This digest examines recent literature on factors related to resilience, well-being, and school success for American Indian and Alaska Native students. The characteristics of resilient Native youth are discussed, including the ability to bounce back from adversity, and protective factors that enable high-risk resilient children to avoid negative…

School officials see a need for regulations that prohibit disruptive and inappropriate forms of expression and attire; students see these regulations as unwanted restrictions on their freedom. This paper reviews court litigation involving constitutional limitations on school authority, dress and hair codes, state law constraints, and school…

If teenagers do not find support at school, home, or in the community, then they will find it with peers, gangs, or other means. Subsequently, the importance of extra-curricular involvement for at-risk youth is reported in this paper; to what extent this involvement had potential to influence performance in academics is also examined. Involvement…

During a faculty strike at York University (Ontario), two telephone surveys were undertaken to assess its academic and economic impact on students. The first survey, taken during the fifth and sixth weeks of the strike, used a survey instrument that reflected issues raised in student focus groups. The second survey was undertaken five months after…

Noting that the benefits of student-led conferences align well with practices recognized as developmentally appropriate for the middle school years, this book provides a step-by-step guide to implementing student-led conferences at the middle school level. The chapters are: (1) "Setting the Stage," presenting the rationale for student-led…

This brief explores the challenges of documenting dropout rates and ways to support students with disabilities so that they meet academic standards and graduate. It begins by discussing the high dropout rate for students with disabilities and the rise of standards-based reform and high-stakes tests. Characteristics of high-risk students are…

This paper examines the self-concept of urban Western Australian Aboriginal school children, aged 11-12, in school sports settings. Most students were from the Nyoongar Aboriginal community of southwestern Western Australia. Data were collected from interviews with Aboriginal students and parents, class teachers, and sports teachers, and from…

Noting studies showing a critical link between students' relation to the school environment and their academic performance, attendance, attitudes, motivation, and post-high school success, particularly for at-risk students, this guide compiles widely recognized strategies to develop students' sense of connection to their school environment. The…

The paper reports the results of a study conducted in one Sydney (Australia) comprehensive high school. Sixty-seven Year 12 and 62 Year 11 students completed a questionnaire package measuring stress responses, goals, and academic self-efficacy. Findings show that 31% of the Year 12 and 25% of the Year 11 students reported symptoms of anxiety,…

Constitutional bases for challenging ability grouping practices in the schools using the track system are presented. Research findings on ability grouping, law review journal articles, and texts of court cases are analyzed to determine possible grounds for such suits. (PP)

Although financial aid staff feel they are treated as second-class citizens, they are seen as their own worst enemy. Some recommendations to improve the profession include: avoid use of jargon, reduce use of forms, promote the consolidation of loan activities, establish goals and objectives, and improve organizational development. (MLW)

In the guidance counselor's dealings with students, parents, teachers, administrators, and colleges, the ethical and legal considerations, especially those involving confidentiality, are often difficult to untangle. Fifteen cases are offered to provoke thought and judgments with regard to the issues and ambiguities discussed. (Author/JMD)

Describes current "adult-centric" nature of research on home-school relations in Britain, and sets out a framework for a research agenda for discussion within a traditionally "child-free" zone. Argues for research on home-school relations that takes a child-centered approach, treating children as competent informants on diverse…

Briefly describes the post-World War II tripartite secondary education system in England and Wales which consisted of technical schools, secondary modern schools, and grammar schools. Discusses the various efforts ("campus schemes") initiated in single schools to make their programs more inclusive and/or effective. (MJP)

Examined factors which influence withdrawal/retention rates in the first term at one university. Data were based on a questionnaire survey of the new undergraduate intake. The effectiveness of counseling intervention with first-year undergraduates at risk of leaving school in their first term is also explored. (Author/RJM)