Two views of the introduction of comprehensive secondary education into England and Wales are examined: that it is an episode connected directly to postwar building of the welfare state, and destined to fail; and represents a fundamental and permanent shift in the perception of what secondary education should attempt. (MSE)

The French ideal of comprehensive secondary education was based on a notion of equal educational opportunity through standardized schooling that was becoming politically outmoded as it was being implemented. Plans for truly comprehensive lower secondary education have not been very significant, and the comprehensive schools for students from 11-15…

In this address some of the possible consequences of voucher plan adoption are considered. Areas of concern are (1) the degree of change from the present system, (2) the lack of incentive for new entrepreneurs to provide alternatives, (3) the effects on the concepts of the comprehensive school and heterogeneity, and (4) the changed roles of the…

This report discusses low-performing school districts identified by the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (SEDL). It is based on a 5-year contract in which SEDL tried to transform low-performing schools in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas into high-performing learning communities. The first part of the paper…

This article discusses some of the various school-reform strategies that have been implemented since the publication of A Nation at Risk. It opens with an examination of standards-based accountability and some of the concerns and objections surrounding this movement. It asks whether standards are achieving their purpose, looks at the role of state…

The comprehensive university, or "Gesamthochschule" described in this article is an attempt in Germany to solve the crisis of higher education caused by massive secondary education and lack of mobility within the tertiary level of education. (JH)

Examines recent attempts to restructure French secondary schooling in order to provide equal opportunity and more relevant curriculum. Discusses some impediments to these reforms, particularly the opposition of teachers and their unions. (SJL)

A discussion of the status of the comprehensive secondary school in Germany looks at its history within the overall educational system, curriculum design, the relatively traditional approach taken by West Germany in comparison to other European countries, and the chances for comprehensive schools in a united Germany. (MSE)

Major socioeconomic trends, including the growth of service industries, increased urbanization, and the enhanced importance of leisure time, have brought about the evolution of what might be called the full-service community college. This institution, which culminates the development of the American community college toward its community-based…

This report provides a critical analysis of the Foundation's program, examining its rationale, implementation, and impact. The Foundation gave access to all correspondence and progress reports relating to the program to an independent evaluation team and facilitated visits to most of the 25 project sites. The first chapter discusses the entry of…

This document lists the 16 characteristics that help integrate comprehensive program planning into the regular school program and other family-support systems. The 16 characteristic arose from a review of research on effective afterschool programs and interviews with active program sites. The characteristics are as follows: climate for inclusion;…

A proposed system of comprehensive education features built-in provisions for the differing needs of individuals with a suggested community-run back-up system. (GR)

Tracing the development of comprehensive schools in relation to working class protests against separate schools for different social classes, the author argues that comprehensives may yet fail because lower-class children continue to be patronized by teachers who feel they cannot learn. (Part of a theme issue on comprehensive education in…

In the 1970s, comprehensive secondary schools were mandated in England. This article reports a study of the effects of reorganization on seven East Midlands secondary schools. From interviews with administrators, information was collated concerning curricular changes occurring since reorganization, the formal organization adopted, and internal and…

The author sketches the curricular and structural changes in schooling resulting from Spain's 1970 reform law instituting Basic General Education. He considers how well the system is operating 10 years later and whether it is providing schooling that is more democratic, more relevant to an industrial society, and more efficient. (Author/SJL)