In two Oakland (California) high schools, one urban and one suburban, an audiovisual presentation designed to enhance student interest in optometry as a career was given. Results of the presentation, measured by a questionnaire, suggest that few high school students are considering pursuing an optometry doctoral degree, but an on-site presentation…

A study of 55 research centers at the University of New Mexico investigated the nature of the typical center, why funding has risen during the 1990s, reasons for founding the centers, the director's role, how university-based research centers transfer technology to private companies and other organizations, and what determines program…

Examined institutional advantages of school-age child care (SACC) programming in schools. A study of 63 SACC programs in 2 southeastern states revealed that community support, number of extracurricular activities, and frequency of academic activities significantly contributed to predicting advantages associated with SAC programming. (Contains 23…

Explores problematic charter-school characteristics that must be changed to improve American education: lack of innovative practices and improved academic outcomes; disproportionate administrative costs; segregation of students by ethnicity, income level, and special needs; and deplorable physical learning environments. More competition, planning,…

Explores why mental health has been a contested issue in Head Start and describes recent efforts to bring mental health closer to the center of the program agenda. Describes areas of challenge and innovation that might further the program goal of improving the well-being of parents and children in poverty. Concludes with recommendations for…

Investigated Japanese beginning teachers' perceptions of their initial teacher preparation and induction. Surveys indicated that teachers gave low ratings to their initial preparation and initial development of knowledge and skills. They believed they gained skills through their work as teachers. First year teachers' perceptions of knowledge,…

Research from the Kaleidoscope Preschool Arts Enrichment Program, developed by Philadelphia's Settlement Music School, shows that the arts prepare children for further learning. Initiated in 1990, Kaleidoscope provides young inner-city children with full-day instruction three or four times weekly in visual arts, music, dance, and drama. Students…

The Prescribed Pediatric Center (Toledo, Ohio) is a community-based, multidisciplinary program for infants and children with chronic, complex medical conditions. This article describes program beginnings; the planning process; and the program's growth, development, and components. Initial program evaluation indicates positive effects on some…

Describes an alternative, multicomponent assessment model that increases the probability of early identification of at-risk children who demonstrate the potential to be gifted. The model combines the use of traditional intelligence tests with nontraditional assessment strategies, including behavioral observations and curriculum-based assessment.…

Research shows that learning communities are an effective way to improve student performance and persistence, but the success of any particular implementation is not guaranteed. Each program should be evaluated with regard to the likelihood that better-prepared students tend to participate. The protocol used for evaluation at Indiana…

Questions some of the assumptions and practices defining most work experience programs in geography. Maintains that most workplaces operate within such a specific function that they limit the acquisition of generic skills. Notes that the very notion of transferable skills has never really been tested. (MJP)

Profiles the "Ready to Read Project," a literacy program developed in 1988 and implemented throughout several South Pacific islands including Fiji, Western Samoa, and the Marshall Islands. The program established a whole-language approach to English literacy based on principles and philosophies grounded in local and international reading…

This study compared three levels of inclusion (special education only, integrated special education, and mainstream placements) on the cognitive and language development of 66 preschool children with disabilities. Analysis of pre- to postgains revealed that integrated special education produced gains that significantly exceeded the rate of normal…

Engaged low-income adolescents in community advocacy efforts to transform their schools and communities to reduce substance use. The intervention involved social cognitive constructs (sense of community, perceived self-efficacy, outcome expectancies, incentive value, policy control, and leadership competence). Though there were no changes in…

This commentary summarizes findings from previous articles on system-of-care mental health programs for children and adolescents with emotional and behavioral disorders. It addresses characteristics of participating children and families, system measurement system development, costs and sustainability, and family participation in program…