Many studies of the well-being of families who have left welfare since 1996 leave out families who are not faring well and have been forced to turn to emergency service providers for help. In response to this gap, the Community Monitoring Project (CMP) examined families who had left welfare since 1996 and sought help from 180 local community…

This white paper examines the relationship of child care to business interests. Areas explored include: (1) the relationship between a robust economy and increasing family stress; (2) family-friendly benefit options and the bottom-line rewards for employers who offer them; (3) how businesses are getting involved in partnerships to address issues…

Families with incomes between the official poverty level and the minimum economic security level face many of the same material hardships and financial pressures that officially poor families face, partly because as their income grows, they lose eligibility for public benefits. This report focuses on the role that public policies play in…

This compilation includes a variety of perspectives and resources on providing appropriate and effective programs and services for young children with autism and their families. It is designed for use by state-level early intervention and early childhood special education staff, local service providers, training and technical assistance providers,…

This guide helps schools think about how effectively they ensure that all families in the community are welcomed into school efforts. It features four sections highlighting areas that are important when considering all families in school improvement efforts. Each section contains examples from schools which are doing well, items to respond to, and…

This action research project addressed the problem of declining parent involvement at a Midwestern, suburban elementary school. In order to document parent involvement issues at the site, parent, educator, and student surveys were administered. Surveys were analyzed for effectiveness of home-school communication, perceived barriers to and benefits…

Pistoia City, Italy, has an articulated and complex system of services and educational opportunities for young children. The major tenet underlying the system is the development of a "child-friendly" city project, an educational project rooted in community and giving children a sense of belonging, and promoting the identity of the…

Looking to the year 2000 and beyond, this digest explores the lack of individuals entering the fields of science, especially underrepresented minority students such as Blacks, Hispanics, and American Indians. Sections include: (1) "Changing Demographics"; (2) "Status of Minorities in Science"; (3) "Barriers to…

Faith communities can play an important role in communities by encouraging families to be involved in their children's learning and by forming partnerships that enhance the potential for family and community involvement in children's education. To support these efforts, this publication provides faith community leaders and members with ideas,…

This book profiles extended-care programs in Catholic schools. It features articles submitted by graduates of the National Catholic Educational Association's Elementary/Middle School Principals Academies. Each of the 12 articles details an established extended-care program. Typically, these programs are part educational, part recreational, and…

This book presents strategies for helping struggling readers, from those who simply need extra assistance to those needing more intensive help. The book is useful for classroom teachers and reading teachers as well as undergraduate and graduate students, and it offers a quick reference guide and full page resource materials ready for photocopying.…

This paper describes one urban school in the midst of change and renewal. J C Nalle Elementary School, Washington, DC, is a full-service community school that supports children and families. It is one of 85 schools with which the National Institute for Urban School Improvement is involved in partnerships for change. It is located in an…

With more mothers in the work force and greater stresses created by competing demands of work and home, nonstandard work arrangements (NSWAs), which include temporary help agency work, on-call work, day labor, contract work, independent contracting, self-employment, and part-time work, have been suggested as a remedy for this conflict. For the…

Increasing attention is being paid to the question of how special populations are affected by welfare reform. One subgroup that has been largely ignored in research concerning the effects of welfare reform on children and families is that of children with disabilities and their families. In order to address this gap in both policy and research,…

Describes a home-visit assignment used in an early-childhood-education teacher-training class to teach the importance of family and cultural context as an influence on child development. As part of the assignment, student teachers document observations in four domains: family structure and history, language use, household activities, and parental…