The Community Youth Activity Program (CYAP) was the first Center for Substance Abuse Prevention grantee demonstration project with a community prevention emphasis mandated by Congress under the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. One of the goals of the national evaluation of the CYAP, which expanded to 31 state grantees, was to establish a baseline of…

Noting that communities and states all across America are working to achieve the first National Education Goal--by the year 2000, all children in America will start school ready to learn--this paper provides information on efforts to meet that goal. The first portion of the paper presents a definition of readiness to learn devised by the Education…

To implement an action plan developed during an institute on building linkages for at-risk youth and adults through vocational technical education, a team of representatives from the Ohio Departments of Education and Human Services undertook three activities. First, a survey was sent to 832 Ohio educators and human services personnel to identify…

A survey of 2,439 high school students (the 1993 Youth Risk Behavior Survey) in North Carolina found that students present a mixed picture of healthy and risky physical, nutritional, and weight management practices. The survey examined perception of body weight; weight control by gender; method of weight control; consumption of fruit or fruit…

As part of an evaluation of educational projects funded by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) during the 1990s, case studies were conducted at eight sites in four Appalachian states. The sites reflected a range of project types, including school programs, adult literacy, distance education, and dropout prevention. Site visits allowed for a…

This document includes the Early Screening Inventory: Revised (ESI-R), a developmental screening instrument for 3- to 6-year-olds, and an examiner's manual. The inventory comprises two sample scoring sheets, one for preschool (ages 3-4) and one for kindergarten (ages 4-6), and a parent questionnaire. The inventory is intended to be individually…

A 2-year project was undertaken to develop, test, and distribute a video-based program to train low-income parents in engaging their 3- to 5-year-old children in highly motivating play techniques in order to enhance children's cognitive, social and motor skills for school readiness. An evaluation was conducted of the Year One phase of the training…

This publication presents the New Jersey State plan for the education of children of homeless families under the guidelines of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act of 1987. An introduction reviews current demographics of the homeless population, particularly children and youth, and highlights planned state responses. A second section…

This report describes the results of a survey on out-of-school youth's health risk behaviors. The behaviors studied include unintentional and intentional injuries; tobacco use; alcohol, and other drug use; sexual behaviors; dietary behaviors that cause health problems; mental well being; and physical inactivity. Seventy-eight percent of all the…

This book compares Israeli and U.S. programs to integrate high-risk youth into society. An introduction offers background on the context for such programs in Israel and the United States. Chapter 1, "Changing Youths' Attitudes: Well-Meaning Attempts in the United States," describes programs lacking a key long-term component. Chapter 2,…

Noting that the protective factors that support positive child development despite adversity are becoming better understood, this workbook discusses the importance of encouraging resilience in preschool children living in challenging circumstances and shows how to evaluate resilience through the use of checklists and background information. The…

This booklet advocates and describes the establishment of community run preschool and day care centers. The type described is based on the Laborie Community Education Centre in Saint Lucia, West Indies. Chapter 1 advocates establishing small, local institutions that are community managed, community owned, concerned with quality, and sustainable.…

This second volume of the Assessment, Evaluation and Programming System (AEPS) test and its associated curriculum describes the AEPS curriculum components for the developmental range from birth to three years. Section I describes the relationship between the AEPS test described in Volume 1 and the corresponding curriculum. Procedures for general…

Increasing numbers of children begin formal schooling without the requisite skills or abilities to succeed, most often due to deficiencies in language and emotional maturity. This study sought to identify potential precursors to later kindergarten difficulties that would suggest specific areas needing further study and support. Study participants…

This resource guide is the outcome of a 1989-1990 survey of school practices and programs that was distributed to all middle-level principals in Wisconsin public schools. The purposes of the survey were to assess the extent of middle-level programming in Wisconsin; highlight some needs in a school improvement effort; and share promising practices.…