Librarians like to say their libraries are the heart of their communities, and in Cynthia Fuerst's case, it is a fact. For the Kankakee Public Library, this took long, hard effort by an inspired library director, the mayor, and a developer who wanted to revive business in an economically devastated downtown. When Fuerst became the library's…

The article discusses three instruments used in evaluating the "Training for Consultants in the Development of a Community Resources Program." Sponsors of the project were the University of Illinois, Northern Illinois University, Illinois State University, Eastern Illinois University, Southern Illinois University, and Western Illinois…

This study examined the business curriculum offered by schools in the third largest community college system in the nation. The objective was to determine the degree that entrepreneurial-oriented curricula meet the needs of young people interested in starting their own business. By analyzing the business curriculum of community colleges throughout…

As part of a multiyear research study on the preparation of educators to use assessment data for instructional improvement, the present study is a pilot test of a research-based professional development intervention for career-technical teachers. Forty-eight educators at nine sites in five states participated in a 1-day workshop followed by…

To assess the effectiveness of the child care delivery system in Evanston, Illinois, a study was conducted of parent and caregiver perceptions of the affordability, availability, accessibility, and quality of local child care services. Questionnaires were distributed to the directors of 14 local child care centers and to 832 parents currently…

During the next five to ten years, community colleges in Illinois will retire more than half of their tenured faculty members, reflecting a similar national trend. Many masters and doctoral students seeking the professorate may consider community colleges as an attractive teaching opportunity. While community colleges often regard themselves as…

Communities of practice (COPs) are groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better through interacting with one another (Wenger 1998). Communities of practice have enormous potential to support and sustain quality care and education within a community and, in fact, are doing so. Businesses and…

The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) and the Division of Violence Prevention in the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) collaborated to conduct a rigorous impact evaluation of programs aimed at improving students' behavior. For this evaluation, such programs were termed Social…

The authors interviewed Black and Latino students from five high-poverty high schools as they attempted to make the transition into college. Their ability to exert individual agency with regard to their entrance exams and their college transition was circumscribed by the messages and behavioral norms that dominated their low-performing high school…

This book, an outgrowth of an earlier study undertaken in 1969 for the Illinois Board of Higher Education in connection with the preparation of a "Master Plan for Higher Education: Phase III," is a comprehensive analysis of the complex conditions which must be considered in order to make headway in providing higher educational…

Describes the Experience Based Career Education (EBCE) concept and history briefly, and discusses EBCE in Decatur, Joliet, and Sycamore (Illinois) with comments of support from students, the community, parents, and staff. (TA)

One viable economic development option for rural areas is the creation of business incubators--facilities that aid in the early stages of growth of an enterprise by providing rental space, services, and business assistance. Business incubators promote community development by diversifying the economic base, enhancing the community's image as a…

Presents the Winnetka Alliance for Early Childhood as a model community effort to meet the challenge of childrearing. Reviews some of the initiatives, activities, and problems faced by the alliance. Describes the characteristics of this Illinois community and its long history of interest and excellence in education, and encourages other…

This study examined attitudes of people about benefits of the economic impacts of two local colleges (Palmer College of Chiropractic and Scott Community College) in the metropolitan Quad Cities area of Rock Island County (Illinois) and Scott County (Iowa). The study compared impacts considered important by the community with those estimated by the…

A University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign program involving faculty and students in participatory action research to improve community-based organizations in East St. Louis (Illinois) is described. The project's origins, management, community development strategy, and accomplishments are documented, and some of the institutional, environmental,…