A family medicine faculty professional association designed a 5-day intensive curriculum in addiction medicine taught to 165 graduate family practice faculty at 10 sites in 1990. Pre- and postsurveys showed significant increases in participants teaching addiction medicine in 8 of 11 clinical situations. The model is seen as applicable to other…

Compares 20 African-American rites of passage programs for adolescents, and considers the place of such rites for African Americans and their communities in current and future society. The adolescent rite of passage is a supervised developmental and educational process to assist young people in becoming adults. (SLD)

This research assessed whether Israel's "second-chance" educational programs, the academic preparatory programs (APP) that challenge the sorting criteria of the mainstream, succeed in enhancing social equality in education. Successful outcomes of the APP are analyzed in light of the reported failure of community colleges to moderate…

Involving undergraduate teacher education students in structured research experiences is one strategy for strengthening their reflective and critical thinking skills. This article identifies several universities that have student-teacher-as-researcher programs, outlines characteristics of successful programs, and points out problems and obstacles…

Introduces a special issue on educational program adequacy--the cost of raising poor children's outcomes to functional levels through improved systems of finance, governance, organization, implementation, and educational practice. Essays raise numerous problems, including a weak knowledge base, low educational productivity, political resistance,…

DePaul University (Illinois) has addressed the problem of delays in employer reimbursement of tuition costs by extending payment due dates and treating reimbursement as pending financial assistance. Since implementation, enrollment in courses designed specifically for adult students have increased, and withdrawals have decreased. One-third of…

Examined public school preschool programs for disadvantaged children and their developmental appropriateness by studying the programs' effects on children's language and memory skills and on classroom environment. Results showed that teachers could not distinguish their uninvolvement from overly and inappropriate academic involvement. Teachers did…

Evaluation after two years of Project RAISE, a multifaceted program with seven community sponsors in the large Baltimore (Maryland) school district, indicates the effectiveness of using community adults as advocates and mentors in improving student attendance and some report card grades, but not promotion rates or standardized test scores. (SLD)

Describes the theater arts teacher education program at the University of Kansas, Lawrence. Asserts that "connected teaching," in which individual teachers and their students are colearners, forms the foundation for the program. Includes an appendix listing current Kansas standards for certification of drama teachers. (CFR)

Evaluated first phase of three-phase research project, Project KICK (Kids in Cooperation with Kids) by examining interaction between parent education, positive peer role modeling, and drug education for third graders. Hypothesized that intervention would lead to increase in self-esteem, improved attitudes, increased knowledge regarding drugs, and…

A study investigated the design and effectiveness of the faculty development efforts of one University of Stellenbosch (South Africa) faculty member over a two-year period. The experience included use of a professional growth contract to indicate commitment and intention, student feedback from over 500 students in eight courses, structured alumni…

The Philadelphia Partnership is a Philadelphia School District (Pennsylvania) program, sponsored by the state higher education system and designed to increase the number of low-income and minority students in comprehensive, neighborhood magnet schools who attend college and graduate. A hundred sophomores are selected annually to participate in the…

Describes findings from a symposium sponsored by the Civil Rights Project at Harvard University focusing on the following policy issues: What are the most recent trends in state merit aid programs? What are the relevant legal issues involved? Do merit aid programs adversely affect college access for low-income and racial/ethnic minority students?…

A case study of Davis Bilingual Magnet School in Tucson (Arizona) observed and interviewed teachers, parents, students, and community members. The school's success results from strong community support and an educational environment that privileges Spanish. Although Davis students do well on standardized tests, the school's greatest pride comes…

Describes the Conditional Acceptance Program (CAP), an intervention program geared towards underprepared, underachieving entering college freshmen. Identifies key program components while establishing the primary theoretical basis or rationale for each, and encourages the reader to critically evaluate and reflect upon various and integrated…