In this annotated bibliography of 12 publications on school climate are 3 entries that suggest specific ways to improve the school climate and 1 that outlines leadership techniques for principals. Ways to assess school climate are covered by a review of assessment instruments, a discussion of the measurement issues, a description of major…

Recent concern for the quality of education has placed pressure on school administrators to assess and upgrade the competency of their teaching staff. No simple formula exists for measuring teacher competency, however, nor are any new methods guaranteed to improve the quality of instruction. Nevertheless, through a combination of clinical…

An effective staff development program for rural teachers will have identified the needs to be met, will incorporate good management principles, and will make use of a variety of resources--the community itself, nonprofessional staff, business and industry, and shared teaching efforts. Distinctive staff development needs of rural teachers may…

This ERIC digest discusses meeting the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered school youth, i.e., supporting their ability to learn while maintaining an environment for them that is free from physical and psychological abuse. It describes the various policy initiatives protecting the rights of lesbian and gay students and indicates…

The 11 journal articles reviewed in this annotated bibliography focus on ways teachers and principals can improve the quality of teaching. Among the four articles directed toward principals are two that relate to the culture of the school; another presents a model to principals for achieving quality instruction; and the fourth proposes six…

Addressing the problems of recruiting and retaining qualified teachers for small and rural schools, this digest outlines improvements that could be made by teacher education programs, state education agencies, school superintendents, and teachers themselves. Suggested guidelines for teacher education programs stress nontraditional approaches that…

Building community collaboration and commitment for educating students in urban districts was the theme of the January 29-31, 1992, meeting of the Urban Superintendents' Network. Presentations and discussions focused on the political nature of education, Chapter 1 legislation, the use of educational technology, and educational standards and…

To provide administrators and teachers with a set of essential elements and principles to consider in using inservice programs for school improvement, this document presents a model comprised of 27 dimensions identified as important elements of effective inservice programs. These dimensions were identified through a review of the research…

The document contains summaries of papers and ensuing discussions presented at a 1985 symposium on exceptional American Indian children and youth. The opening address (by Beverly Valley, a parent and school board member) stresses the role of parents and the need for less culturally biased testing. Two papers deal with parent and family…