This report details unique characteristics of rural violence and outlines 88 strategies to prevent violent behavior, improve services for victims, and reduce recidivism. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, rape, assault, and robbery rates tripled in rural communities from 1965 to 1992. Rural violence differs from urban violence in several…

This manual is intended for municipal managers, union representatives, and others interested in establishing workforce literacy programs (WFLPs). Content is based on the experience of five Canadian municipalities where WFLPs were established. Chapter 1 addresses the challenge for municipalities to manage change in the workplace and provides a…

This work examines ways central and regional education ministries can influence practices at the school level. Chapter 1, "Changing What Happens in Schools: Central-Level Initiatives to Improve School Practice," reviews common themes, concerns, problems, and emphases. Chapter 2, "Knowledge Utilization and the Process of Policy…

This volume is part of a series of 18 monographs on service learning and the academic disciplines. The essays in this volume focus on service-learning in a wide range of environmental studies. The Introduction, "Why is Service-Learning So Pervasive in Environmental Studies Programs?" was written by Harold Ward. The chapters in Part 1…

This guide is designed to lead program planners through the course of building and implementing a family literacy program. It provides planning teams with an orientation to a four-component model of family literacy, community resources, planning strategies, examples of programs in Missouri, recent research findings, case study vignettes, and…

This report describes and evaluates the Raven School, a charter school established in 1998 to serve adjudicated youths ages 16 to 18. The school is administered by the Gulf Coast Trades Center, a private nonprofit organization located in the Sam Houston National Forest in rural Texas. In addition to academics and GED preparation, other program…

The BEST (Building Exemplary Systems for Training) Initiative was evaluated in meeting the following goals for youth workers: (1) increase and strengthen training opportunities at the local level; (2) help communities develop professional development systems; (3) build local capacity to make training accessible and supported by youth-serving…

This final report discusses the activities and outcomes of the Wisconsin FACETS program, a program that provides parent information and training services for underserved parents and caretakers of infants, toddlers, children, and young adults with disabilities who live in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The goals of the program are provided, along with a…

A National Strategy for Adult Basic Skills has been proposed to deal with the English situation in which about one adult in five is not functionally literate and far more people have problems with numeracy. The National Strategy has these 10 main elements: national targets; an entitlement to learn; guidance, assessment, and publicity; better…

Describes the progressive development of a five-year, school-based, systems change initiative for students with emotional and behavioral disabilities and their families. The program integrates mental health, education, and other family-focused services into a more flexible system. Discusses evaluation data in the context of the systems change…

Policy recommendations to create school and community partnerships were formulated by educators participating in the School-Community Connection project of the Institute for Responsive Education. Recommendations center on collaboration, partnership and leadership development, standard setting, assessment and accountability, and school-work…

Analyzes kibbutz adolescents' behavior at four biographical stages: voluntary community service, military service, leave of absence from the kibbutz, and higher education. Determines a distinct association between the socializing agents in the kibbutz and the development of democratic values. (MJP)

Earlier patterns of college school partnerships do not meet today's needs. Partnerships should promote preschool through college level reform because elementary and secondary school education are inextricably bound up with college education. In six cities, Community Compacts are bringing together leaders from higher education, elementary secondary…

Adventure recreation activities like mountain biking, bouldering, and kayaking used to require considerable travel to unique locations. This is changing, however, as the new trend emerges in the United State of providing adventure recreation experiences in cities and towns, such as New York City and Golden, Colorado. This article highlights…

In May 2000, the United States Department of Labor awarded sizable Youth Opportunity (YO) Grants to 36 high-poverty urban, rural, and Native American communities. These communities were among the most economically distressed communities in the nation, all characterized by high drop out rates, high youth unemployment rates, greater incidence of…