THIS INCREASED PARTICIPATION OF SCHOOLS IN CHILD PROTECTION PROGRAMS IS LONG OVERDUE. ACCORDING TO PRELIMINARY STATISTICS FROM A STUDY ON CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT REPORTING, TWO-THIRDS OF THE CASES OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT REPORTED IN 1975 INVOLVED CHILDREN BETWEEN THE AGES OF 5 AND 17 YEARS. YET IN MOST STATES, EVEN THOSE IN WHICH EDUCATORS TRADITIONALLY HAVE REPORTED CASES, SCHOOLS HAVE ACCOUNTED FOR LESS THAN ONE-THIRD OF REPORTED CASES. HOWEVER, SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND COMMUNITY AGENCIES ARE BEGINING TO REALIZE THAT EDUCATORS CAN PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN IDENTIFYING AND PREVENTING CHILD ABUSE. THE MORE FORWARD-LOOKING SCHOOL POLICIES, LIKE THOSE ADOPTED BY THE SAN FRANCISCO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT AND BY THE BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD., SCHOOLS GO BEYOND REQUIREMENTS TO REPORT AND ENCOURAGE STAFF INVOLVEMENT IN ASSESSING OR ASSISTING FAMILIES IN NEED. THE BALTIMORE COUNTY POLICY REQUIRES THAT WHEN SCHOOL STAFF MEMBERS SUSPECT CHILD NEGLECT, THEY ARE TO REFER THE CASE FOR A SCHOOL TEAM CONFERENCE. MANY SCHOOL DEPARTMENTS ARE EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF STAFF TRAINING IN IMPLEMENTING CHILD PROTECTION AND ABUSE DETECTION PROGRAMS. ALSO, A GROWING NUMBER OF SCHOOL SYSTEMS ARE PARTICIPATING IN MULTIDISCIPLINARY CHILD PROTECTION TEAMS. MOREOVER, SOME SCHOOLS HAVE BEGUN OFFERING CLASSES IN PARENTING TO SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS AS A MEANS OF PREVENTING FUTURE PARENTS FROM COMMITING CHILD ABUSE. WHERE SCHOOLS HAVE TAKEN AN ACTIVE ROLE IN DISCOVERING AND PREVENTING CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT, THE RESULT HAS BEEN HELP FOR HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES AND CHILDREN AT RISK. (PRG)