This paper investigates the role of environmental education in promoting activism or social action on behalf of the environment. The connection between between environmental education and social studies in school curricula is weak. Fields within social studies such as civics, history, law-related education, government, and problems of democracy…

Exploring and working with environmental issues can be exciting and enriching for Head Start staff. The goal of the technical guide is to broaden Head Start staff members' understanding of the natural environment so they can better incorporate environmental enrichment and environmental protection into their programs. The guide is organized into…

This teaching guide for a multiple intelligences program contains ready-to-use projects that develop some of the frequently used themes in thematic instruction for students ranging from early childhood through high school. The guide's introductory chapters address using the methods to meet the needs of at-risk students and gifted students, and the…

This book presents strategies for creating a meaningful, active classroom environment based on the latest research on learning and about multiple intelligences. The book emphasizes a change to interactive thinking activities to increase students' success and explains how to change a classroom from teacher-focused to student-focused. Chapter 1,…

Community-based prevention-oriented approaches that provide basic supports to families are needed to address rising rates of violence, child abuse, and other socially disruptive behavior. Weak families, weak neighborhoods, and weak economies are mutually reinforcing and lead to negative behaviors by youth and others. In proposing a community…

A study was undertaken in 16 rural New York school districts to determine the feasibility of sharing noninstructional services as an avenue to achieving cost savings and enhanced services. The districts involved were within the Delaware/Chenango/Madison/Otsego BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services) in a rural mountainous region of…

Through graphs, tables, outlines, and brief descriptions, this document presents information reported in 1990 by each of Colorado's 176 school districts and the Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind regarding district progress toward state education goals in the 1989-90 school year and district plans for 1990-91. Each one-page District Progress…

The state initiatives described in this report are geared toward meeting the national education goals. Although they vary considerably, the initiatives emphasize the importance of establishing high-level goals and standards applicable to all students and providing local flexibility in exchange for accountability. Many initiatives involve: (1)…

This paper reports on group discussion by 11 leaders in special education and related disciplines on research in alcohol and drug abuse, in relationship to the preparation of special education personnel. Five main themes emerged from the discussion: (1) prevention and drug education must be put into high gears; (2) systems change efforts,…

In view of recent Australian government policy favoring multiculturalism, a research study was undertaken to investigate the effect of literacy, bilingualism, and adult education and training on non-English speaking background (NESB) women in Australian society. NESB women have been identified as a migrant group with both special needs and…

These student materials are designed to accompany the Self-Appraisal Instructional Guide. Page numbers are consistent with the numbering in that guide, and the materials are organized according to the guide's seven units, which cover the following topics: (1) understanding yourself (getting to know yourself, the importance of work); (2) attitudes;…

This document summarizes the results of research on reform of state and national policy affecting families and children. The document begins with a rationale for change, and follows with four chapters that identify barriers stemming from attitudes, system organization, resource limitations, and technical problems. Each chapter suggests strategies…

This paper addresses problems associated with rurbanization, which is the invasion of rural areas by affluent urban and surburban people seeking a "country" lifestyle. There is a distinction between lifestyle--which reflects an individual's values, attitudes, and affluence--and culture, which is a design for living adapted to a group's…

The school improvement process of the Springfield (Massachusetts) Public School System is offered as a model for school reform. The efforts in Springfield began from the premise that institutions do not reform themselves, and that pressure from the outside, enough to be noticed, but not enough to disrupt, was necessary to spur reform. The work in…

This policy paper summarizes the research on change and effective staff development to drive an outcomes-based, results oriented approach to increase student success. The paper provides a discussion of the following ideas necessary for practice: (1) participants must be involved in planning and developing training; (2) training must be relevant,…