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This document argues that for the 1.8 million students attending the 731 rural community colleges in the United States, the community college is often the only option for higher education. However, both access and excellence for rural students are being negatively impacted by recent federal and state policy that has decreased funding to community colleges. In real dollars per student, state funding has declined since 1980, while tuition has risen to compensate for reduced state funding. Federal and state financial aid have not made up the difference for low-income students, which has resulted in reduced access. When colleges increase their tuition fees in order to match the $1,500 Hope Scholarship tax credit, low-income students working their way through community college suffer the most. The Pell Grant system favors low- to moderate-income students who attend higher-cost colleges because they are linked to tuition costs, with relatively few dollars going to community colleges. Many states promote a high tuition/high aid model, and the average student loan indebtedness has soared as a result. Additionally, rural community colleges, especially those with enrollments below 2,500, have higher expenditures per full-time student. Recommends a reexamination of funding models and argues that low tuition is the best form of financial aid. Also recommends that financial aid policies reflect the real costs of attending college, including childcare and transportation. (Contains 30 endnotes.) (NB)

MDC, Inc. is a private nonprofit whose mission is to expand opportunities, reduce poverty, and build inclusive communities in the South. The Rural Community College Initiative (RCCI) is a national project that supports community colleges in distressed rural areas in moving their people and communities toward prosperity. MDC and the Ford Foundation both worked to help RCCI move toward attainment of its goals. Nine demonstration community and tribal colleges joined the RCCI project in 1994, and 15 additional colleges joined RCCI in 1997. Each received implementation grants of $75,000 for the first 2 years, and smaller grants for 2 additional years. The colleges were able to leverage substantial support from foundations as well as state and federal government. RCCI community teams worked on small business development, workforce training, improving access to education, forging connections between the college and K-12 schools, developing distance education, improving developmental studies and academic support, and reaching out to draw more disadvantaged and minority students to the college. RCCI focused on developing solutions from within, as well as keeping development strategies local. The document includes an examination of barriers to implementation of RCCI, and a summary of how to move from vision to action. (Contains 10 references.) (NB)

This report assesses conditions in the South since the original 1986 report "Shadows in the Sunbelt." Findings indicate that economic change is moving even more rapidly than in 1986. However, although several metropolitan areas have burgeoned and some rural communities have made a successful economic transition, many Southern places remain mired in long-standing problems such as low education and high poverty, and are overwhelmed by the newer forces of globalization and technological change. What's more, the recession of the early 21st century has hastened the collapse of low-wage, low-skill manufacturing upon which so many Southern communities depended, leaving many states too weak to help the people and places left behind. The "clarion call" to the South: You're in a whole different race. Run hard, but also run smarter. Recommendations include: (1) the one-dimensional, industry-chasing economic strategy must be reexamined in favor of a comprehensive economic development strategy that measures success by higher incomes and improved competitiveness, not simply numbers of new jobs; (2) states must modernize tax systems so they can provide excellent education, widely accessible job training, necessary infrastructure, and community amenities that stimulate economic advancement; (3) the South's universities and community colleges must prepare a new generation of civic leaders to address the region's challenges; and (4) to advance as a democratic society, the South should seek equity in its economic development. Appendices present population and job growth and indicators of well-being for Southern metro areas. (Contains 20 references.) (TD)

Title III, the Strengthening Institutions Program, is one of the most important federal programs for rural community colleges. Created by the Higher Education Act of 1965, Title III provides institutional aid to qualified colleges and universities that serve large numbers of first-generation, low-income students and students from groups historically underrepresented in higher education. Title III is particularly valuable for rural community colleges because it allows colleges to address locally defined needs; requires an intensive self-study to identify institutional weaknesses; provides up to $350,000 per year for 5 years; is available only to institutions that serve large number of low-income students; can be used to develop new programs and services; and is especially useful for technology and telecommunications upgrades. Appropriations to Title III have declined from a decade ago. Policymakers are urged to expand Title III appropriations to double the number of institutional grants, increase the maximum grant to $600,000 per year, restore the endowment challenge grant program, expand cooperative grants, and commission a national study of the impact of Title III and the important unmet needs of community colleges. As background to the case for expanding Title III, this report includes a brief history of Title III and its shift from funding historically Black colleges to assisting all community colleges; describes endowment challenge grants; discusses the rural digital divide; and presents examples of Title III's impact at Ashland Community College (Kentucky) and Southwest Texas Junior College. (TD)

The traditional economic development strategy of the South--concentrating on low-skill, low-wage labor--no longer works; the region cannot compete with other areas of the world that offer low-cost, high-skill labor. The challenges facing rural and central-city communities in the South are immense, and only a comprehensive approach to economic development can hope to address them. Economic development is not just about the creation of jobs. It is the process by which a community or region increases the standard of living of all of its residents. Viewed this way, economic development is part of a larger process of community development, through which a community provides for its citizens the institutions and amenities they need to live in comfort and security. This paper lays out a framework of related issues that together form six interrelated building blocks to economic prosperity. These are: business development; workforce development (at both the K-12 and adult levels); physical infrastructure; social infrastructure; cultural and environmental stewardship; and civic infrastructure. The description of each building block includes a set of potential goals, a summary of relevant challenges, and a series of possible strategies that ensure open and accountable government, develop the civic capacity of communities to address their own challenges and opportunities, and bridge the fault lines of race and class that inhibit community progress and erode civic health. (TD)

This report profiles 12 programs conducted as part of the Hitachi Foundation's Partnerships in Economic and Educational Opportunity Initiative. The introduction and overview explain the goals of the initiative, which was undertaken to improve the economic and career options available to young people who have traditionally been underserved by schools in making the connections from school to work. Next, 16 lessons learned from the projects, including the following lessons, are discussed: (1) community-based partnerships serve youth better; (2) flexibility counts; (3) understanding culture is key; (4) entrepreneurship is an option; (5) connect staff, volunteers, and culture; (6) public service yields public benefits; (7) meaningful work offers lasting value; (8) youth are a program resource; (9) cultivate innovative human resources; (10) alternative experience has value; and (11) commitment is key. Presented next are profiles of the programs, which were conducted in diverse rural and urban settings characterized by diverse economic, racial, and cultural conditions. All profiles contain an overview, lessons learned, challenges faced and overcome, and information about project planners and their roles. Concluding the report are a final set of lessons, a list of 10 generally available resources, and definitions of selected Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills know-how and workplace competencies. (MN)

This report builds upon the "State of the South, 1996" report by concentrating on how various segments of the region's population are faring, with special attention to gender, ethnicity, and education. States included in the regional analysis are Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. Most data come from special tabulations of the March Current Population Survey by the Bureau of the Census (1976-1997). An analysis of population, migration, and metropolitanization finds that the South is becoming a multiethnic society; African Americans are returning to the South along with other newcomers; and the South is now more urban and suburban than rural. An analysis of jobs, labor force, earnings, and education finds that a changing economic structure is making more high-quality jobs available and producing changes in who holds those jobs; women have steadily increased their participation in the workforce, but men have not; more women than men attend two-year and four-year colleges and the gap is widening; and the financial payoff from education beyond high school grew over two decades and remains large, while the less educated are increasingly left out of the job market. An analysis of southern families finds a sharp and paradoxical increase both in two-parent, two-earner families and single-parent, single-earner families; an enlarged middle class among both blacks and whites, but also a large income gap between white families and black and Hispanic families; and many families headed by single mothers with no more than a high school education. A final section reports on higher education, philanthropy, and leadership. (Contains 17 graphs and tables.) (SAS)

The Rural Community College Initiative (RCCI) collaborates with community colleges in rural communities that are racially, ethnically, culturally, and economically diverse by challenging them to think broadly about their potential as catalysts for regional development. RCCI is a national demonstration program that combines the goals of rural development and access to education, providing funding and technical assistance to 24 colleges in 1998. This booklet outlines RCCI principles, discusses strategies of access to education and economic development, and describes the place of community colleges in the community-wide collaborative process. The foundations for economic development are briefly described in terms of strategic planning and the role of the community college. Roles for community colleges to assume in local economic development are explained: regional leadership; workforce development in collaboration with employers; promotion of technology transfer, competitiveness, entrepreneurship, and small business development; poverty-targeted programming; and encouragement of a strong education ethic. Outlined are expanded and more aggressive strategies by which community colleges can increase access both to education and to the opportunities created through education. These strategies focus on partnerships with secondary schools, disadvantaged students, nontraditional programs, and distance learning. Essential institutional capacities and characteristics are listed, and the college-community collaboration process is discussed. (SAS)

For 4 years, the Alliance for Achievement served as a pioneering effort to raise aspirations and improve the academic preparation of students by connecting public schools and community colleges to each other and the workplace. It proposed the challenging ideas that communities should provide a "seamless path" that carries young people from one level of education to another, and that all students can and should do rigorous work. This overview explains the economic imperative that led to the design of the Alliance. It describes the Alliance model, why it used cross-school teams and why it focused on middle school students. It relates some of the barriers sites faced in achieving Alliance goals, and then highlights outcomes at the six demonstration sites. Local outcomes include strong relationships among middle schools, high schools, and community college; expanded career awareness, career exploration, and educational guidance; and increased parental involvement, more rigorous curriculum, and deeper understanding of the local economy. A "Career Connections" segment involving local business leaders is described. Finally, 12 lessons that have implications for other school-change and school-to-work initiatives are summarized. (EMK)

The U.S. problem of youth passing through school without a clear educational purpose has been compounded in the South by a variety of factors. Ways in which these transitions can be smoothed are reported in this paper. All children are capable of academic success, including some level of post-secondary education. The chances for realizing such success are much greater if young people experience education as a "seamless" path rather than a series of bumpy transitions. Chapter 1 "The Challenge," lays out the moral and economic challenges that require a shift in current approaches and entailing a push for academic achievement for all. Chapter 2, "Moving Toward Collective Responsibility," puts forward an overview of the special role of middle schools and community colleges. Chapter 3, "Pieces of the Puzzle," discusses the fundamental elements required of schools and colleges if they are to provide a seamless path, particularly for disadvantaged young people. Model approaches are described as seeds for crafting local approaches. Chapter 4, "Tying It All Together," offers insights from people who have initiated efforts at school change and it discusses lessons from other community-wide educational partnerships. Appendices include a resource list, selected sources, and Project Step: Outreach Services Model. (EMK)

This report analyzes 30-year trends in population, jobs, income, poverty, and education in the South, including comparisons to national trends and projections for the year 2010. The report aims to document the South's success in overcoming poverty and discrimination, draw attention to barriers that block further economic progress, and make recommendations to regional leaders for future goals. States included in the analysis are Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. The report is based on data from the decennial Census (1970-1990), the March 1994 Current Population Survey, and the Bureau of Economic Analysis (U.S. Department of Commerce). This report concludes that: (1) the region's immediate future requires massive adult education and retraining to cope with an aging workforce and a decline in young workers; (2) the shift away from traditional industries requires that the region pay attention both to creating jobs and to raising income if it expects further progress; (3) demographic trends and inadequate education threaten the South's continued prosperity in an economy that increasingly discriminates against the uneducated and single-parent families; (4) despite substantial improvements in state poverty rates, economic erosion appears in both rural areas and central cities; (5) despite remarkable progress over the past 20 years, too few Southerners finish high school, take postsecondary classes, graduate from college, or earn doctoral degrees; and (6) education is the key to making the South more competitive, with better jobs, higher-skilled workers and stronger businesses. Includes many maps and figures. (LP)

This report offers ideas for expanding schools' partnerships with employers. These partnerships can raise academic achievement, college-going rates, and career-awareness for low-income and minority students. Topics include a discussion of the school-to-work movement and career guidance; raising awareness through workplace visits; summer internships; staff development; studying the local labor market; ideas for classroom visitors and activities; entrepreneurship education; making choices. The introduction presents a rationale for building alliances between schools and employers. Chapter 2 describes learning experiences for school staff, including workplace visits, and summer internships. Chapters 3 and 4 present learning experiences for students in the workplace and in the classroom, while Chapter 5 discusses ways to integrate career and educational guidance into the school. Chapter 6 presents 3 mini-case studies in building school-employer partnerships. Schools and programs are indexed. Contacts and resources are appended. (EMK)

In 1989, the Commission on the Future of the North Carolina Community College System adopted a series of recommendations to improve the operation, funding, and economic and social returns of the state's community colleges. This report looks at each of the major challenges of the Commission, reviews trends and developments that may have altered the situation in the past 3 years, highlights progress to date in achieving the Commission's goals, and points to new areas of concern. The six sections of the report focus on: (1) quality and access, including the colleges' efforts to provide student access to quality teaching and academic support services; (2) accountability and funding, including progress made in increasing planning and research capacities systemwide and decreases in funds allocated; (3) basic and critical thinking skills, including workplace and family literacy programs; (4) service to business and industry, including the expansion of focused industrial training, matching curricula to specific workplace demands, and the establishment of specialized technology centers; (5) partners in education, including partnerships between community colleges and high schools and the University of North Carolina System; and (6) leadership and governance, including the creation of a statewide task force on governance, the Executive Management Leadership Institute, and a leadership program for women and minorities. (ECC)

State of the South 2004 is the fifth edition in MDC's State of the South series, which examines the region's economic and demographic landscape and how Southerners are faring within it. This edition considers the region through the lens of public education, 50 years after the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision. That revolutionary ruling struck a hard blow to American apartheid and began the process of allowing millions of black and brown Southerners full access to America's principal ladder of opportunity: good public schools. Brown v. Board forced America to correct a shameful and misguided history of racial exclusion in education. Once liberated, our people and our region were able to accelerate the South's progress toward economic parity with the rest of the United States ? a story we have documented in previous State of the South reports. (Contains 32 figures.)

A nationwide study examined the roles, responsibilities, and major accomplishments of the State Job Training Coordinating Councils (SJTCCs) under the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA). The 50-state assessment also documented the nature and extent of council involvement with governors, legislatures, and JTPA's local Private Industry Councils (PICs) and Service Delivery Areas (SDAs). Two-thirds of the governors continued to take an active interest in SJTCC affairs. Increasing legislative involvement with JTPA in general was indicated, but its nature and emphasis fit no consistent pattern nationally. Relations with local PICs and SDAs appeared to be consistently good. SJTCCs tended to involve themselves most heavily in JTPA-specific operational issues, while demonstrating considerably less involvement with longer-term planning and policy issues. Coordination activities and planning and allocation of state discretionary funds headed the list of current SJTCC priorities. Each state council was actively involved in some aspect of JTPA planning, coordination, or oversight. A pervasive problem was absence of mechanisms for exchanging information or comparing "best practices" among the states. The majority of SJTCCs were involved in activities that enhanced JTPA coordination with employment security agencies and public assistance programs. Councils in a half dozen states had, at their governors' urging, embarked on major new employment and training policy development initiatives. (YLB)

A review was conducted to assess early initiatives by Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) prime sponsors in knowledge development under the Youth Employment and Demonstration Projects Act of 1977. The review was based on two waves of site visits to a total of 19 prime sponsors, in May-June, 1979, and in November-January, 1979-80. From the data gathered, most of the knowledge development activity was found to be at an early stage of development, or else it was not developed at all. In many cases, the evaluators found that sponsors lacked any clear conception of what knowledge development was supposed to be; activity of one sort or another was aimed at satisfying what seemed to both regional staff and state and local prime sponsors an extremely nebulous goal. Despite limited progress, however, the average prime sponsor was found to be interested in learning more about its youth programs so that they could be improved, and would welcome advice, examples, and technical assistance in any form in which it might be offered. It was recommended that (1) some firm definition of knowledge development as applicable to youth programs at the state and local level be provided; (2) that prime sponsors be given help in designing evaluation plans that are within the realm of accomplishment and that may reasonably be expected to provide knowledge useful to them; and (3) that technical assistance be provided to the prime sponsors. (KC)

The Facilitator's Role in Collaborative Rural Development Project began in 1979 as a study of 12 rural development efforts which comprised the North Carolina Rural Employment Laboratory and was expanded in 1980-81 to include rural development in 6 other states (California, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, and Vermont). A wide range of state and local efforts were examined, i.e., small business assistance programs, innovative developmental finance institutions, industrial parks built by local development corporations, state programs that provide technical assistance to local development, and many others. The projects presented offer a diverse and representative sample of locally initiated economic development efforts currently under way in smaller cities and rural areas. Chapter 1 of the report presents the study's overall approach to economic development in smaller cities and rural areas. Chapter 2 analyzes the three local economic development strategies that were identified through the field work and discusses characteristics of local organizations that have initiated these strategies. Chapter 3 covers state support for local economic development. The second part of the report includes detailed case studies on each of the seven states, followed by a summary of the North Carolina Rural Employment Laboratory and a bibliography. (AH)

A study of the employment problems facing physically and mentally handicapped youth is reported. To illustrate the main points, results of extensive interviews with seven handicapped youth are juxtaposed with statistics and findings. The study looks at tne continuum of services offered to handicapped individuals, including understanding the disabilities and teaching mainstreamed students, teaching and training handicapped youth through vocational education, and postsecondary training and employment of handicapped youth. The impact of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 is assessed with emphasis on parent involvement in the Individualized Education Program process and Congress's failure to appropriate money. The level of service to handicapped youth by vocational education in high schools and the involvement in Comprehensive Employment and Training Act programs by handicapped youth are also discussed. The continuum of service from preschool to employment is then presented as exemplified by several exceptional programs. A narrative follows of events of 1982, during which the gains registered by advocates for the handicapped population were tested in all branches of the federal government. Recommendations are made regarding creation of a national commission to study the economics of preparing handicapped individuals for work and amendments to and implementation of the Job Training Partnership Act. (YLB)

The undereducation of at-risk youth is a critical issue overlooked by the education reform movement of the 1980s, as represented by the report, "A Nation At Risk." This group, whose members are predominantly economically, culturally, racially, and ethnically disadvantaged, is leaving school unprepared for further education or available work. Workers' lack of basic skills is creating an inadequate labor force for the United States to compete in a world economy. Three personal narratives illustrate typical at-risk students. The Federal Government has decreased its financial commitment to education. Federal support is required by the following groups: (1) low-income children in need of preschool education; (2) students in need of remediation; (3) children in need of bilingual education; and (4) youth in need of job training. A survey of 49 states and the District of Columbia reported efforts in the following areas: (1) early identification and remediation; (2) career exploration and vocational education; (3) dropout prevention and school-to-work transition; (4) dropout retrieval and second chance programs; and (5) equal funding. The barriers to assisting at-risk youth are the following: (1) failure to perceive their need; (2) resistance to institutional change at the state and local levels; and (3) absence of leadership at the federal level. The appendices include the following: (1) summaries of the reform efforts of 14 states; (2) a chart of the Federal Program Budget Authorization by State, 1986 and 1987; and (3) a list of State contacts. A list of resources is also included. (FMW)

A summary of a 50-state assessment of the organization, composition, staffing, and operations of State Job Training Coordinating Councils (SJTCCs), conducted through telephone interviews with Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) or SJTCC administrators, produced a sketch of SJTCC procedures and practices. Some of the findings of the summary assessment were the following: (1) attendance at SJTCC meetings in most states is holding steady and business participation is generally strong, although concern was expressed in some places over low levels of involvement of elected officials and public agency representatives; (2) governors in 34 states have accepted all recommendations made by their SJTCCs to date; (3) legislatures are increasingly involved with SJTCCs; (4) relations with Private Industry Councils and Service Delivery Areas are good; (5) SJTCCs have involved themselves most heavily in JTPA-specific operational issues; (6) coordination and planning head the list of SJTCC activities; (7) the majority of SJTCCs are involved in current or recent activities that enhance JTPA coordination with other agencies; and (8) a growing number of councils are involved in policy development for training and employment initiatives. (KC)

A summary is presented of a statistical and documentary study of the Human Resources Development (HRD) program in the North Carolina community college system. First, an outline is provided of the changes in the HRD program since its inception in 1966, the constituencies it serves, and its goals of recruiting chronically unemployed individuals, providing remedial education and motivation training, and offering follow-up advice and assistance. The paper then explains program outcome measures and allocations formulas, based on, among other factors, an Efficiency Index, which awards triple credit for reducing welfare dependency. Next, the paper reviews a study of program results over a five-year period (1976-77 through 1980-81), a survey of a group of participants over a three-year period (1978-79 through 1980-81), and a comparison of this participant group with a similarly disadvantaged group of Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) program participants. The following sections present highlights of these studies in terms of participants' earning increases, additional training received, participants' evaluation of the program, potential deferred benefits, and program improvements. Next, recommendations for further program changes at the state and local levels are made. Discussions of the future of HRD, the relationship between the program and host colleges, and the fiscal implications of HRD for the colleges conclude the paper. (HB)

This report provides descriptive and evaluative information on the Human Resources Development (HRD) program, which was instituted in North Carolina community colleges to provide remedial education and occupational training to chronically unemployed individuals and to offer advice and assistance for obtaining employment. After an executive summary of the program's successes and limitations, the report introduces a statewide study conducted to examine how the HRD program has affected the community college system and to determine the long-term economic impact of HRD training on participants. Chapter I of the report presents an overview of the study questions and describes the study methodology. Chapter II traces the development of the HRD program from 1968 and highlights the changes in the program since its inception. After chapter III assesses the impact of the program on participants and on the community college system, chapter IV analyzes operational issues that have affected statewide program performance. Chapter V explores the utility of HRD's competetive efficiency index (a measure used to increase allocations to colleges on the basis of decreases in public assistance expenditures) as a measure of program performance, as a means of allocating resources, and as a program management tool. Chapter VI presents recommendations for strengthening the program and assesses its potential for national replication. Appendices include evaluation methodology and results. (Author/HB)

This report describes and assesses the actual Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) program that is implemented. It covers the initial operating period, the nine months from October 1, 1983, through June 30, 1984, of Title II-A, Training Services for the Disadvantaged. Chapter I is an introduction. Chapter II discusses the basic configuration of the JTPA program: its structure, training activities, services, contractors, participants, achievements, and concerns. Chapter III examines the new relationships established between public and private sectors at both the local and state levels. Chapter IV discusses policies and practices at the state and local levels relating to the legislation's mandate for more effective coordination between JTPA and other public agencies with an interest in employment and training services. It provides an assessment of the coordination achieved with several major public institutions--education, employment service, economic development, and welfare--and describes the issues facing further attempts to satisfy this aspect of the legislation. Chapter V examines the roles and activities undertaken by the federal and state governments as the primary overseers of JTPA programming and the degree to which the oversight role they played influenced local programming choices. Chapter VI summarizes the report. Instruments and a survey report are appended. (YLB)

The recommendations presented in this report were developed by the Commission on the Future of the North Carolina Community College System to improve the operation, funding, and economic and social returns of the state's community colleges. Section 1 provides a summary of upcoming challenges facing the colleges and the Commission's response to those challenges. Six fundamental changes for improving the system are recommended: (1) provide every community college student access to quality teaching and academic support services; (2) establish mechanisms to promote accountability and increased flexibility in funding; (3) provide opportunities for all adults to master basic critical thinking skills; (4) help business and industry adapt to technological change and promote small business development; (5) build strong partnerships with the public schools and state universities; and (6) develop strong leadership for the system and its colleges. After section 2 reviews the economic conditions that necessitate an exemplary community college system, section 3 identifies various problems experienced by the colleges, including issues related to funding levels, salaries, resource allocation, planning and goal setting, professional development, comprehensive education, access, basic skills, business and industry support, leadership, and state and local governance. Section 4 sets forth the Commission's major goals, and section 5 offers 33 specific recommendations for achieving them. Finally, section 6 presents a timetable for implementing the recommendations. Financial projections are appended. (AJL)

This study of work force illiteracy in the southern region of the United States reached the following five conclusions: (1) the problem is concentrated more among high school dropouts than among grade school dropouts who never learned to read; (2) the South risks creating a permanent, massive pool of undereducated citizens unable to support themselves, at a time when shortages of skilled workers are emerging as a critical barrier to economic progress; (3) the South's response to the literacy problem is seriously inadequate; (4) the poor quality of literacy and adult education programs is as serious as the small quantity of adults served; and (5) resolution of the South's problem is unlikely without federal leadership in the form of enhancing the quality and accountability of adult literacy programs, establishing labor force development as a direct goal of Adult Education Act programs, and increasing financial support for adult literacy education. The study's methodology included examination of quantitative data on the changing demands of the workplace and on the educational attainment and functional literacy skills of southern adults; a literature search on literacy and its relation to the southern economy; phone interviews with adult education officials in 14 southern states; and personal and phone interviews with more than 100 economists, educators, demographers, executives, economic developers, and job trainers. (CML)

This document is an executive summary of a report asserting that the under-education of a body of students, known as "at-risk" youth, presents a crisis in American public education that has been overlooked by the educational reform movement of the 1980s. These youth are referred to as "at-risk" because they leave school unprepared for either further education or available jobs. Often they are prepared only for lives of alienation and dependency. If the trend continues, the result will be a labor force unsuited to post-industrial economy. Workers' basic skills, particularly at the entry level, are not sufficient for the United States to compete in a world economy. Federal aid to education has declined in real dollars by 23 percent, and is now insufficient to serve the following at-risk groups: (1) low-income children in need of pre-school education; (2) students in need of remedial programs; (3) students in need of bilingual education; and (4) youth in need of job training. However, the most formidable barriers to assisting at-risk youth do not concern a lack of money, but the failure to perceive them as in need of specific long-term attention, resistance to educational change at the state and local levels, and an absence of genuine leadership at the federal level. Figure 1 includes an outline of a Policy and Program Development Phase-Descriptor Continuum. Figure 2 includes a list of findings and recommendations. (FMW)

A survey of state commissions concerned with educational excellence showed that the majority of these commissions are not involved with the problems of at-risk youth. The definition of at-risk youth includes the following: (1) young people from poor families of all races, including minorities and immigrants, who face discriminatory policies and practices; (2) girls and young women who miss out on educational opportunities routinely afforded males; and (3) children with special needs who are unserved, underserved, or improperly categorized because of handicap or learning difficulties. Survey questionnaires designed to elicit the main concerns of the commissions were completed by 54 commissions in 32 states. Results indicated that less than one-fourth of those responding have chosen to focus on at-risk youth, or the kinds of programs that could assist such youth. Recommendations are the following: (1) all state educational commissions should consider recommendations targeted at at-risk youth; (2) in states where educational commissions no longer exist, special commissions should be appointed to deal with the educational problems of at-risk youth; (3) governors and state educational officers should take personal responsibility for implementation of recommendations; (4) governors, their State Job Training Coordinating Councils, and the Service Delivery Areas established under the Job Training Partnership Act should help schools and local private industry councils establish programs for at-risk youth. (FMW)