This report compares actual performance with the projected levels of performance set out in the National Council on Disability's (NCD's) annual performance plan. The findings of this report show a positive link between the allocated resources and NCD's performance. NCD's assessment review showed that it was successful in meeting its goals and…

This practice/policy brief focuses on early childhood home visiting as a place-based family strengthening strategy that supports parent/caregivers as a key influence on the lives of young children. ("Place-based family strengthening" means that "children do better when their families are strong, and families do better when they live in communities…

This report presents the results of an examination by Rand Corporation of external environmental factors affecting the Northridge campus of Canlifornia State University. For institutions of higher education, especially public institutions, these external environmental factors may include fiscal, demographic, labor market, political, legal,…

Social services, particularly health care and basic education, have been an important part of Malaysia's strategy for reducing poverty and economic disparities among ethnic groups. This chapter examines changes in the distributional impact of public outlays between 1974 and 1989, using household-level data on the use of public services, and…

Many service systems have fundamentally reoriented services by creating infrastructures that link resources from many parts of the community. This paper reviews 50 comprehensive community-based initiatives and describes their costs, results, and methods of finance. The overview defines comprehensive community-based initiatives and outlines…

Foster homes have traditionally been considered transitional homes, where children receive good care for a limited time period. However, in recent years, many children have been drifting in foster care. Child welfare agencies are using new criteria for evaluating services, including the 1970s permanency planning idea--asserting the importance of…

This comparative study of social care programs at four European colleges in Nijmegen (Netherlands), Malmo (Sweden), Sligo (Ireland), and Lillehammer (Norway) looks at whether graduates from one country would be qualified to work in social care in the other countries. The report is based on analysis of data from official documents, questionnaires…

The case study of the restructuring of an urban elementary school in Los Angeles (California), the Murchison Street School, in partnership with California State University is described. Of the school's 1,050 students, 67% were eligible for Chapter I funding at the start of the restructuring initiative. Over 3 years, parents, teachers, the…

Structures that produce negative effects for some children are discussed, including grouping practices. A role for the states in moving away from traditional approaches is outlined. Current ability grouping and tracking are critical barriers to creating high expectations for all students, and they perpetuate low levels of performance for average…

This handbook contains five research papers and extensive reference materials on general immigration, immigrant policy, and related federal and state programs. "Immigration and Immigrant Policy" (Jonathan C. Dunlap) presents an historical overview of U.S. immigration, 1820s-1980s; defines various immigrant statuses and eligibility of each for…

A study of inner-city youth in San Francisco (California) shows that behavior and street ideology once associated exclusively with gangs have now become the world view of a large segment of inner-city young people, especially males. Inner-city young people who aspire to material success do not see a realistic connection between public education…

One of every five children under age 18 living in the United States is an immigrant or has immigrant parents. The majority of these children are of Hispanic or Asian origin and, as such, are contributing to the growing racial and ethnic diversity of the U.S. child and youth population. Because of the long-term importance of children in immigrant…

Described in this document is a 1-year project that developed instructional materials to be used in public schools to educate pregnant teenagers in life management skills. During the project, an advisory committee composed of a home economics teacher, personnel from existing programs for pregnant teenagers, and young mothers who are heads of…

Hearings were conducted in Newark (New Jersey), Los Angeles (California), Detroit (Michigan), and Atlanta (Georgia) to elicit testimony concerning public investment in education and social services for children and their families. At each of the four hearings, an opening statement by Senator Tom Harkin was followed by statements from individuals…

This study of family preservation projects was initiated in order to have a clearer understanding of the ways in which local agencies collaborate to help families maintain a nurturing home and avoid out-of-home placement for children, and how school-age children are helped to remain in their homes and communities. An attempt to identify projects…