In December 2002, the Department of Education launched the Office of Innovation and Improvement. That office was charged with promoting promising innovations in education and expanding parental options and information. Even in those early days of the "No Child Left Behind Act" the Department knew that the law had the potential to set in…

Analyzes the Mexican case through four hypotheses: decision makers are not rational; decisions are determined by economic rationality; policies reproduce ideology and/or culture; and policies and plans maintain decision makers' power. Concludes Mexican schools are not consciously organized to reproduce the dominant ideology, but they contribute to…

Nearly all school reforms, regardless of their scope or intended target, share a number of characteristics. This report reviews the essential elements of planning, implementing, and sustaining school reform and presents eight key lessons to guide prospective reformers. The lessons are drawn from 12 major studies of education reform funded by the…

Examines literacy campaigns from a literacy educator's viewpoint. Stresses that misassumptions, inaccurate definitions, misused statistics, unrealistic goals, and the failure to listen to literacy students themselves have resulted in frustrated policies. Suggests 10 theses for improving literacy policy in both developed and developing nations.…

A shift in federal policy is causing Americans to examine the basic values and aspirations of public education, and the "schools of choice" debate must address the following significant issues: (1) effectiveness; (2) equity; (3) governance and accountability; (4) resource allocation; (5) mission; (6) sociological factors; (7) psychological…

Asserts that U.S. education has entered a new era of advocacy for arts education. Describes publications and other efforts of the National Coalition for Music Education. Compares effective and ineffective advocacy methods and includes a table of contents of an "Action Kit for Music Education." (CFR)

Highlights the major accomplishments of elementary school foreign language efforts over the past decade and focuses particular attention on the priorities for the 1990s. These include advocacy for language learning in early childhood, teacher training, resources, additional opportunities for language learning, articulation, and research and…

Throughout Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) member countries, school systems and individual schools are experimenting with new approaches to management that seek to run schools in ways that are right for the 21st century. Those who manage these schools must take responsibility for an arduous task due to the complexity…

Responses of college administrators in schools facing conditions of fiscal stress, and alternative strategies found to be effective in private sector firms are examined. It is suggested that many college administrators are responding to conditions of decline by being conservative and efficiency oriented. A number of factors within and outside the…

Clarifies the concept of universal basic education. Highlights the need for performance criteria and ways to measure literacy attainment. Identifies issues related to improving primary education, seeing adult literacy as its necessary complement. Underscores the substantial resources required to achieve universal basic education. (CH)

In reviewing some of the most recent published and unpublished national documents available, this paper provides information on educational development and planning in selected developing countries in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. The major concern in most of the countries considered is to develop an educational system capable of meeting the…

This review of the literature examines barriers to building community and fostering involvement among female undergraduate and graduate students in engineering. It also explores a comprehensive set of strategic initiatives that can be taken by women in engineering advocates to build a sense of community and mutual support among students. Barriers…

This paper examines fiscal implications of five 1983 reports that recommend reform of America's schools. Greater rigor in curriculum and textbook content is a common report theme, while three call for specific graduation requirements. Generally, reports recommend increasing time for key courses and requiring regular homework, achievement tests,…

As part of a multiphased study of trends and priorities in vocational education in Missouri, four project consultants were hired to write reports on labor market needs in Missouri, vocational education delivery systems in the state, and fiscal resources available for Missouri vocational education programs. These individual reports were synthesized…

The literature on work placements in education and training courses and current Australian practice related to work placements was reviewed. The review focused on the school, university, and vocational education and training (VET) sectors. The following major issues were considered: lack of a common name and common body of literature; purposes of…