The paper describes the major needs of gifted rural students and suggests ways parents can use nonschool as well as school resources to help meet those needs. Students need guidance to deal with their differentness, to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses, and to make plans for the future. Parents are advised to gather information and create a…

A parent recounts the process leading to placement of her severely retarded and cerebral palsied son in a residential situation using Community Training Homes, a foster home program in Connecticut. (DB)

Opportunities for children with disabilities to participate in sports have expanded as school and community sports programs such as the Special Olympics, intramural sports, community recreation leagues, and interscholastic teams have become more available to all children. A directory of 37 recreation organizations is also provided. (CB)

The Mississippi Board of Education adopted the School/Community Involvement initiative in 2003 as a part of the Mississippi School Level Accountability Model Evaluation Instruments. This guide provides the components of those standards along with ideas and suggestions to assist parents, community members and school staff with the development or…

This action guide reflects the discussions and recommendations of the Goals 2000 Education Action Planning Process. The booklet includes a summary checklist of critical actions that must be taken by those working at the national, state, and local levels to advance the arts in the Goals 2000 education improvement process. The sections of the…

Science beyond the schoolhouse is the subject of this close-up look at informal science--education in non-traditional settings, including Boys and Girls Clubs, 4-H, zoos, aquariums, and public television. More than a dozen writers draw on personal experiences to tell why they became informal science educators and how they use the history and…

This manual is designed for individuals, community organizations, and groups that wish to become Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRC). The competition for these grants is issued by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services and the Office of Special Education Programs. The handbook provides…

Addresses the role of children's museums, recounting both positive experiences of meaningful interactions and negative encounters in which such interactions were discouraged or were too cursory. Suggestions for scaffolding children's discovery and problem-solving learning with children's museum activities are offered. (DB)

This booklet describes the creation of a community education course to provide the one-to-one teacher-student ratio for adults and children who require it to learn to read and spell proficiently. The booklet begins with a discussion of arguments against establishing such a class, including: (1) parents cannot teach their own children; (2) teachers…

The article outlines a guide to help special educators, parents, and adult service providers assist learning-disabled individuals in exploring employment and postsecondary options and enhance the transition planning process. Steps include developing an employability profile, identifying occupational areas to explore, and conducting exploration…

This guide helps leaders working with parents and the community learn about promising practices in parent and community involvement in school reform. By examining the efforts of seven contrasting groups working with parents nationwide, the guide depicts the many forms that parent and community involvement in schools can take, highlighting…

Our nation's youth dropout rate, while consistent for almost 20 years, has increasingly become a major educational and societal problem. This summary of a longer sourcebook provides an overview of various strategies and initiatives for groups, schools, businesses, and communities to consider in addressing their dropout problems, and describes a…

Designed for parents of preschoolers, this monthly bilingual (English/Spanish) newsletter contains information on local library programs, games and activities to play at home, reading readiness, and recommended books for preschoolers. A feature on disabled children includes a description of the library's special needs collection and a letter to…

This guide is intended to be a resource for parents of children with special needs who want to improve the early intervention system in North Carolina for their own children and for the whole community. By informing parents about resources that are available for children and families, the guide empowers parents as leaders. Annotated lists of…

Describes the community program support for high-risk families in Hampton, Virginia. Highlights the preventive aspects of the program, targeted primarily for at-risk mothers and children. (HTH)