Growing evidence suggests that Positive Youth Development (PYD), a holistic approach to developing assets and competencies, can help prepare young people for success in adulthood, including success in the workplace. At its core, PYD focuses on creating a supportive, developmentally appropriate learning setting by emphasizing positive…

Although researchers have found that family involvement impacts educational outcomes for children, there remains a dearth of knowledge regarding the connection between strengthening families and children's academic success. This study examined what parents' perceptions regarding the internal and external factors that strengthen families who face…

As a growing number of young children across the country are using media and interactive technology on a daily basis, the conversation has shifted from whether technology is appropriate to use at all to how it should be used to best support children's early language and literacy development. A new brief released today, Integrating Technology in…

Researchers and policymakers are increasingly interested in the issue of school accountability. Despite this, program standards for afterschool programs are not as fully developed as they are in other fields. This study bridges that gap and presents the results from a study that identifies benchmarks and indicators for high quality afterschool…

This document provides information designed to help businesses increase their involvement in supporting children and families. The first of three chapters discusses the impact of social changes on the work force, and lists benefits that accrue to businesses and families when businesses institute policies that support employees' families. The…

The Families Matter series of papers from the Harvard Family Research Project advances the concept of family-centered child care, advocating an approach to early childhood education that addresses the development of the child and family together. Grounded in family support principles, which build on family strengths and work from a community's…

The structure and function of family literacy programming in Illinois is examined in this two-part report. National models are reviewed to provide an understanding of research and practice in the field, and a framework is proposed for the systematic development and evaluation of family literacy programs. Based on visits to 19 sites (59% of the…

Child Care Dallas planned and implemented a project aiming to produce an employer-assisted family day care system which would meet the developmental needs of infants and toddlers, increase the community supply of infant/toddler care, be affordable for parents and employers, demonstrate effective methods for recruiting and training competent…

This directory describes current and newly expired projects funded under the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services' Secondary Education and Transition Initiative. An introduction describes the Transition Initiative and the role of the Transition Institute at the University of Illinois. A series of one-page case studies describes…