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…

As part of Project Adventure, a specific unit within a 12-week Colonial History course taught at a Massachusetts high school was designed to: involve students with each other, their community, and local history; add a significant social and experiential dimension to the course; use a unique system of student evaluation and grading; and be…

Each year more than 572,500 international students enroll in more than 3,300 colleges and universities in the United States. Currently, about 84,000 of these students attend community colleges. Why do so many international students choose to pursue higher education in the United States? First, U.S. colleges and universities welcome and value…

This handbook draws attention to the problem of dropouts in Massachusetts and offers solutions to increase the chances that all students will succeed. It suggests the need for systemic, school-based changes to foster learning environments that meet the emotional, social, physical, and cognitive needs of all students and staff. The handbook is…

Describes Choice, an alternative elementary school program that features combination classrooms (K-1, 2-3, and 4-5), an open classroom format, and strong parental involvement. Discusses widely held misconceptions about the program and attributes these to the conservative, working class nature of the community (Somerville, Massachusetts). (GC)

The coming of the eighteen-year-old vote places a new demand on the high schools for relevance in citizenship training. The town government seminar developed at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School offers an innovative alternative to the traditional approaches to civics education. (Editor)

Massachusetts middle school's Classroom-by-Committee program is based on town council model of subcommittees. Students briefed in self-management techniques choose committees that meet their needs while helping them develop critical thinking skills, set goals, identify problems, and generate solutions. Teachers facilitate learning, guide students…

This volume contains descriptions of five community work education councils that have broadened their agendas from a focus on youth issues to include serving adult learners by improving adults' access to education and training and by improving the articulation between work and learning institutions that serve adults in the community. Included in…

In the last decade, the Boston Public Schools has undergone critical reforms that have been of intense interest to school leaders and policymakers throughout the country. Under the leadership of superintendent Thomas Payzant, the Boston schools implemented extensive reform strategies that yielded notable results. Fittingly, at the end of Payzant's…

"Connection" presents its "Annual Directory of New England Colleges and Universities," providing a wealth of information on New England higher education. For more than a quarter of a century, this college and university directory has been the publication of record for those seeking important information about New England…

Undergraduate transfer is a messy and too-often frustrating part of college for faculty, staff and, above all, the students themselves. Students are discouraged by unclear and complicated curriculum requirements. Faculty are reluctant to accept courses from another institution and question the preparedness of transfer students. Advisors are…

A random sample of the thirty-eight Elementary Secondary Education Act Title III projects funded in Massachusetts for the three year period, 1971-1974 was surveyed in order to determine if the Federal money was well used, what has been learned about change in the past ten years, and what worked and what didn't, and why. [Available from…

Three separate buildings at the New North Community School, linked by an underground mall, serve and connect a series of communities. (MLF)

Examined the impact of client need scores in the allocation of resources for community mental health services in Massachusetts. Indicated no significant difference in allocation between groups relative to client need, with resources being distributed evenly across geographic areas. (Author/ABB)

In the 1996 and 1997 Massachusetts legislative sessions, several of Boston's key business leaders became active child advocates in alliance with more traditional advocates and other civic leaders, convincing public policymakers to create and fund several initiatives benefiting children. This working paper presents reflections on successful…