academic community that had largely escaped the mainstream. Namely, young Latinas--ages 12-17--are more likely…

The California Postsecondary Education Commission (CPEC) recognizes the importance of educational centers as a cost-effective means for meeting increased student demand. Educational centers are an economical way of serving a region's educational needs because they often involve collaboration and shared facility use with high schools, university…

Described here is a study on the efficacy of a media-rich curriculum based on the idea that children can learn best from "media synergy," that is, when children have opportunities to learn a focused set of skills by engaging in repeated practice with them in many different formats and media. Participants in this study were low-income…

Informal science is a burgeoning field that operates across a broad range of venues and envisages learning outcomes for individuals, schools, families, and society. The evidence base that describes informal science, its promise, and effects is informed by a range of disciplines and perspectives, including field-based research, visitor studies, and…

This technical brief considers archeological education and outreach. The brief summarizes approaches and program successes from states across the country that have sponsored an archeology week. It also includes new information on these programs. The brief suggests that the benefits from archeology week include enhancing public understanding of…

The federal archaeological community has identified a need for an organized and comprehensive public outreach effort at the national level that can provide a framework for regional and local public support for archaeological resources. This document presents one part of the program and provides guidance in developing public awareness. Arizona…

The report examines the status of handicapped children in Project Head Start for the 1981-82 year. Chapter 1 presents background information, including an overview of Head Start policies on services to handicapped children. Chapter 2 reviews data collection measures and summarizes findings regarding the number of handicapped children enrolled and…