A wide range of information pertaining to foster care and the role of foster parents is presented in this handbook. The nature of and the need for foster care are discussed briefly. Specific information is presented on the relationship of foster children to their parents, the court, their custodian and their guardian, and the process of becoming a…

When parents in Cupertino, California, became dissatisfied with the nontraditional, unstructured education offered in their district's elementary schools, they created the Academics-Plus alternative program. This account of the history of the 3-year-old A+ alternative school is written by one of its original promoters. The elementary level A+…

This document discusses (1) the method of determining who shall be involved in educational policymaking, (2) the forces that currently control educational policymaking, (3) the forces that are intruding on educational government, and (4) the ways these intruding forces can be utilized to strengthen democracy and to help resolve some of the…

Of special interest for social work students, teachers, and practitioners, the collection of 94 articles presents a broad survey of the field of mental retardation particularly as it relates to social work. The articles indicate both past work and the current status of social work practice with the mentally retarded. Material includes background…

Described in this 1955 document is the initiation of school integration in the District of Columbia immediately following the 1954 Supreme Court school desegregation decision. The report presents information about the desegregation process in terms of pupil assignment and extent of interracial classes, teacher and administrator integration, parent…

Reported is a study to describe how 12 groups of parents of handicapped children in Oregon engage in political democracy; and to identify some of the organizational, strategical, and attitudinal factors which maintain and sustain the participatory process. In an introductory chapter on the purpose and scope of the study, it is noted that data is…

Considers the relationship between parents and the public schools and objectively enumerates parents' legal and social rights and responsibilities, concluding that parents have the opportunity to be significant change agents in the lives of children and schools. (NKA)

Part 1 of the education directories for 1940, 1941, and 1942 covers federal and state education agencies. U.S. Federal Security Agency Office of Education officials, principal state school officers, and county and other local superintendents are listed. Part 2 lists principal city school officers and Catholic parochial school superintendents. Part…

This article suggests ways that parent-teacher associations can participate in a new drug and alcohol project launched by the national organization. A quiz to increase awareness of drug abuse is included, along with a list of educational materials and sources of further information. (PP)

This article, based on the experiences of the Ainsworth (Oregon) Parent Teacher Association, offers a step-by-step guide for parents who wish to bring computers into their children's schools. Ways to build public and school support, do necessary planning and research, evaluate available equipment, and implement the program are suggested. (PP)

This article discusses recent developments in the status of local, statewide and national advocacy groups and networks of parents of children with behavioral, mental and emotional disorders. Several groups of each type are described, along with lessons learned through experiences of local groups. Contact numbers for listed groups are offered. (PB)

The booklet describes the Parents Alliance Employment Project, a program to provide job development, job placement, and job coaching to persons with intellectual disabilities in the DuPage County, Illinois, area. The first four sections provide an introduction, explain the program's philosophy, describe the population served by the project, and…

This self-help manual contains advice for parents who want to improve the schools their children attend by influencing school planning, policy, and administrative practices. The first step in improving schools is deciding whether a new group is necessary. If it is, parents must connect with other parents and then hold a first meeting at which…

The history of educational services for mentally retarded persons in Denmark is traced, along with the evolution of attitudes toward the population from a protectionist philosophy which promoted segregation to current thinking about normalization. The role of the national parents' association in influencing service review and reform is stressed.…

A comparison of two networks of citizens and parents leads to the conclusion that an effective citizen network in education should have a formal organization, structured leadership, specific goals, and a diverse and active membership. The rise of such groups is attributed to people's feelings that schools are failing to educate. These networks of…