Based on a study of how eight states have pursued educational reform, this booklet reviews new issues facing school finance as a result of the recent upsurge of interest in educational improvement. The booklet has four sections. The first section discusses changing state fiscal and political contexts within which reforms are being debated. Section…

Summarizes the research on school effectiveness and identifies state policy implications followed by a discussion of current state education policies and their relationship to school effectiveness research. (MLF)

Reviews three books on the educational excellence movement: "Excellence in Education," by D.P. Doyle and T.W. Hartle; "The Politics of Excellence and Choice in Education," by W.L. Boyd and C.T. Kerchner; and "Managing Educational Excellence," by T.B. Timar and D.L. Kirp. These books are not about movement's implementation and impact, but focus on…

Teaching all students to high standards may not be achievable with the way the vast bulk of schools in the United States are organized and managed. Under current school structures and management practices, marginal improvements are possible; significantly raising student achievement is not. Accomplishing this requires dramatic improvements that…

Diverse low-cost, innovative, and successful state initiatives for school improvement have been developed over the last five years. Generated by public pressures for accountability, many states' increased capacity for policy analysis, and insights gained during 15 years of administering categorical grant programs, the initiatives include: programs…