This paper reviews the literature and findings of a prior study (Dixon 1997) that described and categorized contrasting elements of different conceptions of democracy: liberal democracy, participatory democracy, and community democracy. A table in the appendix also presents this comparison. These contrasting conceptions of democracy were then used…

More than 230 educators from 125 schools and communities around the country gathered for the national conference of the Foundation for Excellent Schools to exchange ideas and strategies for educational improvement. The conference theme, "Achieving Educational Excellence through Collaboration," was featured in sessions exploring the possibilities…

This article describes the formation of an educational partnership developed in a rural, Appalachian, coal-mining community. Williamson Main Street, Inc., a downtown revitalization program, and Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College (Southern) combined their efforts to create the Tug Valley Economic Development Institute (TVEDI).…

This report describes the early childhood education programs of the Des Moines Independent Community School District and provides evaluation of the programs' context, process, and product. Following a preface that includes the city's early childhood philosophy, the first section of the report presents a context evaluation of the programs,…

This report presents four papers on services provided to students with severe emotional and/or behavior disorders by the Georgia Psychoeducational Network (GPN). "An Annual Evaluation Report Based on School System Improvement Efforts" (Robert A. Gordon and Linda J. Dickson), reports on a program serving students (ages birth-21) in a…

This Part-Time Instructor Handbook provides information and guidelines to assist part-time teachers in meeting their instructional assignment. The report is based on state board policies of the Colorado Community College and Occupational Education System, as well as policies and procedures of Pueblo Community College in Colorado (PCC). The…

In 1997, Maryland formed the Task Force on Education Funding Equity, Accountability, and Partnerships to ensure that students throughout Maryland have an equal opportunity for academic success. The Task Force's preliminary report features a comprehensive review of education funding and programs in grades K-12. The report presents membership and…

This digest discusses a variety of methods that community colleges have employed to integrate health care into the curriculum and campus services. Providing health care in community colleges is particularly challenging due to the lack of institutional resources, as compared with four-year colleges and universities where the residential living…

This paper explores the use of sight word lists in the instruction of students with disabilities. A survey of 25 restaurants in a Midwestern U.S. city was conducted to examine the validity and efficacy of two widely accepted public school reading word lists. It was found that neither of the word lists contained more than 46 percent of the words…

Increasing parent involvement in the Pacific region requires an understanding of the traditional system of Pacific education. While historically Pacific education involved parents and community members as children's first teachers, the American model of education virtually ignores this tradition. The school assumes the entire responsibility for…

This resource guide includes abstracts of 90 papers presented at the conference. Section 1, "Understanding Students At-Risk," includes 17 abstracts that emphasize the need for a comprehensive set of services that can respond to the diverse needs of at-risk students. Section 2, "Preventing and Reducing Incidence of At-Risk," includes 17 abstracts…

This document evaluates a pilot project in Wake County (North Carolina) to improve the achievement of at-risk black male students in grades 6-8 by linking them with supportive black adult-male role models from both the school and the community. The project is designed to overcome the following developmental barriers: (1) lack of a male role model;…

A study examined simultaneously household and elementary classroom life, and collaborated closely with teachers to develop implications for the teaching of literacy. The study consisted of three main, interrelated activities: an ethnographic analysis of the use and transmission of knowledge and skills within and among households (represented by 24…

This paper addresses issues related to school location, staff turnover, and educational improvement through community involvement. A study involving second-year teachers in Australia indicates that teacher satisfaction was related to satisfying relationships with fellow staff and with students who were cooperative and enthusiastic about learning.…

This report describes and evaluates the Colorado Rural Revitalization Project (CRRP). CRRP was established in 1988 as an experimental approach to institutional collaboration to provide community development services among selected rural communities of less than 5,000 people. CRRP consisted of a partnership among rural Colorado communities,…