The American School Counselor Association Closing-the-Gap Action Plan template is a tool created to help school counselors identify educational gaps and track interventions. We applied a transcendental, phenomenological qualitative research method to explore school counselors' use of the template to advocate for students. Our findings demonstrate…

The author interviewed Dr. Carolyn Callahan, an eminent scholar in gifted education. The interview focused on Dr. Callahan's work on implementing gifted program in rural areas, and illustrated her suggestions for teachers, researchers, and parents on how to advocate for gifted students.

This report showcases advocacy efforts of 11 member organizations in 10 states that recently passed an early care and education (ECE) legislative initiative. The aim of the report is to provide advocates with proven strategies for advancing progress in securing access to ECE and expanding the opportunity for all children to start school prepared…

Briefly discusses the establishment of a community-based child protection team for working with abused and neglected rural children in a county of 18,000 people. Lists five resources for advocacy groups to contact. (BR)

Although Virginia's Governor Lowell Weicker comes from a privileged background, he has drawn himself close to the people. A liberal Republican with some strong conservative values, Weicker believes privilege means sacrifice in terms of time commitment and tax effort. Weicker has spearheaded legislation to benefit learning-disabled and economically…

The second of a series of four needs assessment related documents provides an inventory of state legislation in the Code of Virginia which is relevant to how the Commonwealth defines and/or responds to the status, conditions, and needs of its children and youth and their families. Section I serves as an overview of the document's contents with…

Hearings were held concerning community-based mental health services for children. In an opening statement, Chairwoman Schroeder discussed issues of children's mental health and suggested that the committee study: (1) the effectiveness of community-based care in a model service system in California; (2) the importance of having service systems in…

This White Paper on child care is the second of four to be published by the Action Alliance for Virginia's Children, and focuses on the affordability and availability of quality child care in Virginia. The paper states that despite federal attempts to simplify funding, funding remains complicated due to differences in the federal and state fiscal…

This report was compiled by the Appalachian Educational Laboratory (AEL) to provide information on child care services in the AEL Region. An initial overview addresses the topics of: (1) what child care is; (2) child care and early education; (3) state involvement in child care and early education; (4) the purpose of this report; (5) sources of…

This Kids Count data book details statewide trends in the well-being of Virginia's children. The statistical portrait is based on the following four areas of children's well-being: health and safety; education; family; and economy. Key indicators examined are: (1) prenatal care; (2) low birth weight babies; (3) infant mortality; (4) child abuse or…