As the incomes of affluent and poor families have diverged over the past three decades, so too has the educational performance of their children. But how exactly do the forces of rising inequality affect the educational attainment and life chances of low-income children? In "Whither Opportunity?" a distinguished team of economists,…

While working in a one-year position at Grinnell College, I was assigned to teach two sections of Introduction to Gender and Women's Studies (GWS). Although I had never taught in the discipline before, I decided that my course would need a social-justice component in order to ensure that students would understand GWS as both an academic discipline…

The communities that individuals have created are endlessly diverse. They have followed ancient patterns and have experimented boldly with innovative ideas. This publication and the exhibition it complements present only a few of the many ways that individuals have found to live together. It is divided according to the specific forces behind the…

Before unconditionally supporting the development of closer community or the restoration of a public realm, communication scholars should further reflect on the historical uses and potential threats attendant to this task. A sense of nostalgia sometimes romanticizes the Greek "polis" while sidestepping the changes wrought by population…

Assessing community viability with multiple-indicators (including education) is a necessary step in creating effective leadership in rural communities and schools. As part of a larger study of the effects of leadership patterns on community viability, this report examines the procedure for measuring community viability within the socio-geographic…

Designed for elementary school teachers in Santa Cruz, California, this book outlines an experiential approach to community study. Because the term community can encompass a scope as narrow as the school or as wide as the region, these guidelines are adaptable to several elementary grade levels. The book is arranged in six sections. The first…

Data from several nationally representative surveys are analyzed to answer questions concerning racial attitudes of White Ethnics, Protestants, Catholics, along with the effects of region and community size on racial attitudes. (Author/AM)

These materials have been prepared to help communities identify child care needs and appropriate services or policies for meeting those needs. The materials can be used by community groups to answer two questions: (1) Is there a need for child care in a specific community? (2) What kinds of child care services or policies would be most useful for…

Prepared to assist in decision making regarding the programs, courses, and services offered by Saddleback College, California, this report presents current and projected population data for Orange County and the Saddleback Community College District (SCCD); present and projected college enrollment and weekly student contact hours (WSCH); and…

This document describes how to construct and compare choropleth maps for selected Iowa communities and the construction and use of scatter diagrams as a supplement to map comparisons. These tools can be used to compare social, economic, and political variations between neighborhoods and to determine if associations exist between selected…

A community needs assessment study was conducted by Mississippi Gulf Coast Junior College (MGCJC) to obtain information for program planning and evaluation. Specifically, the study sought to identify educational needs not being met in the district; determine the general attitude of the community toward MGCJC; and measure the impact of the college…

The power of the symbol "Sephardic" to foster community association is extremely problematical in the Washington, D.C., context. Washington's Sephardic population is heterogeneous with respect to generation, self-definition, and culture. Complicating the situation is the nature of Washington itself, which in turn is inextricably linked…

This document is a teacher's guide to the historic buildings of Eugene, Oregon. Eighteen buildings in the Skinner's Butte Historical District are highlighted, including the U.S. Post Office, the Eagles Building, the Lane Hotel, the Oregon Electric Depot, the Southern Pacific Railroad Depot, and several houses. For each structure there is a brief…

An alternative general education program for freshmen at Albertus Magnus College is described. The program, an interdisciplinary student-centered introduction to general education, is composed of two parts that the student takes concurrently: (1) a year-long seminar in thought and expression, and (2) a sequence of four (usually 7-week) courses in…

The remarkable habits of harvester, fungus, honeydew, slave- keeping, and parasitic ants are examined. (KM)