The findings of 22 significant and accessible studies of community involvement in school board policy formation, selected from over 130 relevant studies, are analyzed in this report to provide lay activists with information that could prove useful in efforts to influence policy-making. This information is organized in a question-and-answer format,…

Research reports from multiple studies in dozens of states have shown there are advantages to learning in small schools. To take advantage of the assets of rural schools and small-town survival, new state policy directions will be necessary in finance, facilities, teacher pay, preparation, and professional and curriculum development. (Contains 10…

A study was conducted by Modesto Junior College (MJC) to gather statewide data on the structure, responsibilities, and operating procedures of curriculum committees and to develop recommendations regarding the ideal committee for MJC. Curriculum committee chairs and knowledgeable faculty members at each community college in California were…

Calls for more effective management of the governance process. Reviews models of governance systems and offers suggestions for effective governance. Includes a checklist of questions to be asked of those responsible for governance systems in community colleges. (DMM)

A new computer program designed to reach out into the community as well as train students, faculty, and staff includes a built-in evaluation program. (MD)

A demographic fact is that the population is made up of an increasingly larger percentage of old people. Senior citizens will vote in the same pattern as the rest of the population if they are informed. Presents ways schools can communicate better and gain the suppport of senior citizens. (MD)

This is the first report using the policies and procedures adopted by the Maryland Higher Education Commission on September 23, 2003. The report provides a list of academic degree programs that have been identified as low producing based on a single criterion of degree production. The programs are identified by the Maryland Higher Education…

To assess thinking of parents on year-round education, survey forms were sent to 398 households with children enrolled in elementary school. With 236 of questionnaires returned, only 10 percent favored adopting such a plan whereas 83 percent preferred staying with traditional schedules. Lists arguments in favor and arguments opposed along with…

The "Success Garden" in central Harlem, New York, is an outdoor learning center sponsored by city agencies and civic organizations. School children helped clear the ground and design and build the park. Offers tips for starting a school garden. (MLF)

Describes the trends and objectives in caring for children with special health needs advanced by the U.S. Public Health Service and congressional legislation, especially PL99-457. This national agenda calls for family-centered, community-based services; interagency coordination; and improved insurance coverage. (DM)

Comparison of the hospitalization experiences of 36 people with mental retardation under a managed care program model with those not enrolled (n=50) found that patients in the care coordination group had shorter hospital stays, fewer readmissions, and were less severely ill upon admission. Costs of care coordination were partially offset by…

In 1988 the Community College Reform Act (AB 1725) began a phase out of credentials in favor of a process for establishing minimum qualifications and the determination of equivalencies that are at least equal to the state-adopted minimum qualifications for a particular discipline. According to Education Code sections 87359 and 87360, someone…

This publication reports the development of the vocational-technical resource consortia in Ohio and identifies the operational procedures associated with successful programs. Five exemplary consortia were studied in some depth; however, data were obtained from all of the 23 consortia in the state. The research indicates that the consortium is an…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) "From No Child Left Behind to Every Child a Graduate": New Alliance Report Outlines Policy Framework for…

This report presents the results of an achievement and enrollment study of the law and public service magnet program at the Northeast Law and Public Service Magnet High School (Kansas City, Missouri). Achievement test scores for students in the program were at or slightly above those of the district as a whole for the 1990-1991 year. It also was…