Articulates profitable routes to institutional reform for people dissatisfied with the quality of social service provided by the institution of which they are part. Argues that the creation of cultural and institutional democracy requires recognition of clients as constituents, and some elements of participatory decision making, community control,…

A program is described in which Spanish-speaking senior citizens volunteered to meet with first- and second-year language students twice weekly on a one-to-one basis for unstructured conversation. Both students and staff benefited, and results show the practical value of integrating such a conversation lab into the regular foreign language…

Describes the development of the Hispanic Health Council, a research, training, and advocacy organization directed to improving health conditions for the Puerto Rican community of Hartford by providing a base for collaborative research and program development by community residents and anthropologists. (Author/CJM)

The use of volunteer speakers and "guest instructors" is proposed as a means of keeping educational institutions and students in touch with the outside world. (LBH)

Youth court, also called teen court, peer jury, or student court, is an alternative to the traditional juvenile justice system and school disciplinary proceedings that empower youth and communities to take an active role in addressing the early stages of youth delinquency. The program provides communities with an opportunity to ensure immediate…

Developed in the early 1980s, the Hill Areas Education project provides basic education to children and adults of Thailand's six ethnic minority groups, who live in the remote mountainous region of northern Thailand. The project delivers a locally relevant curriculum, equivalent to the six compulsory grades of the formal education system; promotes…

Nonprofit organizations, private foundations, and for-profit corporations interested in shaping public education regularly partner with charter schools in New York. State law allows charter schools to pursue external partners to help meet their fiscal, facilities, operational, and instructional needs. This qualitative study of 10 schools in New…

This guide urges all black adults and all caring Americans to join the crusade of the Children's Defense Fund to protect black children. Chapter 1, "Why Everyone in America Must Care about Black Children--and All Children," sets for key facts about the status of black children and suggests a personal audit each adult should perform to…

The Youth Fair Chance (YFC) program is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor to help young people finish high school, get better jobs, and address personal and family problems. Twelve YFC programs operate in urban areas, and four operate in rural areas, including a locale with a high proportion of Native Americans and one that is home to many…

In 1992 legislation enabled the U.S. Department of Labor to establish a program of Youth Fair Chance grants to provide comprehensive services to youth in selected urban and rural high poverty areas. The legislation also asked to an independent evaluation of the 16 urban and rural programs these grants funded, and this evaluation was undertaken by…

Over the past two decades, an increasing number of American children are left in self-care after school each day. Parents of these latchkey children often turn to the library as a safe place for their children to go. The purpose of this study was to determine whether public libraries have responded since 1990 to the call put forward by concerned…

This paper addresses the changing definitions of "community" as addressed in the research literature. Beginning with Tocqueville's description of individuality in the United States, the paper identifies the following designations for the term "community": (1) "Modern Communitarians"; (2) "Communities of Memory"; and (3) "Moral Commitment and…

Partners in Science students, aided by community professionals, learn science by designing and conducting their own research. Partners in Science brings the community and schools closer together through a mentorship program. Scientists, in fields ranging from wildlife biology to space physics, are in frequent contact with classes and home-schooled…

This report summarizes the recommendations of the Presidents Leadership Group formed in early 1997 by the Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention. Offers the following proposals for effective prevention. College presidents should: (1) work to ensure that school officials routinely collect data on the extent of the alcohol and…

In their complex nature, early adolescents want to believe in their teachers. Teachers demonstrating what they believe earn respect from students. In science education, it is vital to link scientific phenomena to daily life and social decision making skills to engage students in developing science-process skills. The science-technology- society…