To find out attitudes toward public participation at school board meetings, interviews were conducted with 22 board members and 20 average citizens, mainly from small to medium size districts in 16 states. Findings reveal that everyone agreed the public should have an opportunity to air opinions at meetings. Opinions vary about how boards should…

Based on specific examples from a study of Canadian groups, discusses the formative stage; values, goals, and strategies; group evolution, membership trends, and effectiveness of stewardship groups organized for the protection of the environment. (MDH)

Since 1988, the Chicago Public Schools have instigated sweeping educational reforms, including decentralization and the establishment of school/community councils empowered to make important decisions, such as the hiring of principals. Although the councils' organizational model is imperfect, more parents and community members are becoming…

Presents a community visioning model that represents an attempt to provide a proactive, future-oriented planning model. The process includes developing shared purposes, detailing a broad-based vision, organizing it into themes, and developing a broader vision for each theme. (JOW)

In a sense, school reform is Chicago's "perestroika." As in Europe, an authoritarian, survivalist bureaucracy has collapsed, and a radical democracy is proposed as the solution to years of paralysis and backwardness. Unfortunately, the inexperienced Local School Councils lack vision and often promulgate commonplace solutions. Insistence…

Describes rural revitalization efforts for small towns in central Washington. Planning analysis by Eastern Washington University faculty and students emphasizes community participation. Details revitalization of the town of Wilbur from planning stages to final outcomes. Describes overall project results. (KS)

Describes Healthy Cities Indiana, which adapts the European and Canadian Healthy Cities experience within the content of Indiana and the United States. Presents the Healthy Cities process, including city commitment, committee formation, community leadership development, city action, provision of information to policymakers, and action research and…

Introduction of cereal mills in Gambian villages affected the lives of women and their communities in terms of women's access to the technology, the time and energy it saves, its sustainability, and their level of control. The energy saved enabled greater participation in the community, but they were still constrained by illiteracy and poverty.…

Critics of outcomes-based education and proponents of vouchers, school choice, creationism, and tax limitation measures often seem to be advocating publicly funded private education. School leaders attempting to implement OBE or other improvement programs should describe programs properly, involve the community, develop and implement a…

Describes the humanitarian efforts of St. Luke's Parish to reach out to the community and help others. Its attempts to spread justice and peace have made it a healing presence in southern society. (YKH)

In Jamaica, people most likely to be affected by environmental degradation are less likely to be involved in environmental nongovernmental organizations and community-based conservation projects. Funders, practitioners, and policy makers should work to remove barriers to participation and ensure equitable allocation of funding. (SK)

Discusses the several meanings, approaches, and implications of community as it relates to art education and schooling. Provides examples from the experiences of one rural southern Indiana school community as parents, students, and teachers worked to develop and implement changes in the arts program. (CMK)

Discusses the importance of engaging the public in conversations about school improvement, noting that public engagement goes beyond public relations. Discussion focuses on: listening as the key to public engagement; defining who the public is; engaging the public in rural schools; setting standards with the public's help; providing training to…

Examines whether media use and civic participation are related among African-American professionals and nonprofessionals. Finds that local news media do not serve the civic information needs of African Americans, and when compared with local news media, interpersonal networks more strongly influence African Americans' civic participation. (SC)

Advocates using technology to provide assistance for youth during and after incarceration, emphasizing that community involvement in the transition process can be significantly enhanced with technology support links. Recommends visual visits with family members, counselors, and teachers back home as an important addition to treatment or continued…