This document provides a historical framework for better understanding the emergence of community-based family support and education (CBFSE) programs, their place within the larger service delivery system, and their potential for meeting the needs of children and families living in poverty. The paper is organized into five sections. The first…

The handbook is intended for public officials, planners, developers, and others interested in determining probable costs to the public of a development proposal. Specifically, it is intended to help local officials identify cumulative and indirect impacts triggered by a development project beyond the actual development site. The handbook is…

The Minnesota Dialogue on Education project was a comprehensive statewide survey of public opinion on educational issues conducted by the Minnesota Department of Education from September 1983 through February 1984. The project involved dissemination of 250,000 copies of a Dialogue on Education Study Guide with a questionnaire attached, followed by…

Community education can be characterized as a flexible community process for addressing the community's educational needs; it is designed by local residents to meet local needs. This guide presents an overview of community education and offers some ideas for drafting and passing legislation for community education and beginning and carrying out…

Interviews conducted in Kentucky's Fifth Congressional District sought answers for improving educational quality in the district, which has the highest dropout rate, the lowest holding power, and the lowest standardized test scores in Kentucky. Members of the Mountain Association for Community Economic Development interviewed 155 people from 15 of…

This paper describes how four institutions of higher education, local businesses, and community leaders cooperated to work for change in University Heights (Newark, New Jersey). Initial sections describe the community and the economic and social changes it has seen in recent decades. These sections also review how the four institutions established…

This three-part, long-range planning study was undertaken to assist North Idaho College (NIC) to more effectively meet the educational needs and interests of youth and adults residing in the five county Panhandle Area of Northern Idaho. Part I discusses NIC and its community; presents the results of a study of the educational plans and attitudes…

Within the last 20 years, the idea of "people centered" or participatory development has become more prevalent. The participatory approach to development represents a considerable change in the process of governance, in social and political relationships, and in who participates in, is empowered by, and controls the development process.…

This report summarizes the New York State Community Schools Pilot Project. All 14 elementary Pilot Schools have advisory and/or steering committees, a full-time coordinator, and strategies for ongoing needs assessment in place. All schools also have successful extended-day programs, but response to weekend programs has been mixed, and only seven…

Emergence of a dual agricultural system, need for sophisticated knowledge and equipment, declining importance of labor, and geographic and organizational concentration of the production and processing of certain commodities are creating changes in rural communities. While some changes will have negative social/economic impacts, the importance of…

Describes school board decisionmaking as a cooperative process that involves all local citizens. Recommends that the following six steps should be adapted to local needs: (1) brainstorm with the public; (2) publicize the results; (3) get reactions; (4) make your decisions; (5) make a commitment to the goals; and (6) publicize the goals. (CJH)

A survey of absentee voting in the Highline (Washington) School District revealed that mailed-in ballots have no better than--and often less than--a 50-50 chance of favoring school finance issues. School officials should reconsider encouraging the growth of voting by mail. (IW)

When making budget cuts, the recommendations of a citizen advisory committee can help cut spending, provide the programs communities agree are the most valuable, and give the community an opportunity to better understand the budget process. (DCS)

Sustainability is a critical issue for the vast array of community initiatives that promote healthy children, strong families, and safe communities. Noting that sustaining an initiative over time requires maintaining sufficient fiscal resources as well as a combination of nonfiscal resources from the initiative itself and the broader community,…

Drawing lessons from the rise and fall of Philadelphia's reform efforts offers the benefit of hindsight to other cities. The engagement of stakeholders from different sectors of the community is crucial to the success of a reform. (Contains 18 references.) (Author/MLF)