In communities across the United States, the conversion of large high schools into small, focused learning environments is gaining currency as an education reform strategy. From Large to Small, by JFF's Lili Allen and Adria Steinberg, offers concrete guideposts to leaders of comprehensive high schools who seek to implement a small schools strategy.

From Large to Small draws on lessons emerging in schools and districts that have begun this difficult work, and it also turns to a less traditional source of lessons: small schools, alternative schools, and youth development programs—often on the margins of the school system—that blend cognitive challenge with the caring and connections associated with positive youth development.

From Large to Small is a joint publication of JFF, Carnegie Corporation of New York, and the Northeast and Islands Regional Laboratory at Brown University.

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Jobs for the Future has embarked upon a new strategic direction to accelerate for low-income youth and adults. In New Ventures, JFF is applying social enterprise business models and growth strategies to the youth transition and workforce development fields in order to expand the reach and impact of promising program designs.

Early College High Schools are small schools where students earn both a high school diploma and two years of credit toward a college degree. They are places designed to help young people progress toward the education and experience they need to succeed in life and family-supporting careers. JFF coordinates the initiative.

To find out more about Early College High Schools and the communities selected for the initiative, go to: http://www.earlycolleges.org/Media/InitPR10092002.html.

On November 14-16, 2002, the Coalition of Essential Schools will its hold 16th Annual Fall Forum. Each year, the forum brings together innovative educators, along with policymakers, authors, and other social activists. This year, the forum is in Washington, DC, where participants will learn about new legislation and make their voices heard about "What School Should Be."

For more information and to register, go to: http://www.essentialschools.org.

ADVOCASEY LOOKS AT WELFARE REFORM: The summer 2002 issue of Advocasey, the Annie E. Casey Foundation's flagship policy publication, examines the future of welfare reform. Feature stories detail a California career advancement project that helps newly employed welfare recipients move into promising careers, a transitional jobs project in Philadelphia that offers long-term welfare recipients "swimming lessons" before making them sink or swim on their own, and new data about how welfare reform affects children. To read Advocasey, go to: http://www.aecf.org/publications/browse.php?filter=12.

NATIONAL GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION ISSUE BRIEFS ON WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT: Of particular interest are A Governor's Guide to Creating a 21st Century Workforce, which describes state policies and programs that can help build the workforce needed for today's jobs and business leadership; and A Governor's Guide to Cluster-Based Economic Development, which provides tools for structuring economic development policies to help make business clusters more innovative and competitive. To download these reports, go to: http://www.nga.org/center/divisions/1,1188,C_ISSUE_BRIEF
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Speaking of resources, we invite teachers of economics, public policy, and political science, among other subjects, to consider using Low Wage Workers in the New Economy as a text book. This collection of original essays looks at what federal and state governments can do to help the men and women for whom the American Dream remains out of reach. JFF assembled an impressive line-up of experts, who describe the extent and contours of the challenge facing our nation's working poor.

To order Low Wage Workers in the New Economy, contact Urban Institute Press, at 1.877.UIPRESS, pubs@ui.urban.org.

Click here to download the Table of Contents and Chapter 1