Community Education: A Guide for State Initiatives.

Overview & Synopsis

Community education can be characterized as a flexible community process for addressing the community's educational needs; it is designed by local residents to meet local needs. This guide presents an overview of community education and offers some ideas for drafting and passing legislation for community education and beginning and carrying out community education programs. Following an introduction to the concept of community education, the guide is organized in seven sections. The sections provide the following information: (1) community education--what it is, what it does; (2) what does good community education legislation include? (3) a few important preconditions; (4) formulating a state plan; (5) characteristics of effective legislation; (6) elements of effective legislation; and (7) constructing the coalition to promote community education. Some examples of successful community education programs are provided throughout the text. (KC)