Prospective charter schools in California must address educational design, outcomes, assessment methods, governance, staffing qualifications, health and safety procedures, racial balance, admission requirements, retirement benefits, employees' rights, financial audit procedures, expulsion and suspension procedures, and attendance alternatives.…

Over 1,500 volunteers constructed a 10,000-square-foot playscape. The 5-day construction period was preceded by a year of planning and coordination by 10 volunteer committees, city officials, and the architectural firm. Organization and public relations kept the interest level high, resulting in increased community pride, spirit, and involvement.…

In California, the regional partnership structure is being used to support implementation of recommendations for middle level school reform. The partnership's loose structure allows flexibility in financial contribution and opportunities to solicit paying partners from the local community. A support network or forum allows individuals and schools…

Examines how the concept of health promotion can be of value to professionals who have a responsibility to promote the health of young people and adults. Discusses the need for a comprehensive strategy oriented toward the development and implementation of measures regarding the prevention of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency…

Teachers and administrators are not adequately prepared to address the range of children's social and psychological needs but must rely on parental and community assistance. Instead of merely referring students to social services and health departments, schools must become multiple-service brokers and forge broad community alliances to protect and…

Five patterns for restructuring through community education are (1) community involvement in educational decision making; (2) family support and education; (3) curriculum enhancement through community resources; (4) educational opportunities for children and adults; and (5) collaboration with community organizations. (SK)

Describes Pasadena, California's, Young and Healthy Project, a program based on the belief that all children, regardless of income, have the right to high-quality health care and early preventive care. Funded partly by a large foundation grant, the program offers all elementary and middle school students in the district medical, dental, and…

Opponents depict outcome-based education as an unproven one-size-fits-all experiment. Uncompromising attacks, principally from conservative Christian groups and tradition-minded parents and educators, are obstructing meaningful reform and costing some superintendents their jobs. Sidebars show how certain districts responded to the backlash, decode…

Concern over low student achievement led to creation of a community-based Maryland mentoring program for at-risk African-American students. Mentoring was successfully used for teaching and coaching, strengthening racial harmony, promoting social change, ensuring equal education, and creating opportunities for personal empowerment. By portraying…

Identifies barriers that keep education from contributing effectively to people's quality of life, focusing on typical community-based health promotion interventions concerning adolescent drug education, school readiness, and African American lifestyle choices. Resource people cannot determine a community's health education and promotion agenda.…

If the growing proportion of special-needs students is to receive the benefits of expanded and integrated social support systems, educational leaders must coordinate school activities with other community services. The situation calls for a radical reconfiguration of public service financing, with rewards for those who effectively coordinate…

A rural economic development plan was formulated using (1) the Delphi technique, with a panel from local business, government, and citizens at large; (2) interviews with a random sample of 111 county residents; and (3) interviews with executives of businesses that had relocated to the area, identifying factors leading to selection of the site. (SK)

After years of watching administrators bully children, teachers, and parents into reform, a Fairbanks (Alaska) elementary principal decided to be a facilitator, not a dictator. Assuming a "servant leadership" role, this principal garnered community support for transforming an old, unwanted school into a new math-science learning center…

Change began in Saint Charles (Illinois) School District with a few teachers implementing new ideas in their own classrooms. Organized change began as principals and other administrators encouraged teachers to learn and grow. While teachers were developing process writing and whole-language programs, district embraced systemic change by entrusting…

Elements of a home-school-community relationship model are goals (academic achievement, institutional legitimacy, support, and effective relations), programs, and processes (communication, involvement, participation, and resolution). The model can be applied to contemporary issues: diversity, varied stakeholders, school-business partnerships,…