This handbook for parents defines and describes the process of citizen participation in educational decision making. After describing the history of citizen involvement, the booklet answers questions regarding why and how community members can become involved in policy formation. Problems in participatory decision making and strategies for…

Previous and present relationships between colleges and their communities are examined to determine the various forms of intervention, both social and economic, that will shape this relationship in the future. Four forms of community intervention are identified. (1) By its participation in college programs and services, the community is the…

Technical capability, a resource needed by citizen groups, can usually be found. The uncertain political authority for decision-making given to citizen groups is a more serious problem. Local groups must learn where their project fits into the local political scheme. (EM)

To assist project members in understanding the concepts and philosophy of community-based education in Teacher Corps programs, this document presents eight learning guides. The first two guides relate community-based education to regulations and to emerging community-based policy in the Teacher Corps program. They offer background material for the…

Methods for encouraging community involvement and training community volunteers for decision making positions in community schools are described. The functions of community schools are to provide a broad diversity of learning opportunities and to involve citizens in assessing community needs, evaluating services, and advocating…

This paper focuses on defining and comparing four approaches for identifying the community's power actors. It outlines how professional change agents might use each of the four approaches to identify community power actors who are relevant for community development. The four approaches include the positional, the reputational, the decision-making,…

Two longitudinal field studies of the process of information dissemination through newspapers were conducted on two different public affairs topics (regional planning and routing of a high voltage power line) in four communities to examine the role of newspapers in increasing levels of conflict and in creating greater levels of awareness and…

The Institute for Responsive Education (IRE) is a private, nonprofit organization involved in research, policy analysis, assistance to local sites, and development of a national information clearinghouse and network for citizen groups. IRE recommends an approach to community based education that encourages citizen participation in decision-making…

Strategies counselors can use to involve "significant others" (persons who have an important influence on the career plans of students, e.g., parents, peers, and relatives) in high school career guidance programs are offered in this handbook. Content is presented in three main sections: (1) a brief, nontechnical section summarizing how significant…