NCJ Number
75410
Date Published
1969
Length
20 pages
Annotation
Based on a review of project reports and visits to eight programs, this paper examines the basic education components of experimental and demonstration (E&D) programs for disadvantaged youth funded by the Manpower Administration in the 1960's.
Abstract
The basic education activities conducted in the following six projects are summarized: Neighborhood House in North Richmond, Calif.; Mayor's Youth Employment Project, Detroit; Lane County Youth Project in Eugene, Oreg.; Job Opportunities Through Better Skills, Chicago; and Mobilization for Youth and Young Men's Christian Association's Bedford-Stuyvesant Project in New York City. The five urban projects dealt primarily with blacks, although a trend to move away from male youths to young mothers with dependent children was observed. Only the Oregon program involved nonurban, white males. Innovative aspects of the projects included the development of new instructional materials, individual instruction, and efforts to relate basic education to job skills. All project directors appeared flexible and eager to encourage innovation, despite inherent program restrictions which often hindered their efforts. The summary of project experiences covers characteristics of the student population, instructional methods, curriculum materials, incentives, class size, and physical facilities. Relations with the public schools are discussed briefly. The study concluded that health and nutritional needs of the students had to be considered before an educational program could be effective and that training and basic education should be provided on the job, whenever possible. Other recommendations concerned paying stipends for class attendance, using tradesmen as instructors and counselors, developing reading as a habit, establishing more residential facilities, and improving the classrooms' physical appearances. An annotated bibliography of 13 references on basic education is provided.