A mainframe computer installed at a school district had all information online within a 24-month period. The key elements to success were adequate research and staff input, open communication, exemplary training, and a data-processing staff that made site visits to help with hardware or software problems. (MLF)

The activities of the Performing Arts Program of the Model Secondary School for the Deaf (District of Columbia) are described, focusing on classes offered in dance, music, and theater; in-house and road show productions; student participation; outreach; summer institute programs; volunteer assistance; alumni achievements; and implications for…

Describes a study that evaluated implementation of curriculum materials for secondary social studies in the Netherlands. The evaluation focused on individual teachers' actual use of these materials in their classrooms. A large discrepancy emerged between the curriculum developers' original intentions and the observed instructional processes.…

The Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired provides outreach services for students with visual impairments throughout the state. Outreach services staff serve families and agencies by providing on-site consultation, workshop presentations, resource and referral, and technology loan services. (JDD)

In England, the traditional 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. school day, with generous lunch, morning, and afternoon breaks, is yielding to alternative arrangements to accommodate the extra workload arising from numerous government-mandated reform initiatives. This article documents the reasons, discussions, and processes involved in one secondary school's…

Change began in Saint Charles (Illinois) School District with a few teachers implementing new ideas in their own classrooms. Organized change began as principals and other administrators encouraged teachers to learn and grow. While teachers were developing process writing and whole-language programs, district embraced systemic change by entrusting…

Describes one elementary school's efforts to increase parental involvement in its day-to-day operations. The procedure adopted to expand parental involvement included analysis and selection of the school's needs, goal setting, parent training, spreading the word, outreach to parents unable to come to the school, ways of showing appreciation to…

Describes a field study of four public libraries that examined the extent to which differences in local implementation of the Public Library Association's long-range planning process produced differences in planning outcomes. Reasons for deciding to plan, participant evaluation of the process, and specific outcomes are highlighted. (LRW)

Pennsylvania's Secondary Instructional Support program addresses such problems as failing grades, lack of classroom participation, lack of time on task, difficulties with basic skills, and poor attendance. It provides school districts with training and guided practice in six areas: collaboration, instructional assessment, instructional adaptation,…

Describes the design and implementation of a comprehensive plan for the acquisition, maintenance, and upgrade of educational technology at Montgomery County Community College (Blue Bell, Pennsylvania). Indicates that despite comprehensive planning, implementation was incremental and contingent on the availability of resources. (JDI)

The Texas Scholars Program, a joint business/education venture, is a low-cost program that motivates the "forgotten majority" (lower ranked students) to complete a rigorous academic curriculum preparing them for the labor market or postsecondary education. Since 1989, Eastman Chemical Company business leaders have been…

The Greendale (Wisconsin) School District uses sophisticated, two-way communication and marketing strategies to find out community concerns, gain a better understanding of all the groups in the district, create trust, and put constructive criticism to good use. "Relationship" marketing actively seeks out input from both supporters and…

Describes a project developed in Portugal to create a virtual enterprise that associates small, rural enterprises and allows the formulation of competitive strategies based on information technology. Highlights include entering a global market, use of the Internet, communication networks, motivations, and an implementation model for setting up an…

Describes the implementation of an English Language Center in Esteli, Nicaragua in 1993 and identifies social, cultural, and political complexities involved. Qualified teachers were recruited during the planning phase, and after two months of operation, over 200 students were enrolled. Students paid for classes that were marketed only to those who…

Character education's goal is to help young people know, care about, and act on core ethical values such as fairness, honesty, kindness, respect for others, and responsibility. In this interview, a high school principal in Memphis, Tennessee, explains how staff implemented a separate character-education course. (MLH)