Current research reveals that schools, families, and communities need strong leadership if they are going to shift away from the traditional models of involvement in which school personnel dominate the interactions. When school leaders create conditions that foster collaborative relationships among the school, families, and the community, the…

This report summarizes some of the parent and community involvement activities for AISD during the 2001-2002 school year.

The National Parent Teacher Association's Television Viewing Skills Project uses regional workshops, publications, a television review panel, and other activities to help children learn how to watch television in a critical, evaluative fashion. Family activities that can help children understand how television affects their lives are suggested.…

Research conducted to determine the degree to which federally mandated citizen involvement had been achieved in 15 Texas Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title VII Citizen Advisory Committees demonstrated, through the application of typology, that at no point was a high level of participation fully accomplished. (Author/CM)

A nonschool community agency, such as the county health department, may provide leadership and facilitate the emergence of realistic school sex education programs. An "awareness" conference attended by school district personnel and community members can lead to a committee to develop objectives for a sex education program. (JN)

The PTA subscribes to the view that education for sexuality begins at birth and is significantly and irrevocably influenced by parent-child relationships before the school years begin. Thirteen state PTA's participated in pilot and demonstration projects to develop public awareness of the need for comprehensive community sponsored sex education.…

Describes Emeritus College, a college within the College of Marin (California), designed to meet the continuing education needs of adults in or preparing for retirement. Discusses its development in terms of a preliminary needs assessment, obtaining funds, staffing, community involvement, curriculum planning, and improving program accessibility.…

Project Work/Learn at Birmingham Southern College, an attempt to build two-way college/community bridges, is described. Two-way requirements for building college/community bridges include: clear and distinct purposes for persons and institutions, mutual utilization of resources, two-way activity, and two-way management. (MLW)

Architecture as social action is discussed with the challenge being to find ways to make skills sensitive and responsive to local contexts and permit architecture to assume its appropriate form. Some techniques discussed are: storefront offices, architectural clinics, planning councils, mapping and gaming. (MLW)

The need for citizen involvement in foreign policymaking is discussed. Two factors in the inability to perceive, interpret, and participate in international dimensions of our lives and institutions include: (l) the socialization process through which we learn about the world, and (2) perception of little opportunity for personal participation in…

A member of the Bread Loaf Rural Teacher Network, a national organization of rural teachers interested in school reform, discusses the challenges that rural teachers face in creating criteria for evaluating student performance. Suggests that bringing teachers', students', and parents' voices into a community discussion about how to measure…

When the Johnson County Library (Shawnee Mission, Kansas) went the extra mile to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), an intensive program of building modification, new equipment acquisition, staff education, and community-awareness promotion was the result. A Disabilities Awareness Month was also launched. (AEF)

Points out that every four months the number of reported AIDS cases among adolescents doubles. Describes and evaluates a comprehensive AIDS prevention education program for preteens. Identifies adolescent attitudes as barriers to effective AIDS education. Presents strategies to break down barriers and promote acceptance of AIDS education,…

In the small Alaskan village of Manokotak, the community participated in the school's shift from an "English submersion" program to Yup'ik immersion plus ESL. Discusses community involvement and participative planning, first-year goals, scheduling of instructional time in each language, staff development, materials development, cultural…

Overviews the current status of special education programs in Mexico in general and in Ciudad Juarez (Chihuahua) and surrounding rural areas. Two special education administrators employed in the Ciudad Juarez school system discuss problems associated with teacher training and lack of administrative support, and the importance of parental and…