The recent policy focus on the turnaround of persistently low-achieving schools has generated considerable debate about the reforms needed to dramatically and quickly increase school performance. The purpose of this article is not to focus on specific turnaround interventions, but rather on the identification of schools slated to receive these…

School improvement efforts often focus on students who perform below grade level. These improvement efforts typically focus on improving instruction, often through a framework and professional development. The question remains, how do students who are gifted and talented respond to this type of instruction? We observed 48 students in their…

A leading proponent of behavioral objectives, author provides persuasive argument on how objectives can be used to bring about classroom accountability. The principal, he says, must be aware of real and specious teacher-performance assessment. (Editor)

A specialist in school finance discusses budgetary accountability by way of a factory analogy and an alternate route analogy. (Editor/RB)

This evaluation model is an attempt to provide a workable formula for a typical school setting. The key ingredient is a climate of professionalism and mutual trust. (Editor/RK)

A six-step process of accountability is presented to support counselors and counseling programs. The six stages are: goal setting, needs assessment, priority setting, planning interventions, evaluating outcomes, and reporting results. (MD)

The key to clarity and accountability is to structure the schools so that their goal is clearly the purpose for which they are instituted. The concept of "adult competency" can clarify education's purposes. (Author/MLF)

With accountability came the rush to develop behavioral descriptions of learning for students and to hold the teachers accountable for results. Now we realize, the author states, that the distinctive behaviors of principals are those that affect the continuing development of teacher competencies. (Editor)

Evaluation of the principal is in great demand in this era of accountability. The author suggests that principals take an offensive position by developing their own evaluative criteria. (Editor)

For a concise exposition of what management by objectives is and what it could mean for schools, with special reference to the principalship, this article is recommended reading. (Editor)

Author discusses the four components of planning: need, interest, organization, and accountability as they relate to an alternative school. (Editor)

Accountability is both highly complex and highly sensitive, say these writers, who feel that it is not yet technically feasible, other than in a piecemeal sense. A list of the stages through which a total accountability system must develop are presented here. (Editor/RK)

The essential purpose of education indicator systems is to assess direction, mission, and strategy. For state officials, this means analyzing state educational aims and determining whether they are being met. Using current state indicator systems for accountability purposes is premature. Quality considerations, relationship analysis limitations,…

There is currently no way to determine whether educational benefits of arts programs are myth or reality because the learning experiences have never been verified. Art educators, instead of aiming for vague general goals, must develop specific educational objectives and undertake the research to validate them. (Author/JM)

Saying that the systems approach to teaching has not yet been sufficiently developed to revolutionize school curricula, the author advocates combining traditional approaches with in-school development of problem-solving packages. (Editor)