This module is designed to help educators understand the roles and responsibilities of counselors in relation to special needs students. The guide includes a list of definitions and uses a question-and-answer format to provide information on the provisions of the Carl D. Perkins Act regarding counseling activities; the role of a special needs…

This module provides information on identification and characteristics of disadvantaged students and the requirements of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act. The guide includes a list of definitions and uses a question-and-answer format to define disadvantaged students (academically and economically disadvantaged, limited English…

The University of California, San Diego (UCSD) has developed and implemented a special program called Summer Bridge, designed to assist targeted incoming freshmen in the transition from high school to university life. The goals of the program are to improve the students' college experiences and raise retention rates. Targeted students are…

Eight New Jersey State colleges which shared essentially the same goals and offered similar financial aid packages were studied in order to determine the relationship between persistence rates of disadvantaged students in opportunity programs and the role of faculty in such programs. Student data were provided by New Jersey's Equal Opportunity…

This book is designed to guide mental health practitioners in conducting culturally competent and effective work with economically disadvantaged youth from African American, Asian American, Latin American, and Native American backgrounds. It outlines the theoretical constructs for understanding how cultural and socioeconomic differences have an…

Describes how an elementary classroom teacher discovers and explores the power of aesthetic experience in an educational context. Discusses how the artwork of Vincent Van Gogh helps an exceptionally difficult class of 11-year-old female students in suburban Dublin, Ireland, become interested in their education. (KM)

Reports that the debate over class size in schools has become more heated in recent years. Examines recent research and attempts to answer three questions regarding class size and academic achievement. Concludes that there is a link between the 2, but only in the early years and only with classes smaller than 20 students. (CFR)

The national issue of school choice and the reduction and prevention of violence among youth are two issues that are critical for African-American educators, parents, youth, and education supporters. In addressing these problems, African-American educators must become role models of empowerment and advocacy for youth. (SLD)

Fifty years after "Brown v Board of Education" inequalities in public education are evident in the disproportionate numbers of Black and Latino students who are held back, often do not graduate from high school, or are removed from school by unforgiving zero tolerance discipline policies. The National Center for Educational Statistics…

This paper attempts to refute current emphases on supposedly increased numbers of "students at risk." It is claimed that such terminology usually includes students who drop out, who become teenage mothers, or who are illiterate. Data are presented in tabular form demonstrating that all three of these "risk behaviors" are at their lowest in…

This newsletter, created for teachers, parents, and others interested in current educational themes, addresses the issue of mentoring, what it is, how it works, and why it is needed; and provides some examples of current mentoring programs. It explains that there are two types of mentoring: natural, such as through friends, relatives, and…

This six-article document examines the research base that can be used in formulating plans to improve the chances of schooling success for all students. Each article summarizes well-confirmed knowledge in a particular area, giving attention first to the research literature, and then to the tested experiences and practices of leading professionals.…

This document includes a selection of materials from the National Coalition of Education Activists (NCEA) on tracking and ability grouping designed to be a tool for teachers who wish to organize their school or district against tracking. The packet contains a cover letter, a response/feedback form, and reproductions of the following articles: (1)…

This paper describes six strategies for California teachers to consider in teaching the state's history-social science curriculum to educationally disadvantaged students. The six strategies are: (1) enriching history through literature; (2) connecting history with other learnings; (3) connecting history to personal experience; (4) adapting to…

This document comprises six papers that discuss teaching advanced skills to educationally disadvantaged students. An introductory paper, "Models for Teaching Advanced Skills to Educationally Disadvantaged Children" (B. Means and M. S. Knapp), synthesizes the themes that characterize the collection of papers as a whole, and discusses general issues…