The "IDRA Newsletter" serves as a vehicle for communication with educators, school board members, decision-makers, parents, and the general public concerning the educational needs of all children across the United States. The focus of this issue is "School Holding Power." Contents include: (1) Texas Higher Education Law Aims to…

This "Handbook" offers a broad definition of family and community engagement, seen through the lens of scholars and practitioners with a wide-ranging set of perspectives on why and how families, communities, and schools collaborate with one another. Taken together, the chapters in this "Handbook" sketch out the components of a…

The Alliance for Excellent Education understands that the first step in improving any rural high school is to encourage and support the active engagement of students, parents, teachers, the community, and business leaders. This guide is designed to give parents and community members some suggested ways to begin thinking about whether their local…

As communities across California commit to developing systems of high school pathways that will engage students in school and prepare them to succeed in postsecondary opportunities and contribute to a vital regional economy, many are realizing the importance of providing "broad-based support" for this work. Students need a choice of…

Given the challenges of a culturally and linguistically diverse student body, one exemplary high school has developed supportive schooling practices that provide academic rigor and access for all students while embracing their linguistic and cultural identities. This ethnographic study documents how this school contributed to the college…

Based on a program which was developed in Maine, this guide provides specific suggestions for establishing a new "tradition" of substance-free celebration at graduation and prom parties for high school students. An introduction discusses the dangers of drinking at high school parties, the benefits of alcohol and drug-free parties, and…

This document provides suggestions for community volunteer opportunities that involve students in partnerships with service agencies, governments, recycling programs, and environmental organizations. It consists of ready-to-copy project ideas complete with case studies, a set of worksheets for planning a project, and an appendix with additional…

This article synthesizes descriptions of and recommendations for community transition teams which assist in the transition of youth with learning or other disabilities from school to adult life. The levels, composition, and functions of transition teams are described. Community-level transition teams are shown to be critical support vehicles for…

Since 1979, a coalition of lawyers and educators in Sacramento, California has put on a one-day law-related education (LRE) conference in the local courthouse that draws hundreds of students from area high schools. The conference includes mock trial and moot court competitions, panels, debates, and simulations. This handbook was developed by the…

"The Achiever" is a monthly publication for parents and community leaders from the Office of Communications and Outreach, U.S. Department of Education. This issue contains the following articles: (1) Spellings, Education Community Discuss President's Agenda; (2) Arts Integration at Oklahoma School Provides Multiple Paths for Learning;…

This report presents recommendations that address needed changes and improvements in state policies, administrative practices, and school and community service programs, in relation to school-to-adult-life transition of young people with disabilities in Minnesota. Recommendations were derived from two sources: (1) reviews of state plans and…

The Virginia Community College System (VCCS) initiated the Marketing and Retention Recognition Program (MRRP) to identify and publicize innovative marketing and retention activities being implemented throughout the system. This report offers brief sketches of some of the exemplary projects identified by the MRRP. First, introductory material…

A public forum on community water quality was conducted by tenth grade students participating in the University of Alabama's Biomedical Sciences Preparatory Program (BioPrep). BioPrep was designed to provide rural high school students with an intensified education concentrating on mathematics, science, communication, rural life, health, and…

Designed to improve self esteem and quality of life for rural adolescents and elderly, Project Teen-Ager enables these groups to exchange knowledge and skills for their mutual benefit. Initial sponsors of the program were Manning High School and South Carolina Community Long Term Care, a state agency for elderly/disabled persons who need help to…

The program description and the newspaper advertisement presented describe the efforts of the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District (California) to implement the reforms mandated in California's SB 813, especially in the area of discipline policy, and to keep the public informed of those efforts. The program description provides an overview…