The chapters in this collection, distributed to conference participants as a springboard for conference discussions, consider sustainable models for school-family-community collaboration, partnerships in education, and other ways to improve learning for urban youth. The contributions are: (1) "The Empowerment Zone and Enterprise Community"…

Community-based organizations that worked effectively with urban youth were found to resemble experiential education programs. The finding was remarkable because the organizations did not identify themselves as places where experiential education took place. A study of four organizations examined ways in which they help youth to become more…

Educational partnerships are an important strategy for increasing the authenticity and value of school for future citizens. In addition to the financial benefits that school-business partnerships bring to schools, there are a variety of teaching and learning benefits of making links with the community. This report outlines reasons why schools,…

Over 10 years, the researchers studied community-based organizations (CBO) for young people, eventually examining the work of approximately 120 youth-based organizations in 34 different cities. A look at these organizations and the young people they serve shows that CBOs offer a means of reaching at-risk youth, and that they can have a significant…

Service learning, an instructional strategy for educators, has the potential to challenge students in diverse ways. It offers students experiential learning opportunities that are personally engaging, are educationally rigorous, require the direct application of knowledge and critical thinking skills, and transform both the community and the…

This report describes the implementation and results of the Utah Community Partnership for Character Development, a 4-year grant funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The project was initiated in January 1996, in 50 schools from 4 school districts in Salt Lake City (Utah) and neighboring communities. The grant included more than 65 schools…

The National Student Service-Learning and Community Service Survey was conducted in spring 1999 to determine the percentage of public K-12 schools that incorporate service learning into their course curriculum. Some of the findings of the study are the following: (1) 64 percent of public schools, including 83 percent of high schools, had students…

This brief paper reports on an evaluation of 10 community rehabilitation providers, six that successfully closed a facility-based program between 1989 and 1994, and four who are currently involved in a change process. Data collection consisted of participant observation, in-depth interviews, and document analysis. Findings indicated: (1)…

Parents and community members can become involved with schools in at least three ways: (1) direct involvement in an advisory capacity through school advisory councils, various parent organizations, or as individuals through involvement and shared decision making in School/Community-Based Management (S/C-BM); (2) hands-on involvement in school…

Puerto Rican students in a Teacher Corps Project reveal the magic that can result by having Spanish speaking teachers. (Editor)

In recognition that transition from high school to the world of work or higher education often represents a difficult period of adjustment, particularly for the handicapped student, guidance services for the handicapped student must provide the basis for a continuum of services extending well past termination from high school. This article shows…

The fourteen short articles that make up this section deal with all facets of community information centers. Organization, objectives, citizen involvement and standards are among the subjects covered. A resource guide is included. (76 references) (DH)

Article offers alternatives to traditional methods of teacher preparation whereby teachers interact more effectively with their environment, and school management becomes flexible and functions on a real plane that involves constructive change.