States that community colleges serve their communities through programs that make available lifelong learning opportunities, continuing education, and training for local and global industries. Presents a list of citations and abstracts for ERIC documents and journal articles that address the theme of planning noncredit programs and services in…

Declining population in rural Saskatchewan has led to declining resources. The Minister of Education has proposed consolidating schools and creating school councils that, although involved in local decision making, will not govern directly. It is unclear whether boards of education will remain intact or be consolidated with other human services…

A Canadian study compared rural-urban differences in 15-year-olds' reading performance. Data from national and international surveys indicated that family socioeconomic status and community characteristics were the only significant variables, and community variables far outweighed socioeconomic status. Parent occupational status was the strongest…

School at the Center, a U.S. place-based educational initiative, was successfully trialed in North Queensland (Australia). For place-based education to take root in Australia, place-based educational strategies must be taught in preservice teacher education programs. However, to be seriously considered by teacher education programs, place-based…

This introductory article to the special issue addresses the school restructuring movement, with its increasing emphasis on inclusion and school unification, and recent efforts to localize and integrate various categorical health and social services programs affecting children and families. The movement's philosophical premise is examined and…

Ernest Boyer traced the cause of many of higher education's problems to the fragmented nature of the college experience. Boyer's concept of the New American College had three priorities, all rooted in American higher education traditions: clarifying the curriculum; connecting to the world beyond the classroom; and creating a campus community.…

Discusses how groups that include early childhood educators can create dynamic support services to combat homelessness. Covers causes of homelessness and the needs of homeless families and their young children, and presents several strategies to develop effective services for them. Emphasizes parental involvement, school and community…

The author reflects on a cross-country trip in which he discovered one-room schools, some abandoned many years ago due to consolidation, others still in operation. In addition to the valuable role that one-room schools played in educating rural youth, these schools offer a rich reflection of local history, language, and cultural practices.…

The principal's role in rural school reform is to create a climate for implementing change, to remove barriers to reform, and to establish the need for school improvement. Committing to the reform effort; linking curriculum development to systemic change; and facilitating collaboration among staff, parents, students, and the community are tactics…

Chronicles the efforts of North Carolina's James Sprunt Community College to improve the quality of life for residents of its service area through the use of community-based programming (C-BP). Reviews the C-BP process utilized at the college, highlighting the formation of three planning teams charged with developing coalitions, strategic plans,…

Describes the evolution of the community college movement and general characteristics of present-day colleges. Reviews challenges facing community colleges related to becoming more involved in local communities to rebuild peoples' sense of community, increasing diversity among faculty and administrators, increasing collaboration with the economic…

Describes a collaborative model developed at the Chestnut Hill campus of Massachusetts' Boston College to work across professions to address community needs. Indicates that professional schools at the college collaborate in four overlapping areas: educational efforts, community outreach, scholarship, and research and service. Discusses the model's…

Reviews the historical background of special education as a major factor in the placement of many children with disabilities, and examines data that reveal a disproportionately large number of students in these programs are children of color. Suggestions are offered to help lead to a more equitable placement of all children in appropriate…

The Southern Paiute Indians embraced English and realized that letter writing was a good way to communicate with distant people. They welcomed and attended schools. Excerpts from letters demonstrate that Paiute Indians wrote often to White officials advancing their issues or protesting mistreatment, as well as to each other to maintain their…

Discusses a project in which students designed new logos for the local police department. States that this assignment offered an opportunity to demonstrate the importance of art in the lives of people. Explains how the students created their designs and how the winning design was completed. (CMK)