In the Old Adobe Union School District in Petaluma, California, the school staff's goal is to assure that all teachers make the fundamental shift from teacher-centric to learner-centric thinking. For them, this is what distinguishes great teachers from good teachers. They believe this level of expertise takes years to develop and that schools play…

Elementary, middle, and high school teachers from several school districts in California and Georgia share their experiences with designing and using study groups. Teachers report that the study groups identified educational and school needs, promoted teacher empowerment, increased collegiality, and kept teachers up on current issues and research…

Describes a California project which encourages educators to follow best practices for staff development and school improvement. The project helps them evaluate their staff-development plans by examining five essential questions about staff development and its connections to student success, professional climate, standards, and assessment. The…