This article draws on results of an evaluation of Sure Start activities in an area of South Wales in 2004, focusing in particular on measurements of improvements to child development and measurements of benefits to parents. The article reports on the methods that were used to collect relevant data and examines the problems associated with linking…

Group-randomized trials (GRTs)--studies that evaluate the efficacy or effectiveness of interventions occurring at the group level--are increasingly used to assess the effects of school-based prevention programs on behavioral outcomes of children and adolescents. These designs pose many implementation and design challenges for school…

This practicum was designed to give parents of preschool children with autism an understanding of the disorder and appropriate skills to manage their children's challenging behaviors. A curriculum-based training series involving weekly 2-hour sessions was implemented during a 12-week period for 25 participants. Goals included increasing the…

Many reports of successful school-based intervention programs suffer from an overestimation of the real effects, errors which many times arise from statistical technicalities. An illustration of such overestimations, as seen through a reanalysis of data on a successful program, is reported in this paper. The data were reevaluated using a variety…

This document is designed to provide enough information for technical colleges and similar institutions to conduct their own focus visits. A focus visit is defined as a full-day activity that takes place on the campus during which a team of 10-25 individuals (program faculty, former and current students, technical college staff, advisory committee…

A draft of a book, "School Choice: The Cultural Logic of Families, the Political Rationality of Institutions," received a great deal of media attention. The book contains research from nine different studies of school choice and includes an introduction and conclusion by Harvard professors Richard Elmore, Gary Orfield, and Bruce Fuller. The…

As the case management approach has become increasingly popular, a new phenomenon has emerged. A client may have several case managers, each employed by a different project, and these managers may not be aware of each other. The National Center for Children in Poverty has recently conducted research on case management in service integration…

The National Center for Children in Poverty recently conducted research on case management in service integration projects. The core of the study's information comes from 16 projects around the country, all serving children living in poverty. This brief discusses the characteristics of case managers, including their demographic attributes, tenure,…

The role that contemporary parent training programs play in solving problems caused by breakdowns in the family unit and parent-child relationships is clarified. Guidelines are offered to help various segments of society provide parent training. Part 1 explains why parent training is needed and highlights modern parent training programs. Part 2…

As part of an effort to correct major social problems, the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) was created in the State of Washington. The ECEAP offers comprehensive, quality preschool programs for children of families who have an income at or below the federal poverty level. An introductory section of the report provides…

This practicum was designed to improve preschool, kindergarten, and first grade teachers' group decision making skills in order to encourage program continuity from grade to grade in schools in a culturally diverse metropolitan area. A second aim was to use shared skill building to reduce isolation and improve problem solving among preschool and…

A Congressional hearing dealt with issues related to the repair program and facilities master plan of the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS). Opening remarks by Representative Thomas M. Davis outlined his concern over the delayed opening of the DCPS in the fall of 1997 because of uncompleted roof repairs, and the results from a performance…

This report takes an in-depth look at the evidence of family well-being since the 1996 federal welfare legislation drawing on new national survey data, a review of studies by states and research institutions, and a compilation of findings from informal community-based monitoring projects. Disturbing findings include: Only a small fraction of…

The Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program was developed to provide an education for students who were expelled from school or who were adjudicated to attend an alternative school. The program was operated by the Harris County Juvenile Board, but the Houston Independent School District contracted with the county to place expelled students…

The methods and findings of studies of the effects and value of preschool education and compensatory education programs, such as Head Start, are reviewed. After introductory comments on ideological controversies and on terminology, section 1 focuses on evaluative studies of the immediate and long-term effects of preschool education and early…