The school/community improvement process adapted by the Rural, Small Schools Program at the Appalachia Educational Laboratory (AEL) serves to revitalize and improve rural schools, incorporating commitment of both school and community leaders to rural school improvement. This paper describes implementation of the process in four school districts,…

Research has clearly shown a persistent and significant relationship between self-concept and academic achievement. A child's self-concept affects not only academic achievement and school performance, but personal and social adjustment and career development as well. Parent attitudes in the family environment, teacher attitudes in the school…

This publication presents a curriculum designed to educate New York City students about the importance of public transportation and to promote an awareness of the public's responsibility to respect and maintain New York City's transit system. The curriculum, designed by the New York City Transit Authority in cooperation with the New York City…

Intended especially for Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) personnel who determine and implement policies, this document concerns delivery of vocational rehabilitation services to hearing-impaired persons in New York. A statement of purpose begins the document. Each of the next seven chapters addresses a critical area of the rehabilitation…

An ever-expanding body of social science research indicates that school is the single best avenue out of poverty, and educational achievement is now the most accurate predictor of a person's future economic success. Therefore, to help school districts, schools, parents, and community leaders improve the education of disadvantaged children, a wide…

Planning to meet the needs of the future is a critical concern of an Arizona school district. The Mesa Action Planning System (MAPS) provides a framework for community involvement with a 200-member community-based planning committee, selected from constituent groups, and a 12-member steering committee. The planning committee will receive a summary…

In 1985 the Urban League of Rochester organized an Education Initiative and held a series of Speak Out Forums and conferences for students, parents, educators, and the community to arrive at an answer to the question: What can be done to improve the academic performance of Rochester's students? This document contains the following papers pertinent…

This book examines the current school reform debate as a product of tension between elitist and egalitarian goals for education. Chapter 1, "Making Choices," reviews issues in the current debate and provides a general outline of the book's argument. Chapter 2, "The Mission of Schooling," analyzes the reform debate in the context of resurgent…

Three small rural school districts in Montana and Wyoming used alternate school day scheduling to make time for staff and curriculum development inservice programs. The schedule of one short and four long days delivered the instructional time of 175 6-hour days each year. Benefits of alternate scheduling included time for regular inservice…

Pornography is an issue that is drawing increased attention from parents, teachers, church members, women's groups, and elected officials, and these groups are expressing concern about the effect pornography has on young people, families, and society as a whole. In response to public concern, this self-help education guide is designed for families…

Forty-five magnet schools in fifteen urban school districts were studied to find if magnet schools increase community participation in public education, what factors lead to increased community participation, and if there is a relationship between community participation and magnet school effectiveness. Major findings were the following: (1)…

Two bilingual education programs serving the Puerto Rican community of East Harlem in New York City were investigated to ascertain the degree and kinds of community participation in planning, implementation, and evaluation of bilingual programs. It was found that while there are formal structures in place for involving the community, such as a…

This report describes two studies completed by the Child Advocacy Commission of Durham, North Carolina. The Durham school system has one of the lowest retention rates of any system in the state. The studies were used to advocate for and help implement new and better dropout prevention strategies in their schools. The report also outlines the need…

Designed to promote the awareness and effectiveness of cross-generational programs that enrich learning experiences, this directory consists of an introduction, 64 descriptions of intergenerational programs that are arranged in alphabetical order by the name of the town or city in which they operate, and an index of programs arranged by type of…

This paper investigates the role and function of child development/early childhood laboratories and examines the ways in which a laboratory's perspective on role and function may influence policy and practice. Roles are discussed in terms of instruction, service and research. Instruction in the laboratories may include: (1) demonstrating model…