Social workers in schools provide benefits not just for struggling students, but for the entire school community. But, the authors argue, school social workers are often relegated to monitoring IEPs and doing basic casework. By using skills and values that have long been fundamental to social work practice, school social workers can advocate for,…

Launched in 2011 by the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Jobs for the Future, the Pathways to Prosperity initiative is helping states create seamless transitions from high school to college and the workforce. Inspired by youth development systems that have long been in place in other high-performing nations--such as Australia, Switzerland,…

Homelessness is a complex and layered phenomenon, but schools can be effective in reducing its educational consequences. Schools currently are not doing enough. The next step is to consider the services that are needed for students as they arrive on the school campus. Taking care of homeless children in school systems involves seven provisos:…

Charter schools that have partnered with nonprofit, for-profit, and public organizations have leveraged a wealth of human, financial, and organizational resources to help the schools improve. The authors suggest that all schools can learn from the charter schools' experience. (Contains 8 endnotes.)

Discusses assessment procedures, progress, major criticisms, and general support of the long range research program initiated in 1968 to evaluate the nation's educational system. (JK)

Restructuring is this era's main contribution to improving America's schools. Teachers, parents, and communities must become more involved in school decision-making, and children need more choice in curricular decisions. Ten "commandments" for successful early childhood collaborations are presented. Care and education are inseparable.…

A community school in a total community education process is not and cannot be the same school with a few additional evening enrichment programs. What community educators seek is a new form of education. (Author)

Examines three San Diego initiatives exemplifying innovative types of school-community partnerships: the executive-driven Hamilton Center social services model; the Crawford Cluster Connection, a family stabilization consortium that stressed professional collaboration; and the Central Elementary School multiethnic program, built on family…

Teachers and administrators are not adequately prepared to address the range of children's social and psychological needs but must rely on parental and community assistance. Instead of merely referring students to social services and health departments, schools must become multiple-service brokers and forge broad community alliances to protect and…

The breakdown of traditional families and increasing numbers of at-risk children have greatly increased need for building collaborative networks to reduce disabling risk factors. Building children's resilience involves reducing overall vulnerability, reducing impact of emotional stressors, increasing resources available to provide for interagency…

Coordinated school-health programs such as South Carolina's Healthy School Initiative focus on key risks to health and learning; enjoy student, staff, and community support; and incorporate many disciplines, community groups, and agencies. Higher education institutions should become more involved, despite problems with developing common goals,…

Notes that it is not known whether more time spent in school increases children's learning. Suggests that instead of running the "assembly line" for more hours, educators might try a summer program based on enrichment and fun-time activities as an alternative way to discover whether more learning time would be a good investment. An important…

Highlights the importance of designing integrated, coordinated social contexts to foster children's development. Summarizes effective program characteristics and guidelines for building lasting partnerships. Six types of involvement (parenting, communicating, volunteering, learning at home, decision making, and collaborating with the community)…

There are five primary areas in which mayors exert visible and invisible influence--appointments, decision-making, public statements, coordination of resources, and provision of basic services. (Author/IRT)

Provides practical suggestions for meeting the anticipated increased costs (6-8 percent) that will normally accompany new dimensions of community education. (Author/JH)