"Guns on Campus: The Architecture and Momentum of State Policy Action" offers a detailed summary of state legislative action and higher education system policy decisions that have occurred in two specific categories: (1) States that have permitted or are seeking to permit guns on campus; and (2) States that have prohibited or are seeking…

Almost all U.S. college campuses ban concealed weapons. But in the aftermath of the tragic shooting deaths at Virginia Tech in 2007, the debate on whether guns should be permitted at colleges and universities has intensified. Dozens of states have considered proposals to lift bans on concealed weapons at colleges and universities, but so far none…

Imagine a school where students walked out of class if they didn't agree with the teacher; where gang violence was prevalent both in and around the school; and where enrollment had dropped from 1,800 students in the mid-'90s to fewer than 500 in 2009, that is the school culture at Jackson Central-Merry High School in Jackson, TN. At the request of…

As cities across the country and globe continue to generate new solutions to a wide variety of vexing problems, sharing information about what works and what doesn't has become more important than ever. Yet, outside of a few prominent policies, the vast majority of successful municipal experiments never reach a national audience or, for that…

In this article, the author stresses the dangers facing school leaders on the job. The school shooting at Campbell County Comprehensive High School in Jacksboro, Tennessee, on November 8, 2005, which left one assistant principal dead and the principal and another assistant principal seriously wounded, is an extreme example of dangers school…

Over the past year, dozens of articles have been published about excessive youth borrowing and spending (leading to high amounts of debt), new reactions to negative body image (such as plastic surgery), as well as more familiar risks like premarital sex and smoking. In Forum Focus: Revisiting Risk in the 21st Century, we explore these challenges…

In response to the escalation of violent crime among youth in Knoxville, Tennessee, two partnerships have been developed by Pellissippi State Technical Community College (PSTCC), a university and the K-12 system in the Greater Knoxville area, and community leaders to provide non-violent alternatives for youth. The first effort, the annual Greater…

Describes the National Drug Control Strategy's nine-pronged approach in addressing drug abuse, which includes the formation of partnerships between federal, state, and local governments and the private and public sectors. The strategy includes prevention initiatives, individualized treatment programs for high-risk groups, education aimed at…

This Kids Count report focuses on the well being of Tennessee's teenagers. The statistical portrait is based on 10 indicators of well being: (1) teen pregnancy; (2) drug abuse; (3) HIV infection; (4) sexually transmitted diseases; (5) high school dropout; (6) scores on the American College Testing Program (ACT); (7) teen employment; (8) school…

This Kids Count report examines regional differences in the well being of Tennessee's children. The statistical portrait is based on 16 health, social, and economic indicators of child well being: (1) percent of population enrolled in TennCare, state health insurance program; (2) percent of births lacking adequate prenatal care; (3) percent of low…

This Kids Count report is the first to examine the well being of Tennessee's children. The statistical portrait is based on 17 indicators of child well being: (1) children in single-parent families; (2) family income; (3) children living in poverty; (4) children in families receiving Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC); (5) percent of…

This Kids Count report examines statewide trends from 1992 to 1996 in the well being of Tennessee's children. The statistical portrait is based on trends in 16 indicators of child well being: (1) enrollment in state health insurance program; (2) births lacking adequate prenatal care; (3) low-birthweight births; (4) infant mortality rate; (5) child…

This Kids Count report examines trends in the well being of Tennessee's children. The statistical portrait is based on 23 indicators of child well being: (1) single-parent families; (2) family income/poverty; (3) children receiving Aid to Families with Dependent Children; (4) students participating in school nutrition programs; (5) teen…

This Kids Count report examines trends in the well being of Tennessee's children. The statistical portrait is based on 23 indicators of child well being: (1) single-parent families; (2) family income/poverty; (3) children receiving Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC); (4) student participation in school nutrition programs; (5) child…

This Kids Count report examines statewide trends in the well-being of Tennessee's children. The statistical portrait is based on 34 indicators of children's well-being in 5 broad areas: (1) infant, child, and teen health, including enrollment in the TennCare (replacement for Tennessee's Medicaid Program) insurance program, prenatal, low…