Colorado charter schools are public schools operated by a group of parents, teachers, and/or community members as a semiautonomous school of choice within a district. They have increased competition and spurred districts to develop more attractive alternatives. Colorado's Standards Based Education Act requires charter and other schools to adopt…

Describes the Selborne Project, a curriculum program for middle schools which teaches that all studies have a cornerstone in everyday life. Trains teams of teachers to integrate a six-week study of a one-square-kilometer area around their school into their science curricula. Involves students investigating the environment with the support of the…

In 1995, Public Agenda and the Institute for Educational Leadership joined forces to develop a means for citizens, community leaders, and educators to hold public conversations on issues facing America's schools. Conversations help community members build common ground for improving schools. Success hinges on credible local sponsors, group…

Describes the efforts of School Works, a not-for-profit company in the United Kingdom which has developed a secondary school design process that enables communities to create unique school buildings that cater to their own particular needs. Discusses its work with Kingsdale Secondary School in south London. (EV)

Problematizes the politics of inclusion in education, examining how Toronto's (Canada) minority groups attempt to negotiate equity in response to the school board's release of a draft policy on anti-racism and ethno-cultural equity in education. Explores the dynamics of community engagement. Examines the politics behind the shifting discourse of…

Discusses the community outreach issues involved in the merging of a two-year branch campus of a university and a two-year technical college in Arkansas. States that, by creating two literary magazines, the institution involved members of the community with varied talents and interests. Adds that such projects may serve as models to college…

Introduces the Chicago Solar Schools Project which promotes solar energy and provides students the opportunity to develop an awareness of the environment. Implements an integrated curriculum approach with the cooperation of community and business. (YDS)

Discusses the benefits of drumming. Focuses on topics such as: improving education for students when drumming is included in the curriculum, use of drumming within communities, added benefits due to involvement in drumming, and effects of drumming on one's physical and emotional health. Provides a section on, "Resources for Drumming." (CMK)

Describes the efforts of English public-school and university missions to alleviate the suffering of urban families and to bring literacy and numeracy to several generations of children. Discusses the evolution of these humanitarian efforts beginning with the Uppingham Mission in the late nineteenth century through the mid-twentieth century. (KO)

Describes policies and services developed by public libraries to deal with the needs of both latchkey children and unattended adolescents. Issues addressed include students' rights to recreational activities, community involvement in library programs, patron conduct and supervision, and balancing the needs of all library patrons. (CLB)

Describes a new attitude toward social science research on Alaska Natives' and American Indians' problems resulting from growing tribal appreciation of the usefulness of research, increased academic and professional training of Natives, more researchers with long-term working relationships with tribal groups, federal research funding requirements,…

The ASPIRA Association, an organization serving Latino youth through leadership development, education, and advocacy, is sponsoring the Hispanic Community Mobilization for Dropout Prevention, a project focused on increasing parental and community involvement in promoting high school retention and academic achievement. (SK)

Today's principal still faces many of the control issues of the 1960s and 1970s, due to subtance abuse, child abuse, gang violence, dropouts, and other problems. Emerging technology is making curriculum obsolete. The principal can emerge as a community hero by involving parents and community leaders in creating an instructional improvement plan.…

The objectives and practices of Nigeria teacher education have traditionally prepared teachers to impart knowledge in the classroom but not for other roles in the communities they serve. Lessons are drawn for Nigeria from other less developed countries where teachers are prepared for community service as well as classroom teaching. (LKS)

Camps are in a unique position to educate about the environment. Describes how to create a nature center for campers. Suggests using sound environmental practices at camp to provide an example for campers, providing year-round environmental programs as a community service, and developing financial partnerships to finance environmental education…