Examines transition of children from home or preschool to school in Australia and New Zealand. Almost all Australian states have a "reception" or kindergarten full-day year in school prior to Year 1, few have common entry ages, and most use a variety of enrollment procedures. Emphasizes need for continuity to smooth transitions and…

The importance and urgency of rural education to each state was assessed using seven and nine indicators, respectively. The Mid-South Delta, central Appalachia, coastal Southeast, the north Plains, and northern New England emerged as priority rural education regions. The most important urgency indicators were teacher salaries, computer use, school…

This article discusses the importance of early intervention advocacy and provides vignettes that illustrate sample early intervention advocacy issues from the perspectives of parents, teachers, and program administrators. Quick tips are provided for professionals as self-advocates and for family advocacy, along with legislative Web site resources.…

Examines parents who teach their children at home. While families have complex motives for home schooling, a common factor is parents' desire to maintain or further develop family unity, and to resist the effects of urbanization and modernization on the family. Suggests benefits of home/public school partnerships. (AF)

An elementary school in a poor neighborhood in San Francisco has confronted the problem of at-risk students through the turnaround strategy of accelerated education. The Daniel Webster School and schools in Redwood City have used cooperative learning, parent and community involvement, and increased student expectations to challenge traditional…

Recent developments in infant mental health are outlined, with implications for work with at-risk populations. Discussed are: the biobehavioral-developmental perspective, the infant as a social being, the infant-caregiver relationship, the transactional model of the infant-parent relationship, assessing developmental disabilities, conceptualizing…

Reviews the following historical phases of the recent home school movement: (1) parents' contentions about public schools; (2) home school parents' confrontations with schools and the courts; (3) cooperation between public schools and home schools; and (4) consolidation of home schools. Introduces the other articles in this issue. (BJV)

Describes the experiences of American educators on a tour of "kindergarten" (preschool) programs in China, and highlights the major characteristics of child care and preschool in that country. Addresses funding, staff training, enrollment, child-staff ratios, health and immunization, parent involvement, politicization, materials and…

Uses data from 1990-91 Schools and Staffing Survey to compare Bureau of Indian Affairs/tribal schools to public schools with high and low Indian enrollment. Examines ethnicity and qualifications of principals and teachers, educator salaries, school problems, and teacher shortages. Indicates the continuing shortage of educators from local native…

These 4 case studies examine the last years of high school and postschool experiences of 4 21-year-olds labeled mentally retarded. Issues discussed include school compliance with legislation concerning Individualized Education Programs, influence of parental involvement, adult services, and necessary employment supports. (JDD)

A family-focused approach to schools and community service requires acknowledging the central role families play in children's well-being, shifting the roles of service institutions to reflect this, and creating community supports that assist families. Implementing this approach requires time for understanding and partnership. (SLD)

Profiles individual projects in six school districts across the country participating in the School-Community Connection initiative funded by the Institute for Responsive Education. These projects focus on school improvement through partnerships among schools, parents, and the community. Rural and urban elementary and secondary schools are…

Organizing a committed team to foster effective school-community partnerships is discussed, focusing on the critical role of leadership. Collaborative leadership, comprised of diverse members and different perspectives, is most successful. A list of qualities and skills that are necessary for collaborative leaders is provided. (LAJ)

Collaborative research effort between the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Office of Educational Leadership provided ethnographic data on the perceptions of principals at 22 schools participating in an educational transformation/shared-governance process. Findings show that awareness of obstacles to change is a necessary first step toward…

Outlines the evolution and goals of the Family Literacy Project (FLP), developed to encourage parent-school partnerships through regular parent-teacher seminars. The FLP also seeks to improve parents' own literacy skills; provide parents with multiple strategies to help educate their children; and provide teachers and parents with multicultural…