This report analyzes recent English-language research on basic skills in the workplace. Part A, a thematic guide to the field, includes detailed references to publications listed in Part B. Section A1 indicates the scope. It defines basic skills and underlines the importance of other terms, especially key skills, information and communications…

This monograph describes the development, implementation, and outcomes of the full-day, literacy-focused Bright Beginnings program for disadvantaged preschoolers in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) in North Carolina. Key components of Bright Beginnings are a child-centered curriculum with strong language development and literacy emphasis,…

Background: Across the nation, data on school performance indicate that, as a group, African American children and youth are not faring well. Educators, researchers, and community organizations have stressed that community engagement and involvement in the education of these youth is a key element in reversing current trends. Yet, while most…

Due to many of the stresses and societal challenges that African American parents face, parents who have children with antisocial behaviors need guidance and support to assist them with their children in the areas of parenting, academics, and social support. This study proposed a program that focuses on the parents and caregivers as vital persons…

Recently the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) completed a project to connect the scale of the MCA and BST with NWEA's RIT scale. Six Minnesota systems participated in the study, using test information from a group of over 13,000 students enrolled in third, fifth, and eighth grades who took these Minnesota Assessments and NWEA tests in the…

This study assessed the degree of enthusiasm for a home visits program at an elementary school in a middle-sized California town and determined the extent to which the home visits improved students academic and behavioral performance as a result of improving parental involvement in students school life. Participating in the study were 200 parents,…

El Camino College, California, is a public two-year college in the South Bay area of Los Angeles County. The El Camino College District encompasses 5 high school districts, 12 elementary school districts and nine cities, with a population of almost 1 million. The district is governed by a five-member Board of Trustees, each representing one of the…

Overcoming parents' negative stereotypes of career and technical education (CTE) is the goal of the Business and Education Symposium (BES) at Stratford High School, Goose Creek, South Carolina. The BES program has these four main goals: (1) educate parents about the changing demands of the workforce, so as to affect student course selection; (2)…

A study reviewed outcomes of 34 prevention programs for children (ages 5-18) that produce improvements in specific psychological symptoms or in factors directly associated with increased risk for child mental disorders. The following conclusions can be made regarding validated programs: (1) short-term preventive interventions produce time-limited…

The Adult Education and Literacy System (AELS) has been systematizing and promoting adult education in the United States since 1966, when the Adult Education Act (AEA) was passed. Today, some 4,000 organizations operate under the rules and regulations of the latest reauthorization of the AEA, the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA).…

This book reports on how the Community College of Denver (CCD) (Colorado) improved the success of its students under difficult conditions. CCD is an urban community college with inadequate resources that serves diverse and at-risk students. Demographic factors are discussed, such as the fact that Denver's population decreased 5% between 1980 and…

Ever since it was first written into the new nation's Constitution in 1950, achieving universal elementary education has proven an elusive goal for India. This book examines the failure of the Operation Blackboard scheme to establish a minimum norm of essential facilities for primary schools but argues that, in spite of its failure, the scheme has…

The General Accounting Office (GAO) examined the transition assistance programs offered by each military branch and their effectiveness. Data were gathered from the following sources: (1) program descriptions and administrative data; (2) structured group interviews with approximately 70 service members who had participated in the transition…

As part of an evaluation of educational projects funded by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) during the 1990s, case studies were conducted at eight sites in four Appalachian states. The sites reflected a range of project types, including school programs, adult literacy, distance education, and dropout prevention. Site visits allowed for a…

This document offers eight case studies - and a number of short profiles - documenting efforts in the United States and around the world, all connecting the dots between youth action and meaningful community change. The publication begins with reflections on why it is often so hard, especially in the United States, for young people to find the…