Research exploring the impact of social class on family and school relationships indicates that families with high levels of socioeconomic status (SES) possess resources that enable participation in traditionally accepted forms of family engagement (Henderson and Mapp, in, A new wave of evidence: The impact of school, family, and community…

The English Language Learner (ELL) Summer Camp in Worcester, Massachusetts--an intensive six-week program that served middle school and high school students from Worcester Public Schools (WPS)--was the product of a five-way partnership that included the school district, higher education institutions (Latino Education Institute [LEI] at Worcester…

The nation's 1,200 community colleges are well positioned to strengthen the workforce of one of America's most critical sectors--health care. They can provide training and credentialing for incumbent workers in health care and to prepare new workers to succeed in and meet the workforce demands for this sector--expanding individual opportunity and…

Spurred both by fiscal realities and momentum from the U.S. Department of Education's agenda for school improvement, local and state education leaders are moving forcefully and quickly to make big changes to districts and schools that have long struggled with low test scores and graduation rates. In Kansas City, Missouri, the school board voted…

Arts education has been a low priority in the nation's public schools for more than 30 years. In some communities, a countermovement to this dwindling presence of arts education in the schools has developed in the form of initiatives aimed at coordinating schools, cultural institutions, community-based organizations, foundations, and/or…

The National Institute on Out-of-School-Time (NIOST) investigated partnership strategies between community-based organizations conducting afterschool programs and the schools they serve. NIOST used in-depth phone interviews and site visits to collect information on several community-based organization afterschool programs and their affiliated…

Roca, Inc., a grassroots human development and community organization, has adopted the peacemaking circle as a tool in its relationship building with youth, communities, and formal systems. Circles are a method of communication derived from aboriginal and native traditions. In Massachusetts, the Department of Social Services and the Department of…

THE REPORT POINTS OUT THAT, IN GENERAL, CHRONIC PROBLEM PARENTS GREW UP IN ENVIRONMENTS OF EMOTIONAL IMPOVERISHMENT, INCONSISTENCY, CONFUSION, AND DISORDER, OFTEN WITH DEPRIVATION OF FOOD, CLOTHING, AND SHELTER. THESE PARENTS CATEGORIZE PEOPLE AS THOSE WHO GIVE AND THOSE WHO TAKE. THEY BLAME THEIR PROBLEMS ON EXTERNAL CIRCUMSTANCES NOT UNDER THEIR…

THE OVERALL GOAL OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION FOR CITIZEN PARTICIPATION WAS TO REALIZE TO THE FULLEST EXTENT A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY. THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION TRIED TO HAVE THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, FROM THE TOP EXECUTIVE TO THE SLUM TENANT DWELLER, REPRESENTED AT ALL MEETINGS. THIS NEW CITY-WIDE CIVIC AGENCY, ENTITLED ACTION FOR BOSTON COMMUNITY…

Massachusetts is heralded nationally for being the first in the nation to enact a state policy to redesign and expand the learning day for all students to advance academic achievement, broaden enrichment opportunities, and improve instruction. The Expanded Learning Time (ELT) Initiative has gained momentum over the past several years due to the…

This manual is especially designed to inform and aid community organizations in understanding cable television and planning for the future. With the exception of the chapter on Massachusetts cable legislation, most of the book should be useful to community organizations anywhere. At the beginning, the history and experience of cable television in…

Briefly summarizes the history of the Boston Chinese and focuses on their present social and economic problems and the programs developing to deal with the problems. (JM)

In Boston, court ordered school desegregation lacked support from both city officials and the Boston School Committee. In order to facilitate integration, community groups banded together to form daily debriefing sessions. The purpose was to identify and assess critical incidents and provide necessary information to the various districts having…

In Concord (Massachusetts), the Emerson Umbrella Center for the Arts holds seasonal workshops that invite people outdoors to explore woods, fields, and rivers and then process their discoveries through art. Each spring, a colorful community Earth Day celebration demonstrates the link between community art and community activism. The center also…

Presented is the 1974 annual report of the Office for Children, an agency responsible for monitoring and coordinating all services for children in Massachusetts. Among the aspects covered are administrative organization; the development and implementation of a special budget for new and expanded children's services; the formation of 39…