The pandemic brought new attention to the challenges high schools face, and, concurrently, communities are raising their expectations for graduates and demanding that high schools set students up to succeed and persist with college and career. While districts are creating inspiring visions for high school graduates and aspirational descriptions of…

The Mastery-Based Learning Collaborative (MBLC) is a demonstration project taking place in 47 schools across Washington to help decision makers understand what quality mastery-based (or competency-based) learning looks like, how long it takes to implement, and what resources are necessary. The schools receive funding, coaching, and professional…

Recalling the myth of Sisyphus repeatedly pushing the same boulder up a mountain in his new book, author and educator Frederick M. Hess explains how the K12 education leadership is faltering, and how it can rise above. "Cage-Busting Leadership" (Harvard Education Press, February 2013) is a new book and consequently, a small, growing…

As education becomes increasingly global, the processes and politics of transfer have become a central focus of research. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of contemporary theoretical and analytical work aimed at exploring international educational reform and reveals the myriad ways that globalization is now fundamentally altering our…

Many small institutions face difficulties, and the person who bears the brunt of dealing with those challenges is the college president. While each situation is unique, presidents can learn from the experiences of others, and at the very least, commiserate with each other regarding the challenges they face, especially when their institutions are…

Academic libraries are particularly affected by current financial problems in U.S. higher education. Lack of funds to make transitions as rapidly as higher education has changed focus or added dimensions is a recurrent theme in academic library development. This article presents the major developments and critical points of U.S. higher education…

All of the ideas and advice you can get on research-based school improvement don't matter if your community does not address norms that discourage and dishonor academic achievement. Fortunately, here's a book with lots of successful examples from real schools that shows how educators can collaborate with others to reverse poor motivation, reward…

The New England Resource Center for Higher Education's (NERCHE) Civic Engagement Cluster is a multi-institutional model for strengthening civic engagement in higher education across ten institutions simultaneously. Reflecting NERCHE's mission to promote community, collaboration, and change in higher education, the Cluster is based on the premise…

Since 2003, the Speak Up National Research Project has collected and shared the ideas and views of more than 1.5 million K-12 students, teachers, parents and administrators on education and technology. This dataset provides national education leaders and policy makers with the largest collection of authentic, unfiltered stakeholder feedback to…

New concentrations of wealth in the United States have not been accompanied by increased private philanthropy for higher education. To inspire large gifts, college development professionals must build a compelling case for transforming education. (MSE)

Educational reforms rest on a true need and a fiscal capacity to finance them. Poorer states already making a substantial tax effort are especially vulnerable. Maine's reform package is based not on across-the-board teacher salary increases, but on increase in year-round professional earnings. Includes 2 tables, 2 figures, and 10 references. (MLH)

The dynamics of the university systems in low income countries have changed drastically in the last three decades, and suggest directions in which higher education might be heading. Financing which depends more heavily on private resources and user contributions is the only feasible approach for reducing existing inefficiency and increasing…

The percentage of foundation support to elementary and secondary level schools from both corporate and private sources is increasing. Projects that call for systemwide reform and/or are collaborative are more likely to be funded. Offers tips and tactics for seeking grants. (MLF)

Bringing together a mix of researchers and practitioners, "With the Best of Intentions" examines the major goals of recent philanthropic efforts and looks at some of the key lessons--for educators, philanthropists, policymakers, and community leaders--of philanthropic contributions to schools and school systems. From the Gates small…

Viewpoints is a multimedia package containing two audio CDs and a brief, informative booklet. This volume of Viewpoints focuses on issues related to high school reform. This booklet offers background information explaining the issues surrounding high school reform with perspectives from research, policy, and practice. It also provides a list of…