Argues in favor of community-based vocational training for severely handicapped autistic adolescents and gives points to consider in establishing such a program in the school curricula. Offers suggestions for identifying and using community resources. Explains the use of task analysis in student training and discusses student and program…

Describes study of rural or small town community development programs funded by the Small Town Emphasis Program. Outlines program factors including competition, innovation, needs assessment, low income involvement, networks, technical assistance, efficiency, strategy, and timing. Provides examples of six programs and recommends future development…

A rationale and framework for community-based teacher education using social studies as an example is developed. The framework includes three types of community involvement: community service programs, community-based courses and workshops, and internships or experiential programs. (RM)

The Young Historians project provides abundant opportunities for students in grades one through six to apply basic reading, writing, listening, speaking, and computing skills learned during reading and math and to learn firsthand about their own heritage and the many resources in their own community. (RM)

The National Association of Manufacturers urges states, major metropolitan cities, or regional labor market areas to have a full-time, paid industry-education coordinator on the school staff. The coordinator should be responsible for conducting needs assessments among both teachers and members of the business-industry community and implementing…

This report on Michigan's demographics examines the changing composition of Michigan's households and the ramification for Michigan schools. The report states that between 1980 and 2000, Michigan's population grew by 7.3 percent, while the number of households grew by 590,448, or 18 percent. Households are growing faster than the population…

Developed through the Colorado Fatherhood Connection, this guide, in English- and Spanish-language versions, provides suggestions and resources for fathers as well as tips on discipline, communication, and activities fathers can do with their children. Topics addressed in the guide include characteristics of responsible fatherhood, characteristics…

Intended for middle school social studies classrooms, this publication features articles that spotlight diverse and innovative learning activities. This document includes the three issues of the "Middle Level Learning" supplement published in 1999 and the three that were published in 2000. Articles and classroom activities highlighted in this…

This lesson is based on the National Register of Historic Places registration file for the Arnold Arboretum (Massachusetts) and other source material about the Arboretum and Frederick Law Olmstead. The lesson focuses on the first arboretum in the United States, which was part of Olmstead's plan for Boston's park system, known as the "Emerald…

Rural communities with populations of under 15,000 are the least resilient to negative economic shocks, but local initiatives can reduce the negative impact of rapid economic change. Data from a study of three rural Australian communities and one "community-of-common-purpose" were used to develop a model of how the informal learning…

A case study in a rural Australian township attempted to determine indicators verifying the existence of social capital. Social capital is provisionally defined as the networks, norms, and trust that constitute the capacity of individuals, workplaces, groups, organizations, and communities to strive for sustainable futures in a changing…

Community education, a process-oriented, community-based concept, should help bridge the gap between the school and the community. The linkage should prove that the schools belong to the people and that community resources need to be harnessed to serve the educational, social, and recreational needs of the people. Community education makes full…

Defines environment with three questions: What is it? What do we do in it? How do we feel about it? Describes developing urban environment programs in Philadelphia and recommends guidelines for other teachers to develop their own programs. (DB)

South Carolina University student activity in the Special Olympics for mentally retarded youngsters and dozens of other community and fund-raising activities are described. In six months they generated $63,000 in contributions. Students are concluded to be national as well as community resources. (Author/MLW)

Study compared fifty adult performance level (APL) graduates' scores to fifty high school graduates' scores for four APL knowledge areas. APL graduates scored significantly higher than high school graduates in consumer economics and occupational knowledge. No significant differences were recorded between groups in areas of community resources and…