Statistics are analyzed from 1990 to 1996 concerning the fading of Medicaid's bias toward institutionalization of individuals with mental retardation rather than use of Home and Community-Based (HCB) waivers for alternative community services and support. A major shift toward increased use of HCB waivers is noted and documented state by state. (PB)

Reports a case study of a non profit arts advocacy group. Explores how Arts Collaborators, Inc. (ACI) advocated arts education, how they chose and developed arts education activities, and how individual and corporate beliefs about art influenced those choices. Offers recommendations about effectively evaluating and incorporating outside influences…

Introduces a collection of articles that proposes standards for empirically supported prevention programming for children and youth and steps to integrate prevention science with practice. Articles highlight key research findings and common principles for effective programming across family, school, community, health care, and policy interventions…

Presents an activity to create a garden to attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Students increase their environmental awareness and discover the rewards of community service. (NB)

A study of 162 community-based organizations that assist older adults or people with intellectual disabilities in Brisbane, Australia, investigated the types of programs offered to older adults with intellectual disabilities. Results indicate that there were no programs offered that provided special services for older adults with intellectual…

Describes the pitfalls that schools may encounter in requiring community service for high school graduation. In planning service-learning programs, schools should ask "In service of what?" Schools should first define their ideological, political, and social goals; provide teacher training, and incorporate the program into the curriculum. (LMI)

Describes a community building self-assessment tool which allows schools to continuously assess community outreach efforts and serves as a guide for outreach planning. Broad findings are reported along with implications at the state level. This article is a Washington Environmental Education Model Schools Program final report. (AIM)

Discussion of transition planning in the area of physical activity and recreation/leisure for students with disabilities considers notes the increased opportunities of students transitioning into community-based programs and offers two case studies. Emphasis is on exposing students to a variety of activities at a young age and integration into…

This article discusses how persons with developmental disabilities construct identities as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB), and how policymakers handle LGB issues. It discusses disabling practices and demonstrates how they can be uncovered out of and within policy. Recommendations are made for amelioration, along with suggestions for creating more…

A review of adult/community education in the context of neighborhood renewal initiatives in Britain suggests that there may be a mismatch between a job skills or capacity building agenda defined by external agencies and local needs and interests. These potential areas of difference raise policy and practice issues for adult and community…

Community educators in six cities involved youth in documenting ethnic gardening practices with master gardeners. Interviews with 29 educators, 28 participating youth, and 4 gardeners found that youth learned about gardening, developed positive relationships with elders, and enhanced skills. Implementing participatory research required more…

Assesses the first four and one-half years of an effort by a foundation in Chicago to promote children's and adolescents' social and academic development as part of a comprehensive community initiative. Examines the potential and challenges associated with the foundation's strategy of developing social capital within a network of schools and…

Studied community initiatives in several low-income California Latino communities over 5 years. Results of these analyses show the challenges of blending a critical theory social science approach with community-focused evaluation practice. (SLD)

Describes background for school-to-work effort in Massachusetts, the state's design and implementation of the School-to-Work Opportunities Act (STWOA) of 1994, the local impact of the state's STWOA grant, challenges to making school-to-work a top priority of state education reform strategies to improve student achievement, and state and local…

Colleges and universities continually search for ways to enhance the safety and security of their educational programs and physical plant. This article examines how the University of Southern California and other institutions are using collaborative efforts with the local community to enhance their mutual safety and security through dynamic…