Both in concept and in practice, policy has permeated the deepest recesses of civil society and has had particular impact on the lives of those who are actively connected to the educational process. For music teachers in particular, policy can evoke images of a forbidden environment beyond one's day-to-day duties and responsibilities. Nothing,…

The persistent failure of public schooling in low-income communities constitutes one of our nation's most pressing civil rights and social justice issues. Many school reformers recognize that poverty, racism, and a lack of power held by these communities undermine children's education and development, but few know what to do about it. "A…

As the American immigrant population continues to expand, immigrant children and children of immigrants are entering the public school system. To be most effective, new teaching pedagogies must take cultural diversity into account. "Cross-Cultural Considerations in the Education of Young Immigrant Learners" explores some of the…

"Grow Your Own Teachers" describes the evolution of a local school reform movement in Chicago that now serves as a model for change in schools and teacher preparation programs across the country. Grounded in the grassroots organizing tradition, the Grow Your Own (GYO) teacher initiative involves collaboration between community-based…

Although much has been written about leaders and leadership, we unfortunately know little about women, particularly minority women, who fill this particular role. This book--the second in a series that explores women leaders in different contexts--presents the stories, and the reflections on their paths to leadership, of seven African American…

This book is intended as a resource for elected officials, municipal staff, and citizens who would like to apply the concept of sustainable development in their communities through an ecosystems approach to human settlements management. The subcomponents of human community life and its impact on the environment are explored. Included are tested,…

Many communities are rethinking their ideas of mutual support, social economy, and community economic development and are using "Time Dollars" strategies to build on their existing support networks and create a strong and valued social economy. This book provides an introduction to the social capital strategy of Time Dollars and presents…

This guide was prepared to fill the need for literature on the formation and functions of citizen committees. It is designed for mayors, other public officials, and citizen leaders who are responsible for creating committees and for citizens who serve on committees. Types of citizen committees are defined and classified according to primary…

This book examines the place of the arts in the schools and how to establish that place. The document makes the case for the role of the visual arts, music, dance, drama, architecture, and aesthetics in educating boys and girls while simultaneously using the arts as a vehicle for school renewal. A special focus of the book is the rational for, and…

This book, which provides information parents can use to counter violent television programing, alerts parents to the fact that television programing in the United States is pushing violent entertainment to its technological limits and allowing children to interact with the programing through their toys. The nine chapters in Part I discuss the way…

Parents and community members can become involved with schools in at least three ways: (1) direct involvement in an advisory capacity through school advisory councils, various parent organizations, or as individuals through involvement and shared decision making in School/Community-Based Management (S/C-BM); (2) hands-on involvement in school…

In an action research project, local citizens and community groups (often in collaboration with school professionals) investigate community-defined issues. Action research is geared to help people think clearly about an issue and find the resources they need to face it. In such a project, citizens develop skills in organizing, finding resources,…

This paper, the fourth in a series of five on the current state of citizen education, examines citizen participation in contemporary democracy. The content is presented in four parts. The first covers the areas of citizen participation and levels of analysis and includes the domains of citizenship, citizenship as behavior, and micro and macro…

The state of New South Wales (NSW) ceded the Canberra area to the Commonwealth in 1911 as the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), but maintained responsibility for education in the region until 1974, when the territory became responsible for its own educational system. ACT's Independent Education Authority came into being in large part as the…

Although increasing numbers of organizations are speaking out on behalf of children, politicians need to hear first-hand from families about their concerns for their children. This book provides parents and others with skills necessary to organize effectively and speak out on issues that affect children at home, at school, and in the broader…