The emergence of longitudinal data systems over the past decade has provided exciting opportunities to better understand students' educational trajectories over time and institutions. The stark reality for today's high school students is that some form of postsecondary education is a necessary ticket of entry to a secure economic future. This…

Designed to be a resource guide for parents, teachers, and policymakers, this book traces the historical development of family literacy and provides an overview of the field in the United States. It includes discussions of more than 100 sources about family literacy. The book presents specific information about particular family literacy programs…

One of a series on topics of concern to the U.S. media, this guide is intended to provide journalists with a critical analysis of U.S. media coverage of Africa. Section I provides an overview of the folklore about Africa and the nature and sources of stereotypes and misconceptions about Africa and the Western world. Findings and interpretations of…

Part of a larger report on the Four Directions Project, an American Indian technology innovation project, this section includes six "pathfinders" to locating information on Internet resources. The pathfinders were designed by students in the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Texas at Austin in…

This report defines active and passive solar energy systems, describes home uses for solar energy, and offers guidelines for choosing and installing a system. Much of the information is specific to the state of California. Uses for solar energy which are presented include passive space heating, passive cooling, active space heating, household…

This booklet offers guidance for increasing the dissemination and utilization of information (especially federally funded disability research) through development of user-friendly materials and alternate formats. Individual sections address: the distinction between alternate formats and accessibility, suggested policies to help define approaches…

Although knowledge of how the population of an area is structured and how it is constantly changing will not solve problems created by the changes, it will provide a basis for understanding the needs of an area and for better program planning. Population processes that produce growth or decline in areas include natural increase, migration, and…

Noting that obtaining facts and figures on important policy issues related to children is the critical first step toward identifying what is working and what needs improvement, this Kids Count guide is designed to help local community members find and use data on the condition of children and families in Minnesota. The guide describes how to…

This document is a loose-leaf collection of materials intended to help citizens become active in working to make schools more effective. Its organization and contents are geared to three kinds of information needs. Part A provides research evidence on what works in instruction. It includes (1) a summary of the "Effective Schools" research, (2) a…

Prepared to help small towns assess community population and economic trends, this publication provides a step-by-step guide for establishing an on-going local data collection system, which is based on four local indicators and will provide accurate, up-to-date estimates of population, family income, and gross sales within a town's trade area. The…

Part of a larger report on the Four Directions Project, an American Indian technology innovation project, this section includes 10 "pathfinders" to locating information on Native American cultural themes. The pathfinders were designed by students in the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Texas at…

This handbook is intended as a resource for use in the study, documentation, presentation, and teaching of Wyoming folk traditions. Much of the information is applicable to work with folk traditions in general. The seven chapters include a brief description of what folklore and folk arts are and a survey of some folk traditions practiced in…

Part of a larger report on the Four Directions Project, an American Indian technology innovation project, this section includes 10 "pathfinders" to locating information on learning and instructional technology resources. The pathfinders were designed by students in the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University…

This guide provides planners with the essential tools and methods of labor market analysis for planning local occupational programs. An introduction discusses responsibility for development of labor market information (LMI) and guide development. Chapter 1 is a brief checklist of the steps involved in developing and using LMI in program planning.…

This book is a guide to providing library resources and services that support homeschooling. The first section contains an overview of the homeschooling movement, statistics that show a nationwide trend toward this form of education, and an examination of the motivations, philosophies and educational styles of homeschoolers. The second section…