By creating the Colorado Preschool Program (CPP) in 1988, the Colorado General Assembly responded to the needs of 4- and 5-year-old children who are at risk of educational failure in Colorado. This paper is an executive summary of a report to the state's general assembly on the project's first 6 months of progress. The CPP addresses two critical…

This paper examines the emerging practice and issues surrounding consortia of educational institutions, formed in Scotland, in order to widen access to higher education for underrepresented groups, and suggests some key strategies for assuring quality in the interests of students. The paper describes the Scottish Wider Access Programme, its…

This paper describes the Maine Consumer Information and Technology Training Exchange (Maine CITE) project designed to increase the availability and use of assistive-technology to Maine people with disabilities. Maine CITE is a 3-year project supported by the Maine Department of Education, Division of Special Education, with a grant from the…

This final progress report examines implementation of Part H of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) by the various states. Part H coordinators in the 50 states and the District of Columbia and chairpersons of the State Interagency Coordinating Councils were asked to complete the five point Likert "State Progress Scale"…

This Texas plan to improve information and referral services in the area of developmental disabilities recommends an approach which focuses on providing improvements incrementally, spacing benefits over time, and periodically reassessing direction, alternatives, and costs/benefits. The plan stresses building a network which provides greater public…

Economic and demographic changes have affected Cooperative Extension programing. At its inception, extension's primary clientele were rural community members in production agriculture. Although extension has been urbanized, it remains agricultural. Recent declines in farm numbers are due to economic distress, environmental concern, the energy…

Findings of a descriptive study of Drug Free Schools and Communities Act (DFSCA) state and local programs are summarized in this paper. The formula grant program, which began in fiscal year 1987, is the single largest drug prevention program funded by the federal government. This paper describes the early planning and implementation of DFSCA…

Recommendations for starting a process of collaboration between public schools and social service agencies are offered in this digest. The first step, information gathering, is discussed, as well as strategies for carrying out other stages in the process--selecting, approaching, and meeting with participants; problem solving; and maintaining the…

This report addresses how, and to what extent, institutional accreditation might be utilized in lieu of part or all of the State licensing review. During 1989, the State enacted legislation that considerably raised the licensing standards for private postsecondary institutions. These new State standards were used as a basis for examining the…

This paper describes the mission, history, current activities, and accomplishments of the Kansas City Metropolitan Council on Child Care. Created in 1989, the council represents a collaborative effort among representatives from local, state, and federal governments; business, labor, and community interests; and early childhood workers from public…

This guidebook is offered as a "road map" for parents who wish to be involved in shaping public policy regarding early intervention for children with disabilities, by participating in state or local Interagency Coordinating Councils (ICCs). Parents who are current or former members of state ICCs share their stories, learning, and…

At least 154 programs administered by 14 federal departments and agencies provide about $25 billion in employment training assistance. Faced with stiff global competition, corporate restructuring, and continuing federal budget constraints, the federal government can no longer afford to invest in a system that may waste resources and may not help…

Since 1985 the Southeast Regional Troubled Children's Committee (SERTCC) has formed local committees and promoted interagency collaboration to serve troubled children and their families in 24 counties in southeast Georgia. SERTCC provides intensive family-based services within the homes of dysfunctional families for 12 weeks, with the goal of…

Teachers, psychologists, medical personnel, and parents need to work together with a common base of knowledge to provide appropriate services to children with attention deficit disorder (ADD). The history of ADD symptoms begins in the late 19th century but the term ADD was not coined until 1980. Since that time, definitions and terms have…

This document reports on the proceedings of a forum on special education, called by Alberta's Minister of Education. The forum was intended to present Alberta Education's preliminary position on the integration of students with special needs and solicit feedback, review concerns raised in the Special Education Review Action Plan, and provide ideas…