The Wisconsin Framework for Comprehensive School Health Programs is a multistrategy approach to address the entire range of youth risk behaviors and promote the health, well-being and positive development of students and other members of the school-community as an integral part of a school's overall mission. The framework is a collection of…

This Kids Count report examines national and statewide trends in the well-being of the nation's children. The statistical portrait is based on 10 indicators of well being: (1) percent of low birth weight babies; (2) infant mortality rate; (3) child death rate; (4) rate of teen deaths by accident, homicide and suicide; (5) teen birth rate; (6)…

A study investigated effects of implementation of a new policy by the Ontario Ministry of Education that decreased grants for adults and amended the Ontario Education Act, forcing school boards to develop a parallel but "basic service" system of education for everyone over age 21. All adult students in daytime secondary school programs…

This book identifies and analyzes research studies related to the critical skills, environments, and adult interactions that contribute to young children's literacy development. Following introductory remarks on the reformation that has emerged in the language and literacy education of young children, the chapters are: (1) "Teachers' Roles in…

This Community Perspectives Series document includes statements about the new economy in Toronto made by four participants in a March 2001 forum. The new economy was defined by the moderator as "an economy that emphasizes knowledge and technical processes put to the production of goods and other outputs so that an individual's knowledge is…

This longitudinal study used repeated measures analysis of variance (RM ANOVA) and latent growth curve modeling to examine behavior change in 228 elementary school students over grades 1, 2, and 3 who varied in risk status. Of particular interest were the developmental trajectories for behaviors along four dimensions as rated yearly by teachers on…

This paper reviews published research on school-based programs to reduce sexual risk-taking behaviors. Analysis of 23 studies of school-based programs supports several conclusions about these programs. About 93 percent of all high schools offer sexuality or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) education, and the majority of these programs include…

Argues the need for special strategies for teachers who educate middle school students with severe emotional, social, and academic problems. Describes nine recommended strategies for program development, including methods for addressing individual students' needs and building a relationship between the home and school. (SD)

Whether adolescents from immigrant and ethnic minority families will make a successful transition to adulthood hinges on their educational achievement, their acquisition of employable skills and abilities, and their physical and mental health. This article focuses on the extent to which diverse adolescents are prepared for adulthood according to…

In the United States black women have for decades been twice as likely as white women to give birth to babies of low birth weight who are at elevated risk for developmental disabilities. Does the black-white disparity in low birth weight contribute to the racial disparity in readiness? The author summarizes the cognitive and behavioral problems…

The provision of a coherent "parenting," "teaching," and "developmental" program is a complex undertaking. It has all the makings of an organizational, managerial, and therapeutic nightmare when different types of workers, with marked differences in personality and values, become responsible for different children with a variety of problems in a…

The family plays a primary socializing role in the lives of boys and girls. The quality of relationships within the family is a particularly important element in the development of adolescent behaviors. A great deal of research demonstrates that family interactions characterized by parental nurturance, warmth, and social support reduce…

The purpose of "Focus" is to provide coverage of poverty-related research, events, and issues, and to acquaint a large audience with the work of the Institute for Research on Poverty by means of short essays on selected pieces of research. This issue contains the following articles: (1) Changing poverty and changing antipoverty policies…

Targeting the elementary school-age child, 5 to 12 years old, this book sets forth an integrated approach to developing classroom experiences, supporting a holistic curriculum intended to stimulate learning and social and emotional gains. The integrated approach has at its hub a child-centered classroom where students' individual needs form the…

This book provides an introduction to early intervention programs, focusing on programs that reflect a transactional model of family-centered services employing collaborative and interdisciplinary techniques. Chapter 1 presents the historical context of early intervention services. Chapter 2 defines the various disabilities and risk conditions.…