Explains how the Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools used budget management and community support in successfully building new facilities and preparing the district for expanding instructional technology programs and providing new ones. An overview of the Nashville Public School district is presented along with data on how the district divides…

Institute for Educational Leadership report identifies 15 characteristics of an effective school board and lists steps to strengthen leadership roles and create a more informed and supportive public. Characteristics include addressing energy/time toward educational outcomes, establishing board and superintendent evaluation procedures,…

To deal with censorship, teachers should prepare a rationale for the books they use, develop support in the community for freedom to read, be prepared to explain how materials are selected, and have a policy ready for handling censorship efforts. (AEA)

Approaches to gaining solid, continuing support for the art program in Dade County, Florida are outlined. The authors state that the advances made are the result of hard work and painstakingly earned administrative support. Each action step described is followed by a description of the result of that action. (KC)

The press has the power either to foster or to diminish confidence in the schools. Educators must learn some ways to use the news media to the schools' advantage. (JM)

Suggestions for helping communities achieve the first National Education Goal--by the year 2000, all children will start school ready to learn--are presented in this document. The ways in which readiness is developed and what communities can do to support families are described. Examples are provided of 13 community projects that are preparing…

The Recovery Month observance highlights the societal benefits of substance abuse treatment, lauds the contributions of treatment providers, and promotes the message that recovery from substance abuse in all its forms is possible. The observance also encourages citizens to take action to help expand and improve the availability of effective…

Despite widespread support for out-of-school time programs, many of these programs rely on time-limited core funding and struggle to find new funds to sustain their programs and initiatives as initial grants expire. This report provides concrete tips and examines ways out-of-school time initiative leaders have succeeded in replacing initial seed…

The Recovery Month observance highlights the societal benefits of substance abuse treatment, lauds the contributions of treatment providers, and promotes the message that recovery from substance abuse in all its forms is possible. The observance also encourages citizens to take action to help expand and improve the availability of effective…

Public schools across the country are aiming to improve student performance by engaging in comprehensive school reform (CSR). This guide was created to help school districts make CSR an integral part of their strategies for improving student achievement. Five components for CSR are described: (1) Strategizing, whereby the district supports CSR by…

Reviews the major factors media specialists must consider in evaluating instructional software for microcomputers, stresses the importance of staff use of instructional software as a selection criterion, outlines the role of community support in implementing instructional computing, and recommends several periodicals as sources of information on…

Describes how a citizen's advisory committee in Arlington County, Virginia formulated criteria that the school board could use in recruiting and appointing a new superintendent. The final recommendations focused on two categories of superintendent attributes--educational leadership and personal qualifications. (LMI)

This article highlights several strategies that are crucial for successful school-community relations: (1) know your audience and build a relationship with them; (2) identify key influential constituents; (3) make budget information available and interesting; and (4) ask instead of tell. (LMI)

Describes how the Magwood Public Library (Cook County, Illinois) successfully passed a $6.5 million tax referendum. Recommends showing the need for expansion, hiring an architectural firm to conduct a feasibility study, detailing the costs, securing community support, emphasizing cost effectiveness, and promoting the proposal. (AEF)

Describes one inner-city school district's struggles with old buildings and community apathy that has caused no school funding issues to be passed in two decades. Showing the school district's ability to give value back to the neighborhood is considered an important element in changing public opinion. (GR)