The Instrumental Music Program Unit in the South-West Priority Country Area (a vast, generally arid hot region some 800 km by 450 km) is a unique, dynamic, and successful program, enjoying an extremely high degree of enthusiastic support from all involved--administrators, instructors, students, schools, and communities. Begun in 1977, there are…

Through site visits, a case study was made of the California Conservation Corps (CCC) in order to provide a description of its history, objectives, program features, participants, funding patterns, future plans, and key issues scheduled to be addressed by the program. Descended from similar earlier programs, the CCC was established in 1976. After…

This publication, one of four academic courses developed for the Vocational Education for Special Students (VESS) program, is designed to serve those handicapped or disadvantaged students who need an alternative form of an academic curriculum to complete their local high school program. The course is to be taught in conjunction with a vocational…

This guide explains to community and business persons what Vocational Education for Special Students (VESS) programs are and what they will be expected to do as participants in the programs. The guide provides an overview of VESS, which is aimed at providing job skills to disadvantaged and handicapped students through a community…

Background information on the Higher Education Act and issues and options for each title of the Act are considered in this report, which was prepared to help the U.S. Congress in its consideration of the reauthorization legislation. Included are basic data about higher education in the United States and an overview of research and development…

A paper examining recent changes in the social and economic development of rural America--with comments by a different author--and a paper discussing rural policy comprise this workshop collection. Placing the changes of the 1970s in a broader historical perspective and developing a general framework within which to consider the influence of…

The Biomedical Sciences Program at California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA), is described. The federally funded program was designed to help economically disadvantaged students to pursue careers in biomedical sciences. The program provided academic support in mathematics, science, and English; study skills development; experiences in…

This assessment guide, developed by the Model Accounting Project at Aloha High School in the Beaverton, Oregon, school district, contains criteria statements that reflect factors deemed essential for quality instruction and overall effectiveness of the accounting program. The guide can be used by an instructor as a self-assessment instrument or by…

The question of whether minority, female, and low income college students are disproportionately attending less-selective and lower-cost institutions was studied. Three sets of student characteristics were assessed: ascribed (race, ethnicity, and gender); socioeconomic (parental income, parents' educational attainments, and family size); and…

The advent of the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) has not been favorable to community-based organizations (CBOs) serving unemployed young people. The overall decline in the amount of money available for employment training is one reason for the reduction in services, but it is not the sole reason. The transition to the new act itself is also…

This paper describes an intervention program initiated to assist children from disadvantaged backgrounds attain early literacy skills. The pedagogy includes use of play and technology. Data shows significant gains in assessment scores after seven months. Implications for policy and practice are offered. [Note: The footer in this full text article…

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 27 titles deal with a variety of topics, including the following: models for college courses dealing with films and literature and with women in literature; the effects of selected variables on children's and adults' responses to…

This report summarizes the findings of a follow-up study of Oregon's high school class of 1976 regarding their activities and perceptions after leaving their formal high school training. Focus is primarily on the responses and impressions of former vocational (career cluster) students; comparisons with the responses of general college preparatory…

This information analysis paper examines the Educational Amendments of 1976 projecting the effect of the amendments of vocational and technical education which may result and discussing immediate as well as long-range implications of the amendments. Organization of the paper is around areas of special legislative emphasis that will create the…

Phase 1 of the task force gathered information on the disruptions in student education that are caused by the schools. Phase 2 examined what can be done to keep students in school, particularly those students who do not fit the system. The present investigation describes the costs to the state and to the individual that derive from students…