Research findings, supported by other research projects, identify the elements relevant to school improvement as school focus, school autonomy, and staff development. A chart based on three recent major literature reviews provides a comprehensive listing of supportable assertions regarding unusually effective institutions. (MLF)

A study compared 17 European countries' initial and continuing vocational training systems. Two kinds of continuing training (CT)--that which is initiated by the employer and that which is intiated by the individual--provide an indicator for comparing the different situations observed throughout the European Community. The two forms are mutually…

Focusing on issues and practices related to professional development at two- and four-year colleges, selected articles in the four issues of this volume include the following: "Empowering Faculty: An Alternative Method for Allocating Funds" (B. Dangerfield, D. Stover, and C. Byers); "Research Portfolios: Connecting Projects to Products" (L.…

These four issues of "The Journal of Staff, Program, and Organization Development" contain the following articles: "Faculty Developers: Are They Giving Away the X-Rays?" by Neil D. Fleming; "Alliances for Change: A Procedure for Improving Teaching through Conversations with Learners and Partnerships with Colleagues," by Richard G. Tiberius, and…

This analysis reports on the plans for special education personnel development by those states submitting fourth year applications under Part H of Public Law 99-457, the Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments (1986). The eight states--Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Maryland, Montana, North Carolina, and Texas--used a variety of approaches…

Authentic performance assessments--when used simultaneously with matching curricular practices--are a promising development for practitioners and students alike. A major benefit for practitioners appears to be the opportunity to redefine the curriculum and guide instruction. Benefits for students include the opportunity to engage in authentic work…

The two articles in this bulletin concern an experiment in progress to determine if training teachers in a structured program for mathematics instruction results in higher student achievement and if the effects of the program on teachers and students would be enhanced if the building principal participates in and supports the inservice process. In…

This publication's theme, "Institutional Change," is broadly examined in fourteen articles that range from research and opinion to allegory and satire. A student teacher, a dean, and a state education director are among the authors. Articles concern: 1) key elements of change; 2) relationships between local, county, state, and federal educational…

"The ERIC Review" announces research results, publications, and new programs relevant to each issue's theme topic. This inaugural issue contains two principal articles: "Drug-Free Schools: A National Challenge," by Samuel Y. Fustukjian, and "Drug Testing," by Amy Klauke and Margaret Hadderman. In addition, the following major features concerned…

Two major programs of the Spanish Family Guidance Center, a facility that addresses the mental health needs of Hispanics in the Greater Miami (Florida) area, are described in this report. One program, the Spanish Drug Rehabilitation Project (completed in 1977), compared a series of activities including: (1) research on the characteristics of…

This bulletin examines wellness programs and what they mean to Oregon educators. The opening sections describe what is meant by "wellness" and trace the growth of wellness programs in Oregon to the annual Seaside Health Education Conference. To illustrate how wellness programs operate, the next two sections describe how two Oregon school…

According to the author of this report, enthusiasm for inservice programs has been lacking, partly due to disagreement over program control and partly due to a perceived lack of relevance in the programs. This overview of a number of research and development projects suggests that the programs' relevance is the more important of these factors and…

This special double issue of the "Early Childhood Bulletin" explores issues for parents who are members of Interagency Coordinating Councils (ICCs) for their states' early intervention programs. The first article discusses issues parents may want to consider before they assume new roles in their ICC and in related activities. It also…

The report provides a survey of staff development (SD) managers in 505 English, Welsh, and Scottish further education colleges (227 responses). The objective was to determine how much SD has changed and matured since incorporation, and how much it has created benchmarks. Findings indicated that few staff developers had a relevant SD qualification.…

This issue of "Focal Point" addresses the delivery of services to children who are ethnic minorities of color and who have severe emotional disabilities. The cover article offers five keys to the provision of professionally competent services with such children: awareness and acceptance of cultural differences, awareness of the professional's own…