This brief report discusses the outcomes of a study that examined statewide behavioral initiatives (SBI) that involve general education, special education, or both. Forty-three state education agencies (SEAs) responded to a survey that investigated the development of SBI, focus of the SBI, and how well the SBI addresses the needs of students with…

The fourth session of the UNEVOC International Advisory Committee was opened by Colin N. Power, whose welcoming address emphasized the importance of technical and vocational education (TVE) for socioeconomic development of UNESCO's member states. He pointed out that this sector of education is facing serious challenges posed by the recent trends…

The Pennsylvania State Coalition for Adult Literacy's Building Communities for Learning (BCL) Project was conducted to improve the delivery of adult basic and literacy education services through interagency collaboration and community-based planning at the local level. The project awarded community-based planning grants to locales through a…

Smart Start is a comprehensive public-private initiative to help all North Carolina children enter school healthy and ready to succeed, and provides children from birth to age five access to high-quality and affordable child care, health care, and other critical services. This document comprises the first two issues of "Smart Start…

The Even Start Family Literacy Program is a national program designed to break the cycle of poverty and illiteracy by working with low-income families to improve adult literacy, parenting skills, and developmental and preschool readiness of young children in the family. The Monongalia County (West Virginia) Even Start Program is unusual in that…

Survival Skills for Youth (SSY) is a life skills management program developed for out-of-school youth who have a history of failure in academic or employment settings, or who are considered at-risk for failure in the adult world of work. The skills taught are grouped into 10 areas, one skill category per workshop. The workshops include up to 15…

The White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans works with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Latino community-based organizations, educators, and youth advisors to identify programs that work for Latino youth. This directory compiles the programs recommended to date and is a work in…

A study surveyed 44 skills centers in The Gambia through a questionnaire, evaluated them regarding vocational training, and conducted on-site research of 17 targeted centers. Findings were as follows: most operated as private organizations; the retention rate was an average of 84%; centers operated with an average student/staff ratio of about 12:1…

This action research project implemented and evaluated a plan to deal with students who lack enthusiasm about school and have difficulty in following classroom rules, keeping on task, and using appropriate social skills. The targeted population consisted of high school students in five industrial technology classes in a rural western Illinois…

This guide highlights issues involved in increasing participation in welfare-to-work programs and offers advice and best practices for achieving higher participation levels. Part 1, "Introduction," has three sections that discuss the importance of participation, summarize major points, and introduce the guide. The seven sections of Part…

High school students' lack of personal responsibility and academic ownership, negative or indifferent attitude, and lack of initiative and general motivation are often of concern to teachers and parents. This action research project evaluated an intervention to increase high school students' motivation, responsibility, and initiative. Students…

The Neighborhood Jobs Initiative (NJI) began in 1998 in five cities (Chicago, Fort Worth, Hartford, New York, and Washington, D.C.) in 1998. The NJI targets high-poverty urban neighborhoods, attempting to connect residents to employment opportunities nearby and in the urban periphery by providing training, supporting interpersonal networks, and…

This monograph describes the attunement strategy devised by educational researchers in the Netherlands as a means of engaging students' interest and building their understanding during classroom activities. The strategy, based on a cognitive-motivational model for development and learning, was developed to address the problem of students who are…

This report provides information on design and evaluation of workplace literacy programs (WLPs) to improve work force readiness and an overview of concepts about the nature, uses, and abuses of standardized tests in program evaluation and accountability. Chapter 1 takes a sociohistorical and sociopolitical perspective in discussing the knowledge…

This article argues that successful implementation of Reading Recovery requires a systematic plan to ensure that everyone at the district level, school level, teacher level, and parent/home level understand the goals and benefits of the program, including school board members, community members, central office administrators, principals, teachers,…