The United States has the highest rate of youthful drug abuse of any industrialized country in the world. There is a growing awareness that drug and alcohol use are closely connected to other problems such as teenage suicide, adolescent pregnancy, traffic fatalities, juvenile delinquency, poor school performance, runaways, and dropouts. Youthful…

Factors affecting college choice of beginning college freshmen were studied. The influence of academic background and performance of students residing in a metropolitan area was assessed from 1983 to 1986 with 33 institutions of a statewide university system. Using multivariate discriminant analysis, institutions attended were predicted using the…

The purpose of this study was to identify characteristics of at-risk students and review certain circumstances that affect their decisions to leave or stay in school. Mail survey responses were collected from 272 students (out of a total of 300) in 15 rural Tennessee high schools. The subjects were identified by their guidance counselors as being…

The economic decline of rural America has widespread consequences for families, children, and education. Broad changes in farming and in the rural nonfarm sector have pushed the poverty rate for rural areas in the 1980s higher than the central cities rate. Projections indicate that by the mid-1990s, one-half of all farm families in the midwest may…

This guide provides an introduction to the major issues and literature of science in society. The book is divided into four parts: (1) "The Nature of Science"; (2) "The Nature of Technology"; (3) "Humans in the Environment"; and (4) "Current Issues in Science." The first part covers a history of science technology are covered in the second. In the…

This report profiles the condition of education in California's rural and small schools, placing public schooling and rurality into their social and economic contexts. The data focus on three issues: (1) the economic and social environments in which schools operate; (2) characteristics of rural schools, students, and teachers; and (3)…

A study presents descriptive and correlational results from questionnaires and tests administered to approximately 650 children in two cohorts, who, with their parents, are participating in a longitudinal study of reading comprehension development. Results from kindergarten and first-grade students showed low but positive correlations for parents'…

This report presents the results of a study examining the effects of rapidly rising tuitions at the nation's "elite" private colleges and universities, and the impact on the enrollment of middle-income students. The paper traces the income background of Consortium on Financing Higher Education (COFHE) schools and shows how students from…

In 1990, a needs assessment survey was conducted of residents of San Luis Obispo County to gather information regarding community members' experiences with Cuesta College (CC), opinions about what CC should be doing, assessment of how good a job the college is doing, and obstacles preventing people from attending CC. Study findings, based on…

This digest discusses the ways in which counselors in middle schools can help youngsters face the challenges of early adolescence and prepare them for life in high school. It focuses on: (1) understanding one's self; (2) family relationships; (3) peer pressure and drug abuse; (4) stressful lives; (5) sexual maturation; (6) academics; and (7)…

Guidelines for facilitation of a teacher workshop on participative decision making, with a focus on the development of a school improvement plan based on consensus, are offered in this manual. Session topics include: perceptions, creativity, brainstorming, consensus building, and action planning. The introductory section defines workshop goals.…

This discussion of the uniqueness of the middle school focuses on the characteristics of the early adolescent student. It is pointed out that the special needs of these students are infrequently met by the traditional junior high school. Middle schools should be characterized by six unique elements: (1) specific individual counseling; (2) a…

The Southern Rural Development Center in cooperation with the University of Kentucky sponsored a workshop which brought together extension and research personnel interested in rural economic development concerns (i.e., inadequate water supplies, sewer systems, and schools). The proceedings include "Community Growth Management: The Land-Grant…

Building on previous investigations of the effects of team-organized instructional arrangements on elementary school teachers' sense of autonomy, this report reexamines data from 14 multiunit schools which still retained the team instructional plan at the end of the second year of implementation. Indicators measured were interdependent teaching…

The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the cognitive processes of Montagnais Indians under conditions that would reduce bias and allow for a contextual interpretation of the results. Fifty-eight Montagnais children were compared to French-Canadians of the same age and grade groups whose data had been collected through previous…