This paper addresses one major question: What unique perspectives and skills does the university researcher, in interaction with the teacher/practitioner, contribute to help a collaborative research/evaluation team identify its research and achieve its goal? Case analysis of a recently completed National Institute of Education Project (Action…

To meet the needs of immigrant children and their families, educators can collaborate with community agencies. This paper discusses the International Institute of Metropolitan Detroit, an agency that has historically addressed the needs of immigrants by collaborating with schools and other community agencies. The paper first describes the history…

This paper offers a theoretical model for designing, managing, and evaluating collaboration efforts. The parallel-pairs model is composed of a horizontal axis that specifies the scope and significance of activities. An advantage of the model is its ability to evaluate activities individually or as a group. Two examples of how the model was used in…

The sytems view of organizations recognizes that all parts of the organization, including people and organizations within networks, affect all the other parts. This study examines the interorganizational relationships of a rural community human service delivery system in northern Minnesota. The coordination and integration of human services appear…

A study was designed to identify the underlying dimensions of the barriers and facilitators to the linkage of vocational education and registered apprenticeship programs. It was anticipated that knowledge of the factors derived from identified barriers and facilitators would provide assistance in the development of models designed to establish…

Records (1972-1982) showing documentation of abuse or neglect in 95 developmentally disabled children were examined. Information was gathered on the children's functioning level, family income, involvement of communiy services, sibling abuse, and family's general lifestyle. Results indicated that in almost every case, the families experienced…

Chronicles the effort to preserve bilingual education in California following the passage, in November 1986, of Proposition 63 that made English the state's official language. On the day after the election in which this initiative was supported, its sponsors made public their intent to abolish California's bilingual education program. Compromise…

This study uses a historical perspective to examine the interface of the Maryland Juvenile Justice Department and the Mental Hygiene Administration in their efforts to provide services to youth involved with the juvenile justice system who were found to have mental disorders. A time line was constructed documenting developments from the 16th…

The purpose of this investigation was to document the development, operation, and impact of an interagency agreement between two federal departments cooperating to create the School Crime Intervention Program, Activity I. The agencies involved were the U.S. Office of Education and the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration. Data were collected…

Findings of a study that examined the potential problems faced by beginning school principals are examined in this paper, with a focus on the obstacles that hinder the practice of interagency collaboration. The study was based on the belief that principals who act as instructional leaders place the needs of learners at the center of all school…

Increasingly, a majority of postsecondary students are following nonlinear paths in the pursuit of educational and career goals. Practical steps are described that can be taken to track and evaluate the success of such students. A particularly promising practice involves data sharing and exchanges with state agencies and other higher education…

Organizations or individuals who operate independently but who have common links, such as a shared clientele, a shared funding source, or common ownership, form "loosely organized systems." Organizational theory has concentrated on the nature of tightly organized systems, which generally need help reducing the rigidity of role definition and of…

A developmental research activity was undertaken to create and field test a systematic process designed to assist vocational educators to form linkages with business and industry. The literature was synthesized to ascertain what has been learned about the linkage process and coordination theory and has served as a basis for writing a manual for…

Practitioners, researchers, and policy makers have attempted to improve the delivery of in-home service to the frail elderly through the expansion or merger of existing care providers or through the creation of coordinating units. To investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of a third approach to in-home services, 68 older adults (mean age,78…

The needs assessment literature has not systematically addressed the special problems involved in evaluating the mental health needs of children. In an attempt to provide a low-cost, comprehensive approach to assessing these needs, a multi-modal design, which sampled the impressions of parents and key informants, along with agency and government…