The reasons a skill mix among health workers is important to health care systems were examined. The analysis was based on a review of studies conducted primarily in the United States. "Skill mix" was defined as the mix of posts, grades, or occupations in an organization and the combinations of activities or skills needed for each job…

This issue hones in on professional development in four key sectors affecting children, youth, and families--K-12 education, early childhood education, child welfare, and youth development. Though these sectors face many of the same professional development challenges, each has its own unique issues, strengths, and goals. The staffing shortage in…

The Comprehensive Youth Services Act (CYSA), which was enacted in 1997 to fund juvenile probation services, had the following three basic goals: (1) keep probation youths from further crime; (2) help probation and at-risk youths develop essential skills to avoid dependence on public assistance; and (3) help achieve overarching federal Temporary…

This document explains how organized labor can participate in school-to-career programs across California. The guide begins by detailing the following steps for becoming involved in school-to-career: (1) plan your strategy; (2) choose your activities; and (3) get connected. The following topics are discussed next: (1) principles and benefits of…

A study examined what counts as success in literacy and numeracy programs for youth at risk in Victoria. It explored the relationship between discourses around best practice in government reports and through examining academic writings, surveying providers and policymakers, and speaking with practitioners and participants. Main findings indicated…

In 1995, the Anne E. Casey Foundation launched the Jobs Initiative (JI) in six cities to change labor market prospects for low-income young people in order to help them get jobs that could move their families out of poverty. The JI attempts to change the way employers recruit and supervise workers and how work is structured; to prepare workers and…

Researchers explored ways institutions in the post-16 education sector in England and Wales can formulate recruitment and admissions policies that encourage students to stay in college. Data were drawn from the following sources: seminars attended by representatives of the post-16 sector; analysis of the findings of 86 Further Education Funding…

A study of research was conducted to determine how welfare and work policies enacted in 1996 targeted at low-income parents have influenced their adolescent children. Using meta-analytic techniques, the research synthesis integrates survey data collected from parents in eight studies of 16 different welfare and employment programs, focusing on…

Following an introduction ("Return on Investment in Training" by Andrew Smith) that provides an overview and a synopsis of research findings, the following five chapters of this book present the results of five research projects funded by the National Research and Evaluation Committee in Australia in 1999-2000. The first four of these…

The seven High Schools That Work (HSTW) sites making the most progress in raising student achievement between 1990-1993 are changing the high school system and succeeding with a group of students often considered hopeless. They use the HSTW framework of key practices to improve curriculum and instruction. The specific HSTW goal is to close by…

A study examined the experiences of some 1.4 million American defense industry workers, displaced in the wake of the Cold War, as a way of reviewing and evaluating national policies toward worker adjustment and re-employment as they have evolved in the 1990s. The study found that the federal government, through the Department of Labor,…

Stage 2 of an evaluation assessed the impact of changes to the United Kingdom's national funding rules to include 3- and 6-hour information and communications technology (ICT) courses. Fieldwork consisted of a questionnaire to colleges, postal survey of learners, visits to colleges, and analysis of the national student database for 2000-2001.…

This document is part of a series designed to provide guidance for communities and caregivers interested in building exemplary systems of care for children with serious emotional disturbances. The monographs show that the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children and Their Families Program has evaluated and developed promising…

The James Irvine Foundation launched the Communities Organizing Resources to Advance Learning (CORAL) initiative in 1999 with the goal of improving the academic achievement of children in the lowest-performing schools in five California cities. In 2004, CORAL adopted a more targeted approach toward reaching this goal by integrating a regular…

The new information and communication technologies (ICT) affect currently most spheres of life, including all educational levels. Their effects are most likely to grow in the future. However, many predictions in the last few years as to the sweeping impact of the ICT on restructuring the teaching/learning practices at universities and their high…