Many rural communities are experiencing a diversity of issues, but what part does leadership play in these communities? This qualitative study describes the environment within two communities in the southeast focusing on community variables of psychological sense of community, community leadership, and social capital. Leaders were identified and a…

For children, change can be frightening, and the middle school years are a time of dramatic change for them. Young adolescents are grappling with confusing and often difficult changes in their emotions, their bodies, their schools, their schedules, and the social and academic expectations placed upon them. Middle school administrators, teachers,…

We describe a collaborative project in which university researchers, teachers and Grade 4-5 English language learners (ELLs) investigated the sociohistorical contexts and practices in which the ELLs participate, through a "community scan". Many observers have argued that schools and teachers have such minimal knowledge of the…

In 2008, due to increasing stakeholder dissatisfaction with assessment results and school report cards, South Carolina revised its 1998 Educational Accountability Act and required public engagement with stakeholders including parents/guardians, educators, business and community leaders, and taxpayers. The legislation created partnerships between…

If your community is looking for more committed and competent leaders, what type of educational intervention will get the best results? U-Lead, the University of Minnesota Extension's community leadership program, engages with organizations and communities to strengthen leadership. As the educational provider of U-Lead, Extension has a…

In this article, the author describes the leadership class that she created for the family and consumer sciences (FCS) department. The class, "Family & Consumer Sciences Issues & Applications," focused on family and community action for improved quality of life. It included in-depth laboratory experiences, service learning activities, and the…

Two major concerns of American life are searching for community and determining the extent to which the citizenry of a community ought to be involved in the decision-making process. While they may disagree on how much citizen participation is desirable, almost every scholar of urban life believes that citizen participation is a good and viable…

This booklet seeks to acquaint education association leaders with the concept of the community power structure, specifically with how to identify powerful individuals in the community and their role in decision making. The following topics are covered: the nature of community decision making, bases for community influence, characteristics of power…

This study attempts to analyze and compare the structure of influence in two rural communities in southern Ohio with population centers of less than 10,000 inhabitants. (For a study of one of the communities only, see AC 010 451.) The two communities are studied as to reputed influentials, the business and economic subsystem, the civic…

The structure of influence in a community is the ordering and patterning of the interaction within a system based on the element power (influence) and all other elements as they relate to the use of influence within the social system. The structure of influence in a rural community, Riverview (a pseudonym for the town), Ohio, was analyzed, using…

Describes how the Bisbee Public Schools scientifically identified and involved the power elite in the community in examining, designing, planning, and implementing community education. (Author/DN)

Describes the results of MENC workshops on increasing community support for music education, vital in view of today's educational finance crisis. (AN)

Politics and political action will remain the fundamental business of community education in terms of working with people toward the development of collaboration and interdependence. (Author/MLF)

An assessment of Georgia Extension's Community Leadership Program showed that the 12-week training increased networking, improved visibility for local extension staff, developed a unified spirit, gave people a feeling of responsibility and accomplishment, and served as a catalyst for goal setting and action plans. (SK)

Angered by the poor press given his district and the nation's "feeble education system," the superintendent of Aurora (Colorado) Public Schools developed distinguished visitor tours to acquaint alleged critics with what the schools are offering. Visitors were impressed, and a mill increase passed shortly thereafter. (MLH)