In the face of steadily declining numbers of small-operation farmers and ranchers, the Economic Dislocation and Worker Adjustment Assistance Act's Farmers and Ranchers Demonstration Project funded projects in four states to develop strategies for serving farmers. The experiences of these four projects in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South…

The Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program is designed to help the more than 1 million workers per year who lose their jobs because of permanent layoffs or plant closures, due in part because of imports. Studies show, however, that the TAA program fails to meet the seven goals of a successful reemployment assistance program: (1) TAA benefits…

Nearly 80 means-tested programs for low-income persons and families have been created by the federal government to help meet the needs of various groups. In fiscal year 1992, the federal government spent about $208 billion through these programs. Evaluation of these programs was based on reports by the General Accounting Office (GAO) and others.…

When the Inner London Education Authority (ILEA) was disbanded in 1990, 13 separate education authorities were created in its place. Two years after its creation, in partnership with all of its secondary schools, one of the new LEAs initiated a school-improvement project to raise standards called Schools Make A Difference (SMAD). This book…

Florida's Family Transition Program (FTP) combines a welfare time limit of 24-36 months with services, requirements, and financial incentives designed to help welfare recipients find and hold jobs. Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) applicants who were not incapacitated, disabled, or otherwise exempt from the FTP program were randomly…

A study of 250 persons who work with youth with emotional or behavior disorders and participated in school-based wraparound training in several sites across Illinois, evaluated the technical assistance that was provided to them. The initial training provided an introduction to the wraparound process and offered strategies for use in schools. A…

Since 1976, the Cumberland Valley School District (Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania) has offered an external high school diploma program for adults that combines academic achievement with life skill competencies. In 1995-1996, the Cumberland Valley School District received funds to recruit three educational agencies/school districts willing to…

The 71st Texas Legislature established several pilot programs for the 1989-90 and 1990-91 school years with the aim of improving the academic performance of and reducing the dropout rate of public school students. This report combines information about pilot programs from these 2 school years with cost surveys and descriptions of the programs.…

The military theme at Northeast Law, Public Service, and Military High School in Kansas City, Missouri, was evaluated during its second year of implementation (the 1990-91 school year). After a shaky start, the second year brought increased stability to the program. Program objectives were in place, and all military theme staff had been hired by…

An evaluation was made of the programs of the Des Moines Independent Community School District's Department of Community/Adult and Continuing Education. The 1992-93 budget for the department was $1,385,000. Ten full-time staff and 300 part-time staff administer, teach, and support program offerings. The department provides educational,…

When California implemented its class-size reduction (CSR) program in 1996, a number of questions regarding financial burdens, teacher shortages, scarcity of facilities, and collective bargaining were raised. This first-year implementation study aims to provide some contextual information as background for answering questions, to clarify these…

Three examples of successful integration efforts in England are presented. Springfield Junior School in Swadlincote, Derbyshire, originally comprised three separate institutions--an ordinary junior school, a special unit for children with severe learning difficulties, and a special unit for children with moderate learning difficulties. The three…

A study traced the establishment and implementation of the Reading Recovery program on the North Coast of New South Wales (Australia) in 1991. Teachers at the 12 schools involved in the program, key personnel at the New South Wales Department of School Education and the Catholic Education Office, and the Reading Recovery Tutor were interviewed.…

This paper discusses the development and use of student self-study centers in language programs, focusing on the experiences of a language teacher in developing such a center at Cultura Inglesia in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Self-study centers may be defined as a set of facilities aimed at providing students with the opportunity of learning…

The Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council offered a pilot program for instruction in mathematics in conjunction with its literacy program. The small group collaborative model was used. The council trained 20 tutors in a 12-hour basic reading workshop, then started 13 groups in 9 neighborhoods. Groups of about five students and a tutor met once each…