In view of the national attention that has recently been brought to public school improvement, a list of suggestions is presented in the form of leading questions to guide communities in assessing the quality of their local schools and in promoting beneficial change. The evaluative questions touch on a wide range of issues: school financing…

Preliminary findings of an analysis of Head Start research evidence amassed from 1965 to the present are reported in this document, along with a summary of conclusions from related studies of preschool programs. Specifically presented are long-term findings of the Consortium for Longitudinal Studies concerning the lasting benefits of preschool…

Designed for policy makers and health education professionals, this paper presents a rationale and strategies for adapting health education to meet the needs of developing nations. Emphasis is placed on the need for health promotion rather than prescriptive health education. Section A, the first of two main sections, discusses perceptions of…

This statement paper articulates the National Urban League's position that public education has failed to fulfill its mission for many students in general and for black and poor students in particular. The statement reviews recent education reports, delineates the League's position on current educational issues, and suggests programmatic…

Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have a central role to play in mobilizing the political will of governments to change the present imbalance in the distribution, consumption, and control of the world's resources. In a time of world economic crisis, millions die unnecessarily every year for lack of food, shelter, and medical care. Thirty…

Methods for encouraging community involvement and training community volunteers for decision making positions in community schools are described. The functions of community schools are to provide a broad diversity of learning opportunities and to involve citizens in assessing community needs, evaluating services, and advocating…

This manual was developed for those interested in promoting change to improve health conditions of their communities. Parts I and II focus on fundamental health education processes and discuss techniques and approaches for working with community members to plan and develop programs that are responsive to the community's expressed needs and goals.…

The Louisiana State University in Shreveport (LSUS) American Studies Program is an annual sequence of interdisciplinary activities on and off campus designed to bring students, faculty, and local residents into closer contact with their American heritage and develop their leadership potential. It addresses the problem of lapses in current civic…

The Secondary Education Transition Model project at Colorado State University-Fort Collins represents a local and state commitment to serve students with severe handicaps who are moving into community work and living roles. These comprehensive transition services begin at the secondary education level and extend into the adult service system. The…

This report describes the first-year implementation of the New York State Department of Social Services' (DSS) "No Time to Lose" initiative, whose goal is to implement the recommendations of the New York State Summit on Black and Hispanic Children in conjunction with the Governor's declaration of "The Decade of the Child."…

This study is a "teaching case." It is a description of events written to help education students understand the complex, ambiguous situations which arise in rural teaching. The limitations of scientific rules and principles for teacher training are especially obvious in rural Alaska schools--where teachers who are typically Caucasian…

Because the transition of Head Start children into elementary school can be a stressful time for children and parents, Head Start implemented a national transition initiative. This study examined the transition efforts of a responding sample of 108 Head Start programs (out of a stratified random sample of 144) and 15 additional Head Start programs…

This report summarizes a working conference held at the Educational Technology Center in the Harvard University Graduate School of Education to explore the uses of educational technology in urban schools and offer recommendations for developing policies and programs. Participants included urban practitioners, researchers, professors, policy…

The school board establishes a commitment to efficient energy management through its policies and budget priorities. Such a policy should include a statement of purpose, assign accountability for improving energy efficiency, and ensure that mandated standards are maintained. To permanently prevent energy waste, a gradual change to a comprehensive…

This resource guide for school volunteer coordinators aids them in developing and maintaining a school volunteer program. Topics addressed include (1) making maximum use of community volunteer resources; (2) building a network of resource people and interfacing school support groups; (3) setting up the school volunteer program; (4)…