Families and communities have enormous resources of knowledge around them that they use in their daily lives. Teachers may overlook or devalue these "funds of knowledge." Students, however, can benefit when teachers draw on community knowledge. Educationists advocate for the integration of subjects so that school curriculum is more…

Noting that the evidence of families influence on their childrens school achievement is consistent, positive, and convincing, this report examines research on parent and community involvement and its impact on student achievement. Following an introduction, the first section of the report describes the methods used for selecting the studies;…

This is the 15th annual study of the 5-year (1997-2002) economic impact of Pellissippi State Technical Community College, Tennessee, on the Knox and Blount County area. The study measures the direct impact of the college on the community in terms of business volume, employment, and individual income. The study does not include data pertaining to…

The mission of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) is to advance the quality of teaching and learning by: maintaining high, rigorous standards for what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do; providing a national voluntary system certifying teachers who meet these standards; and advocating related education…

The "CURA Reporter" is published quarterly to provide information about CURA an all-University applied research and technical assistance center at the University of Minnesota that connects faculty and students with community organizations and public institutions working on significant public policy issues in Minnesota. Items in this…

This paper focuses on how charter schools offer new opportunities for student achievement, parent participation in school governance, and teacher empowerment and freedom. Public charter schools are independent public schools that ensure accountability, offer choices, involve parents, and encourage innovation. The paper describes myths about…

This report provides a snapshot of school improvement efforts during early 2002 in several cities involved in "Making Connections," a demonstration project based on the premise that children do well when families do well, and families do better when they live in supportive neighborhoods. The project emphasizes three kinds of connections:…

An ongoing longitudinal study, conducted by the Australian Council for Educational Research and Aboriginal consultants in 13 schools across Australia, is following the progress of a group of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in their early years of schooling. This report discusses findings from the first 2 years of the study. The…

This is a report from a task force formed by Howard Community College (Maryland) to examine existing and future markets. The task force also explored ways to use marketing strategies to attract potential customers to the college. The task force recommends that the college use its strengths to attract customers, such as its commitment to open…

As rural communities decline due to job losses in agriculture and other industries, they often aggressively court new industries. In such circumstances, a community should question what a proposed new industry will require in terms of infrastructure; the effects of the new labor force on schools, businesses, and housing; the impact on the…

This document contains the first eight issues of "Rural Roots"--two published in 2000 and six published bimonthly in 2001. A newsletter of the Rural School and Community Trust, "Rural Roots" provides news, information, and commentary from the Rural Trust and highlights the wide variety of place-based education work happening in…

The Rural School and Community Trust has made place central to its educational and community-building work. Because the understanding of a place is fundamental to building sustainable communities, Rural Trust schools and communities are committed to providing their children and young people with opportunities to explore, analyze, and contribute to…

The Llano Grande Research Project in south Texas directs research methods and special projects classes that assist students in developing effective academic, research, and social skills. Students in these classes pursue a curriculum based on pedagogy of place principles and gain an understanding of their community's environment and culture. This…

Aspects of the school environment and interactions in the larger school-community context that affect children's literacy were examined in a school located in a predominantly lower income urban community in the northeast where 97 percent of the students are African American, Jamaican, or Hispanic. Four dimensions of the literacy program were…

The Winning with Stronger Education Project (WISE) was designed to develop new ways of educating and training the multicultural population of Anchorage, Alaska. Data were obtained from several sources: a mail survey of 1,600 Anchorage residents (which procured a 62 response rate); personal interviews with 25 key Alaska business leaders; a…