Much has been said and written about the importance of local and community organizations for the development of access to learning opportunities in impoverished countries. Calls for greater self-reliance and for educational services relevant to local conditions and community needs and that meet the needs of all constituents have increased since…

This document, which was developed to assist Peace Corps volunteers and those responsible for training them, presents an introductory booklet and six toolkits for use in the training provided to and by volunteers involved in community development. All the materials emphasize long-term participatory approaches to sustainable development and a…

Since the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) was enacted in 1998, considerable efforts have been expended at the federal, state, and local levels to effect the transition to the new system mandated by WIA. Several states phased into the new system in July 1999, and all other states followed in mid-2000. Active participation by partner agencies has…

This document, which draws heavily on lessons learned during 11 years of the Southern Regional Education Board's High Schools That Work initiative, is intended to help state leaders review their existing system for assessing accountability in vocational education or plan such a system. The document begins with a discussion of the purpose of…

The state of Washington's workforce development system agenda focused in 2002 on these four goals: (1) closing a perceived job skills gap; (2) training incumbent and dislocated workers in order to prepare them for changes in the economy; (3) achieving wage progression for low income individuals; and (4) integrating workforce development programs…

When North Laurel High School, London, Kentucky, opened in Fall 1992, students and teachers entered a new facility and a new era of commitment to excellence for all students. In Spring 1993, North Laurel joined the Southern Regional Education Board's High Schools That Work initiative. The new school replaced the general track and raised graduation…

This document is intended to assist teachers and managers in England's schools sector in their efforts to introduce an effective and flexible curriculum at Key stage 4 (ages 14-16) that extends to work-related learning. The first two-thirds of the document discusses the following steps in managing curriculum change: (1) make curriculum change a…

The Lansing Area Manufacturing Partnership (LAMP) is an academically rigorous, business/labor-driven school-to-career program in Lansing, Michigan, that includes business, union, school, and parent partners and emphasizes work-based and project-based learning, team teaching, and opportunities for staff and high school seniors to establish close…

This document is part of a five-module training package to help employment and training service providers comply with the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 and develop a one-stop training and employment services system. It consists of the participant workbook, trainer manual, and activity worksheets for a module on reviewing system-building…

The Reinventing Agricultural Education for the Year 2020 initiative brought together a diverse group of people from across the nation to create a new vision for agriculture education. The group envisioned a system of agricultural education beginning in early childhood and continuing throughout life. The group examined agricultural education's…

The end of communist rule in Romania meant that the country's Rroma (Gypsy) population could affirm its ethnic and cultural identity. However, educational opportunities for Rroma children remain low. The following are among the many factors that have led to social exclusion of the Rroma in Romania: existing policy priorities; high unemployment and…

In the late 1990s, many employers were facing short-term and longer-term human resource challenges. Those challenges have prompted many employers to pursue new strategies for finding and retaining qualified employers. Intermediary organizations have emerged as a valuable resource for helping employers find and keep qualified workers. Whatever…

Independent evaluators examined the progress of the Berrien County Intermediate School District in Berrien County, Michigan, in implementing Michigan's Career Preparation System. The evaluation established that the district has provided the leadership, training, resources, and continued support to implement a systemwide school-to-career reform…

The impact of career and technical education (CTE) reforms and comprehensive school reforms in high schools on education outcomes for at-risk youth was examined in a review of research on current reforms. The review identified a series of individual, family and home, school, and community factors that can place students at risk of failing to…

Together, these four newsletters contain 36 articles devoted to adult literacy research and practice and the relationship between them. The following articles are included: "A Productive Partnership" (Richard J. Murnane, Bob Bickerton); "Welcome to 'Focus on Basics'" (Barbara Garner); "Applying Research on the Last Frontier" (Karen Backlund, Kathy…