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This digest in Spanish presents ways that school administrators can realistically assess their schools' security needs. It opens by reporting that some types of school violence are declining, such as self-reported weapon carrying and fighting on school property, which reflects an overall decline in youth violence. However, schools still must perform periodic, routine security assessments to ascertain their security needs. Checklist surveys that involve parents, students, law-enforcement personnel, community representatives, and school staff are important measures, and a security assessment performed by an independent consultant holds several advantages. Recent tragedies in schools have prompted some districts to consider adding high-tech security hardware, such as metal detectors. The usefulness of such detectors depends on the severity of the weapons problems, the availability of funds for staff and training, and possible negative effects on school atmosphere. Other security options include hand-held detectors, security cameras, and changing procedures and space allocation. An important component of any security measure is identifying potentially violent students and intervening before serious problems erupt. Staff and parents should be trained to recognize warning signs. Finally, every school should have a written crisis plan that features procedures for responding to a broad range of possible crises, including natural disasters, bomb threats, fire, and other situations. (Contains 10 references.) (RJM)

Multiage education is the placement of children of varying ages, grades, and ability levels in the same classroom with the aim of improving learning for all of them. Teaching a multiage class requires very different knowledge and skills than teaching traditional single-grade classes. Interest in multiage education has grown in recent years, and more educators are asking for information on how and why it works, and for practical advice on implementation. Five recent publications that address these questions are reviewed in this brief: (1) "A Common-Sense Guide to Multiage Practices" (Jim Grant and Bob Johnson); (2) "Full Circle: A New Look at Multiage Education" (Pennelle Chase and Jane Doan); (3) "Multiage Portraits: Teaching and Learning in Mixed-Age Classrooms" (Charles Rathbone, Anne Bingham, Molly McClaskey, and Justine O'Keefe); (4) "Children at the Center: Implementing the Multiage Classroom" (Bruce A. Miller); and (5) "Nongraded Education: Overcoming Obstacles to Implementing the Multiage Classroom" (Joan Gaustad). (LMI)

Assessment of student progress is a challenge for educators who use developmentally appropriate practices such as multiage grouping. Interest in alternative types of assessment has become widespread. These performance-based, or authentic, assessments are explored in this document, which presents assessment strategies that work effectively with multiage instructional approaches. Chapter 1 begins by examining the purposes of assessment and then compares the characteristics, strengths, and limitations of conventional and authentic assessments. Chapter 2 explores methods used to assess and document the process of learning, such as observation, anecdotal records, and developmental checklists, and presents means of assessing, evaluating, and organizing authentic products of student learning. Issues involved in reporting student progress to parents and administration are examined in the third chapter. Chapter 4 considers the implications of authentic-assessment approaches for administrators and school boards, and summarizes what administrators should know about teachers' requirements to effectively implement new assessment methods. A summary publication is included. The appendix contains an overview of authentic-assessment practices in Oregon. Data were gathered from interviews with 10 educators and assessment specialists. (Contains 97 references.) (LMI)

The ordinary conduct of school business is accompanied today by risks that were rare or unknown a few decades ago. This ERIC Digest in Spanish discusses how risk management, a concept long used by corporate decision makers, can help school boards and administrators conserve their districts' assets. Risk management is a coordinated effort to protect an organization's human, physical, and financial assets. The Digest describes how school districts can identify and evaluate risks and delineates various loss-control activities that help to reduce or eliminate risks. It also discusses the ways in which districts can finance unavoidable risks, usually through the purchase of insurance. Finally, the factors of an effective risk-management program are identified. (LMI)

The ordinary conduct of school business is accompanied today by risks that were rare or unknown a few decades ago. School administrators are continually being challenged to develop new strategies to safeguard their districts' assets. Risk management is a coordinated effort to protect an organization's assets, both human and financial, from all types of risk. The first step is systematic identification of all risks to which the district may be exposed, and analysis of these risks by their probable frequency and severity. The next step, loss control, seeks to reduce or eliminate risks by preventive actions. Risk financing strategies are then used to reduce the district's financial vulnerability to the remaining, unavoidable risks. The purpose of this bulletin is to help school district officials initiate or improve their own program of risk management. Chapter 1 discusses ways of identifying and evaluating risks. Chapter 2 focusses on loss prevention. Chapter 3 examines options for financing risk. Chapter 4 explores the ways four Oregon school districts manage risk. Finally, chapter 5 considers how school boards and administrators can support risk management. (MLF)

Nongraded education is the practice of teaching children of different ages and ability levels together, without dividing them into groups labeled by grade designations. As the year 2000 approaches and schools are being re-evaluated in light of changing social and economic conditions, nongradedness is the focus of renewed interest. This publication contains an annotated bibliography of six pieces of research literature on nongraded elementary education: (1) "The Nongraded Elementary School" (John I. Goodlad and Robert H. Anderson); (2) "Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8" (National Association for the Education of Young Children); (3) "The Case for Mixed-Age Grouping in Early Education" (Lilian G. Katz, and others); (4) "Supporting Learning: Understanding and Assessing the Progress of Children in the Primary Program: A Resource for Parents and Teachers" (Ministry of Education, Province of British Columbia); (5) "Nongraded Education: Mixed-age, Integrated, and Developmentally Appropriate Education for Primary Children" (Joan Gaustad); and (6) "Making the Transition to Nongraded Primary Education" (Joan Gaustad). (LMI)

Preventive and coping strategies that provide school security include techniques to obtain and analyze data in order to identify trends and to develop a school security needs assessment. Other security measures involve special training for teachers, supervision, and a crisis plan. Administrators who examine and upgrade their schools' security systems may not be able to prevent all crime, but they can protect their schools from liability in court. Ten resources are listed. (MLF)

This Digest explores the practice of looping, a pedagogical strategy in which a teacher advances from one grade level to the next along with his or class. It describes how teachers and students in looping classes need not start from scratch every fall, learning new sets of names and personalities. By spending several years with a class, teachers can accumulate more indepth knowledge of students' personalities, learning styles, strengths, and weaknesses. Studies have shown that students in looping classes scored substantially higher on standardized tests of reading and mathematics than did students in regular classes, even when both groups were taught by the same teacher. Looping is compatible with other practices and can facilitate assessment and whole-language approaches. It can be used from kindergarten through high school, but in the United States it is most common at the primary- and middle-school levels. Older students in looping may have a tendency to form cliques, and the extended time together may exacerbate some problems that could be endured for a single year. Even so, looping is easier to implement than many educational reforms and can succeed if extra care is devoted to teacher training and to a class's composition. Contains 10 references. (RJM)

Multiage education involves placing children of different ages, abilities, and emotional maturity in the same classroom. Research indicates that heterogeneous grouping promotes cognitive and social growth, reduces antisocial behavior, and facilitates the use of research-based, developmentally appropriate instructional practices. Because multiage education is unfamiliar to most citizens, it is crucial for these programs to garner parent and community support. This digest summarizes research findings on how schools can create support for multiage education. Topics include the importance of parent and community support, the ways in which multiage practices can be effectively communicated, the ways in which parents and the community can be involved, the obstacles that can hinder meaningful parent involvement, and the ways in which parents and community members can participate in decision making. (LMI)

Multiage grouping and related instructional practices are being implemented with increasing frequency in classrooms across the nation. If implementation is carefully and knowledgeably planned, these innovations offer promising alternatives to traditional graded educational practices. This digest briefly describes issues to be considered before implementing such changes. It outlines what teachers and administrators need to know, the principal's role, organizational changes to be made ahead of time, and the importance of sufficient time and money. For example, schools that institute multiage grouping must also change their methods of instruction and facilitate developmentally appropriate practices. In addition, effective multiage teaching is more time-consuming than age-graded teaching, and schools should anticipate hiring additional teachers or paraprofessionals. (LMI)

The ordinary conduct of school business is accompanied today by risks that were rare or unknown a few decades ago. This ERIC Digest discusses how risk management, a concept long used by corporate decision makers, can help school boards and administrators conserve their districts' assets. Risk management is a coordinated effort to protect an organization's human, physical, and financial assets. The Digest describes how school districts can identify and evaluate risks and delineates various loss-control activities that help to reduce or eliminate risks. It also discusses the ways in which districts can finance unavoidable risks, usually through the purchase of insurance. Finally, the factors of an effective risk-management program are identified. (LMI)

Substance abuse affects American children across all geographic and economic boundaries and has been linked to poor academic performance, truancy, and dropping out. Schools lacking clear alcohol and drug policies are more likely to experience problems with substance abuse. A districtwide substance abuse policy makes a public statement that educators are aware of and have a consistent approach to the problem. A policy should begin with a philosophical statement outlining the district's position on substance abuse. The discipline code should clearly specify what constitutes a drug offense. These measures should be accompanied by intervention and prevention policies. Developing these policies should involve all stakeholders in the educational community, including students, educators, parents, law enforcement personnel and citizens. Once a substance abuse policy is created, communication and revision of the policy should be ongoing. In implementing a substance abuse policy, schools should balance their obligation to provide a safe school environment with students' privacy and right to due process. (JPT)

One-to-one tutoring programs, such as peer and cross-age tutoring, can result in emotional and learning benefits for the tutor and the tutee. Peer tutoring involves two students of the same age. In cross-age tutoring, the tutor is older than the tutee. The Willamette High School Peer Tutoring Program in Eugene, Oregon; the Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program in San Antonio, Texas; and the Companion Reading Program (Salt Lake City, Utah) are examples of peer and cross-age tutoring programs. Advantages of these programs are that tutors are better than adults in relating to their tutees on a cognitive, emotional, and social level. Also, cross-age tutoring offers the tutor the higher status of being older but still being close in age. Tutors can benefit from cross-age and peer tutoring because it allows them to review material and to improve thinking and communication skills. For a program to succeed, tutors should be trained and should understand the material tutees will be learning. Problems in cross-age tutoring can include tutees' resisting the program and conflicts with scheduling. (Contains nine references.) (JPT)

Ways in which schools can handle student discipline problems are described in this Digest, which asserts that effective strategies aim to encourage responsible behavior and provide all students with a satisfying school experience. The document outlines the school characteristics associated with discipline problems, examines ways to decrease disruptive and increase positive student behavior, discusses the role of administrative leadership, and describes ways to develop and implement a schoolwide discipline plan. (Contains 12 references.) (LMI)

In nongraded education, children of different ages and ability levels are taught together and make continuous progress rather than being promoted once per year. Research studies support nongraded primary education by indicating that young children vary in their rates of intellectual development and learn best through hands-on activities with concrete materials. In addition, participation in mixed-age groups has social and cognitive benefits. Teaching multi-age classes requires more teacher preparation time and knowledge about child development, integrated curriculum, and instructional strategies. The implementation of nongraded education is facilitated by the following: (1) understanding and support by teachers and parents; (2) practical training for teachers; and (3) support by both administrators and school boards. (MLF)

Reports of increased violence and crime in the schools suggest that an attack on the roots of violence must accompany work to improve discipline and physical security. Suggestions for schools to actively respond to the problem are offered in this digest. Reasons for the increase of violence and for most schools' reluctance to address the problem are discussed, as well as methods for teaching school nonviolence through prevention programs and early intervention strategies employed by several schools. (11 references) (LMI)

An overview of issues and problems in identifying and predicting dropouts is presented in this Digest. The topics discussed are as follows: factors associated with dropping out; defining and calculating dropouts; problems in prediction; the usefulness of current prediction models; and suggestions for improving prediction. The recommendation is made that educators not overlook the majority of potential dropouts who are not obviously "at risk." (9 references) (LMI)

An increase in gang violence and mobility in the last 20 years has alarmed members of the public school community. Gang membership, formation, location, and growth are described. Strategies to counteract gang activity, such as school discipline policies, school and community prevention programs, information sharing networks, and state legislation, are discussed. (9 references) (LMI)

Nongraded primary education is the practice of teaching children of different ages and ability levels together, without dividing them or the curriculum into steps labeled by "grade" designations. Changing from graded to nongraded structure requires a major investment of time, energy, and commitment on the part of teachers and administrators. This publication focuses on the complex and delicate process of transition from graded to nongraded organization, presenting examples at local and state levels. The first chapter summarizes the elements of successful change, with special emphasis on the psychological aspects of change. Chapter 2 takes a close look at how teachers in one school are making the transition. The different approaches of three Oregon school districts to nongraded primary education are explored in chapter 3. Chapter 4 focuses on the process of transition in an entire state or province. Finally, chapter 5 discusses the options school boards have for exploring nongraded primary education or implementing a state mandate in their own districts. A list of 17 persons interviewed is appended. (24 references) (MLF)

Nongraded education is the practice of teaching children of different ages and ability levels together in the same classroom, without dividing them or the curriculum into steps labeled by "grade" designations. Children progress along the continuum from easier to more difficult material at their own, varying rates of speed. Interest in nongraded education is usually focused on the primary years because developmental differences make nongrading particularly appropriate for young children. Chapter 1 begins this bulletin by reviewing the history of graded and nongraded education in the United States and examining the development of the concept of nongrading over the course of time. Chapter 2 reviews the research base for nongraded education at the primary level. Chapter 3 examines various ways the concept of nongraded primary education can be put into practice. Appended is a 31-item bibliography and a list of four persons interviewed for the bulletin. (MLF)

Since the 1960s, crime and violence have been increasing in schools. This document focuses on crime involving physical harm or the threat of physical harm to a student or staff member on school grounds or at school events. Chapter 1 reviews past trends in school violence, describes the current extent of the problem, and explores some of its causes. Effective ways of dealing with chronic problems other than gang activity are covered in chapter 2, and actions specifically aimed at established gang activity are dealt with in chapter 3. Chapter 4 describes how to prepare for and respond to unpredictable crisis situations. Finally, prevention efforts are discussed in chapter 5. Based on recommendations of experts and experiential accounts of school personnel, the most important steps in combatting school violence can be summarized as follows: (1) acknowledging existing school violence, or the possibility of its developing in the future; (2) planning ahead for all reasonable contingencies; (3) developing written policies and clearly communicating them to staff and students; (4) training staff and students in techniques for applying those policies; and (5) cooperating with the community and other agencies. The appendix lists additional information about programs cited, and the names and addresses of nine persons interviewed. (44 references) (MLF)