Search

No ceremony or rite exists to usher the African American male youth into proper manhood. Such ceremonies, referred to as rites of passage, mark commonly agreed-upon standards, activities, tasks, and trials that each youth must master to achieve the community-sanctioned title "man." The clear articulation and subsequent implementation of such a process will have a measurable effect in reducing the effect of current destructive forces in American urban society to which the African American male child is exposed. The basis of these rites of passage is found in African heritage. In American society, schools do not fulfill the requirements of a true rite of passage. Development of an Africentric rite of passage should begin with an examination of the principles of education and socialization found in Africa. An example of such a process is the Simba Wachanga (Kiswahili for "young lions") program in Cleveland (Ohio). With the addition of a component for females, this program evolved into an Africentric rite of passage that was replicated successfully throughout Ohio. Rites of passage for African American youth must be Africentric and grounded in the black value system. The concept provides an opportunity to develop and nurture a much-needed generation of African American youth. (SLD)

This National Institute of Education (NIE) study of compensatory education, and evaluation of Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title I is a response to congressional evaluation needs. The report traces the origin of Title I and the congressional interest in its evaluation. Prior efforts to assess the effectiveness of Title I, congressional reactions to these efforts, and the attempts of NIE to formulate an evaluation strategy by examining the fundamental purposes and effectiveness of compensatory education programs are discussed. Ways of identifying children in greatest need of compensatory education, determining alternate ways of meeting these children's needs, and considering the feasibility, costs, and consequences of alternative means of distributing federal compensatory education funds are also mentioned. (Author/BS)

It is traditional among some peoples of the world to celebrate an individual's coming-of-age with ritual. Through these ceremonies, and the tests which sometimes accompany them, a society socializes its youth and transforms them inwardly by molding their moral and mental disposition. Without such ritualization there is a breakdown in the continuity of culture. Since schools do not fulfill this function in American society it is necessary for families and communities to provide ceremonies which will mark the passage of children into adulthood. For black males this means that their community and family must teach the Afro-centric social philosophy which is a part of their cultural past. Memories of this past are fading as black communities deteriorate. This a crucial time to begin incorporating traditional principles into the lives of black children. A process for doing this is the rite called Simba Wachanga. A network of organizations in the black community are practicing and promoting this ritual for black males. Simba Wachanga functions as a guidance system incorporating the following principles: (1) unity; (2) self-determination; (3) collective work and responsibility; (4) cooperative economics; (5) purpose; (6) creativity; and (7) faith. (VM)

This paper analyzes design alternatives for Federal elementary and secondary education programs. It identifies the range of program strategies available and analyzes their strengths and weaknesses. The proper design for any program depends upon the following factors: (1) goals; (2) the availability of Federal funding to pay for necessary services and administrative actions; (3) accommodations necessary to enact the program and sustain its political support; and (4) the capacity of the organizations that deliver services to beneficiaries. The design of Chapter 1/Title I is analyzed. The following alternative program designs are compared according to several standard criteria: (1) subsidies to assist (or induce) state and local public school systems to change their service delivery patterns; (2) contracts with nongovernmental organizations to deliver certain services or serve designated groups; and (3) transfers of purchasing power to students or their parents. A figure illustrates some of the data. A brief list of references is included. (BJV)

Evidence collected through comparison of compensatory education students' calendar year and school year gains implies that summer drop-off of basic skills is a common phenomenon. There are two possible interpretations of this finding. The first, "forgetting," assumes compensatory education students know less in the fall than they did the previous spring. The "no growth in summer" interpretation assumes that the students do know as much in the fall as in the previous spring. The results of the National Institute of Education's Instructional Dimensions Study provide strong evidence in favor of the "no growth in summer" model. Students whose initial test scores were at or above the national norms make substantial gains during the summer, but compensatory education students do not. Compensatory education programs are therefore doing some good and should be continued until effective alternatives can be found. Summer school programs might foster achievement gains during the summer months, but they do not attract many disadvantaged students and their programming is not focused on basic skills instruction. Public programs may be unable to overcome the problem of summer drop-off entirely. Further research into the summer drop-off phenomenon is needed to understand the limits of public policy and maximize the effectiveness of compensatory education programs. (Author/MK)