Although current middle-level philosophy recommends a carefully planned transition between schools, many elementary school students continue to leave cohesive, self-contained classrooms for quasi-departmentalized middle schools with continuously changing class membership. A two-phase pilot study showed that (male) students in a constant-membership…

Although financially overburdened, North Brunswick Township School District in Central New Jersey has committed to an ongoing inschool suspension plan aimed at reducing the numbers of at-risk students and providing some badly needed services. The district's high school eventually adopted the successful middle school model to reduce worsening…

Prospective students and their parents need as much information as possible about a school's programs, staff, administration, and expectations. One Missouri middle school begins its orientation program with a school/PTA newsletter and a coffee for parents of fifth graders. Simultaneously, the middle school works with the local high school to…

In Great Britain, recent declarations of the Department of Education and Science and the National Curriculum Council have suggested that the National Curriculum will banish continuity difficulties for students transferring from primary to secondary schooling. The National Curriculum, however, does not address the main issue--lack of communication…

Flipping burgers, operating cash registers, and stocking shelves are unchallenging, dead-end jobs that hinder high school students' academic success. U.S. industry has been using advanced technology to dumb-down jobs. Efforts of states and school administrators to restrict teen labor are discussed. Sidebars present innovative state initiatives for…

A four-week program at Sunrise Lake Camp (Cold Spring, New York) helps immigrant Russian Jewish children to adjust to their new country. Program components include language enhancement activities, bilingual staff, scholarship assistance, cultural sensitivity training for staff, and cross-cultural education for immigrant and U.S.-born campers. (SV)

Describes the effects of Camp DETOUR, an adventure experience program for sixth-grade students at a Georgia middle school. Program goals were improvement of student self-esteem as a component of drug abuse prevention and improvement of student behavior. The program was shown to have positive effects on student self-esteem. This result may deter…

The Arizona Schools for the Deaf and the Blind have a multicultural population of students. Efforts to serve the needs of these students include instruction in English as a Second Language, the Spanish Club, the Native American Club, vocational programing such as the Work Education Program, and preparation for transition. (JDD)

Shows how the philosophies of middle school education and special education overlap and complement one another, focusing on six concepts: learner-centered instruction, bridging or transitioning emphasis, interdisciplinary teams, advisory programs, block scheduling, and exploratory courses. Continued collaboration between special and middle-level…

The transition of children between the two programs of Public Law 99-457, serving children aged birth through two and age three through five, can impact on state administration and local agency administration of the programs. Recommendations are provided for facilitating the family's and child's transition and ensuring continuity in services.…

This review explored the literature on programs for students with learning disabilities incorporating self-advocacy components into secondary-to-post-secondary transition programs. An evaluation of self-advocacy components is presented to determine to what extent such self-advocacy skills as knowing one's rights, effective communication skills,…

Satisfaction with pay, promotions, coworkers, supervision and work conditions of 236 workers with disabilities was examined. Analysis indicated strong dissatisfaction with pay and mild dissatisfaction with promotions. Participants in transition programs which incorporated best practices were more satisfied with their work and with the social…

Examined Head Start children's conceptions of and expectations for future schooling, determined whether participation in a Transition Demonstration could affect these, and explored how these are related to children's academic achievement. Found two major themes in conceptions of school: play and the cognitive or learning environment. Expectations…

Reviewed and analyzed findings from transition literature that identified secondary transition outcomes for students with disabilities, focusing on 11 socially valued outcomes. By comparing programming efforts to valued outcomes, the study was able to evaluate the accomplishments and shortcomings over 20 years of intervention research.…

This study examined the activities of employment specialists and nontraditional support providers in a supported employment program for transition-age youth with significant disabilities. Results are detailed for employment characteristics, types of supports needed or desired, identifying and arranging sources of support, support providers, and…