The State Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems (SECCS) Initiative represents a unique opportunity to improve the quality of life for young children and their families, and support them in reaching their full potential. Under the SECCS Initiative, state mother and child health agencies are being asked to apply MCH experience and expertise to a…

This report describes how expanding Universal PreKindergarten (UPK) services in New York City's Community School District 11 (CSD 11) demonstrates how a community school district can work with early childhood programs in the community to integrate early childhood services and public education in the northeast Bronx. The report examines the roles…

Designing a professional development system for parent educators requires weaving together multiple pieces from within the network of organizations providing parenting education. North Carolina examined how to build a system using the influence of evidence-based programs as well as professional credentialing for parenting educators. A system built…

The purpose of this guide is to help the policy maker address a series of questions regarding the protection and safety of computer systems and data processed within his/her agency. It introduces information systems security concerns, outlines the management issues that must be addressed by agency policies and programs, and describes the essential…

This document is volume two of a two-part report on a project designed to develop instruments and procedures for evaluating and assessing the status of vocational education facilities in Indiana. Volume 2 contains seven appendixes of charts, tables, and other related information which accompany the technical report found in volume 1. Appendixes…

Systems analysis is about problems and their solutions. Analysts are warned that in a field of constant change, this text can only provide some of the needed tools and information, not all of the answers. Wise systems analysts never become fixed on one technique or technology, knowing that they will change, but instead focus on learning…

This final report of a project conducted to design, develop, and test a comprehensive management plan for vocational education in Missouri is divided into three sections. Section I describes the rationale and components of a model based on the general systems approach to planning. An analysis of the planning process introduces several planning…

Knowing that many vocational facilities differing in outward appearance have equally successful results, the Indiana State Advisory Council on Vocational Education conducted a study to assess the essential elements of a vocational facility and to determine if a cost formula could be developed that would be useful for vocational administrators and…

This report illustrates the method, called the "SfB System," recommended in an earlier publication by this organization, for systematization of building projects. The aim of the report is to show how to arrange information on building elements and building construction for clear definition of the parts to be built and for easy…

Discusses the use of simulations to study complex real-life systems in engineering. Describes some of the limitations of using simulations. Identifies some situations in which computer simulations are practical and useful tools for the design, analysis, and evaluation of systems. (TW)

A problem in the building industry is the lack of coordination of research efforts and the time lag between the completion of research and the incorporation of the results in practice. A partial solution is attempted in this survey of current and past research dealing with innovation and other problems in the building industry and related…

This action kit highlights steps city officials can take to help young people who are not connected to school, work, or caring adults. The kit recommends steps that cities can take to promote educational achievement, develop stronger workforce connections, support youth in transition from the foster care and juvenile justice systems, and build a…

Maternal and child health practitioners often approach systemic change in a very practical manner: fostering a collaborative vision, engaging critical stakeholders, working with policymakers on reform, and bringing the data and experience to inform the process. Systems are often maintained at a status quo due to deep, ingrained structures,…

In a report on leadership research for the U.S. Army, three papers dealing with soft skills analysis and training are presented. "What Are Soft Skills?" describes a questionnaire designed to clarify the terms "hard" and "soft" skills. Soft skills are defined as important job-related skills that involve little or no…

On February 3, 2003, the Bush Administration unveiled its request to cut funding for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program by 40 percent in fiscal year 2004. This date also marked the administration's release of When Schools Stay Open Late: The National Evaluation of the 21st-Century Learning Centers Program, First Year Findings, the…