Noting that one of the biggest challenges in the United States today is the increasing number of infants and toddlers younger than age 3 who are cared for by someone other than their parents during work hours, this issue of NCEDL Spotlights announces the publication of a book examining out-of-home care for infants and toddlers. The book is an…

Child labor remains one of the most controversial challenges at the end of the 20th century. Approximately 250 million children in developing countries work either full- or part-time. Child labor is not confined to less-developed countries, as economic transitions bring shifts in the prevalence and nature of child labor. Throughout the world,…

Noting that reading aloud to preschool children significantly influences their reading development, this master's thesis examines the many benefits from reading aloud to preschoolers. The thesis reviews research indicating that when parents read aloud, they help their children learn vocabulary, complex sentence structure, and story structure.…

More children are riding school buses longer distances than ever before, but this review of research on busing finds a surprising shortage of information on the subject, apart from safety figures and costs and efficiencies of the buses themselves. Historically, increased student transportation has been the by-product of school consolidation, but…

This newsletter includes 12 brief articles or news items concerning mental health among minority groups. These address: (1) cultural considerations in treating Asians (reasons why Asians tend not to use mental health services); (2) coping with racial stress (responses to a questionnaire on dealing with racial stress); (3) minority health…

This brief explores the challenges of documenting dropout rates and ways to support students with disabilities so that they meet academic standards and graduate. It begins by discussing the high dropout rate for students with disabilities and the rise of standards-based reform and high-stakes tests. Characteristics of high-risk students are…

This paper reviews the research on how siblings respond to another sibling who has survived childhood cancer. The paper examines the siblings' ability to cope, adjust, and adapt to this stressor. Relevant interventions are also discussed. The research indicates that although siblings may experience heightened emotional and behavioral problems,…

This symposium paper reviews the literature on adult students in higher education and offers a model of their collegiate experiences. The review is organized according to the following themes: adults' experiences in higher education, social and psychological concerns, the role of the classroom, adult cognition, the adult-world surroundings, and…

Very little research has examined drug and alcohol use among rural Mexican-Americans, and the few existing studies have yielded mixed results. Some authors have suggested that substance use by Mexican-American youth is similar to that of Anglo youth, but at least one study has shown that Mexican-American females use drugs at a higher rate than do…

Noting recent research findings indicating that commonly used transition practices may not be well-suited to the needs of children and families, this report summarizes educational policy issues related to the transition to kindergarten and presents recommendations for policy changes. The report notes that the transition to kindergarten and the…

Analyzes a National Science Foundation report, "Science and Engineering Education for the 1980s and Beyond," prepared for the President and Department of Education. Provides information on the status of science and engineering education in the United States. (Author/SK)

Reviews the Reagan administration's proposed budget cuts for education, educational research, and social science research. Holds that examples used to bolster the administration's criticisms of social and behavioral research come from the late 1960s/early 1970s, and ignore federally funded work currently focusing on educational practice, policy,…

Presents Mina Shaughnessy's thoughts on why English professors dislike the teaching of writing, what is needed in writing research, the disadvantages of being a writing teacher at an open admissions school, what open admissions policies have revealed about education in general and basic writing instruction in particular, and writing evaluation…

A number of potential consequences are discussed (problems of social integration, fiscal effects, land utilization issues) and the analytic utility of a social systems perspective is examined. Understanding the reversal phenomenon and its sociocultural impacts, it is suggested, represents a formidable research challenge for rural sociologists.…

In seven articles methods of enhancing clinical practice through empirical approaches and realistic approaches and realistic research are discussed including: (1) Cronbach's method of intensive observation; (2) intensive monitoring of treatment strength, integrity, and effectiveness; (3) the use of dependent measures; (4) drawing valid conclusions…