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…

After-school programs provide an important educational setting for an increasing number of children and have been viewed as a way to help solve school problems, reduce drug use, and prevent violence and youth crime. This toolkit is designed to help school-based after-school program staff plan and make decisions in six critical areas: (1)…

In this book, basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar tells of one basketball season when he coached a high school team on the White Mountain Apache Reservation (Arizona). Tired of life in Los Angeles, disillusioned with pro basketball, and devastated by the death of his mother, Abdul-Jabbar accepted an invitation to coach the team at Alchesay High…

The administration of Columbia Basin College (CBC) that serves Benton and Franklin Counties in Washington State compiled an annual report for 1999 on the status and accomplishments of the college. Founded in 1955 as part of the public school system, CBC now serves about 12,500 students each year in over 50 academic and technical fields, and offers…

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 report describes the closure process for Brandon Training School, Vermont's only public institution for people with mental retardation and developmental disabilities, until it was closed in 1993. The report was developed through a review of documents and interviews with state administrators, local program directors and staff members, former…

Parent involvement as one of the eight National Education Goals has brought heightened awareness to the importance of connecting educational institutions and their communities. This book addresses major frameworks for understanding family involvement and government support of family involvement projects. The work also presents a theoretical base…

The transition of the Czech school system from a centralized system to one where schools enjoy greater autonomy has not been smooth. Educators and administrators need to learn new skills in interacting with parents, community, and each other in an educational system that is becoming more decentralized. Several surveys were conducted to…

Most school districts employ student support or "pupil services professionals," such as school psychologists, counselors, and social workers. These personnel perform services connected with mental health and psychosocial problems. The format usually is a combination of centrally based and school-based services. Amelioration of the full continuum…

This report discusses the importance of and bases for initiatives to enhance students' social, emotional, and behavioral performance as an essential facet of improving academic performance. Research on comprehensive approaches for addressing barriers to learning is still in development. Data from natural experiments underscore societal inequities…

This paper presents a model of community scholarship. Community scholarship is defined as the products that result from the active, systematic engagement of academics with communities for such purposes as addressing a community need, studying community problems and issues, and engaging in the development of projects that build health. The paper…

A study examined educational property tax burdens in Nebraska counties, using data on property taxes levied, property values, and per capita income. The study found that the average school tax burdens for residents in the lowest third (by per capita income) of Nebraska counties, which were nearly all rural farmers and ranchers, were 88 percent…

Rural Trust schools and communities embrace an education that values what is unique to a particular place in an effort to promote mutual school and community well-being. This local focus engages students academically, pairing real world relevance with intellectual rigor. It also develops skills that promote citizenship, such as decision making,…

A graduate children's-studies course at Edith Cowan University in Western Australia implemented a rural and remote practicum to expose students to the special needs of children and families in rural communities. Many graduates will eventually work in the country, and prospective rural employers look for graduates with experience in rural settings.…

This study examines the Study Circles program on education that was conducted in Arkansas and Oklahoma in the fall of 1998. Study Circles are a community involvement strategy for collaborative problem solving. They are small, highly participatory groups led by trained facilitators using materials provided by the Study Circles Resource Center. The…