The purpose of this study was to understand how schools address two specific criteria of the Schools to Watch® (STW) program: Social equity and developmental responsiveness. Descriptions of replicable practices, program/school characteristics, and initiatives created by each of the STW sites in Pennsylvania were analyzed. The data also includes…

Background/Context: The academic success and failure of low-income youth, and Black and Latina/o youth in particular, has received significant attention in the educational literature, particularly in relation to school dropout. Over the last decade, several studies have demonstrated that student-teacher relationships, committed teachers, and…

Dream what a school would be like in which the purpose is to meet the needs of children and the larger community so that all can lead a good life. Using the Circle of Courage[TM]--a model grounded in values of deep respect for the dignity of all--the authors of this article outline overarching goals and indicators that can turn this dream into…

The purpose of the study is to investigate the relationship between the use of character education programming and school health. Measuring and improving school health is a process that supports social, emotional, ethical and civic education. Hoy, Tarter, and Kottkamp define this concept as a healthy school is one in which the institutional,…

Educators are increasingly pressured to raise standardized test scores. Test-focused school leaders, however, may neglect school climate factors associated with positive student development and increased student achievement. The California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) and its Resilience Youth Development Module (RYDM) represent a research-based,…

Public schools are experiencing a new era of assessment and evaluation with the implementation of state accountability systems and No Child Left Behind. How can Catholic schools respond by recognizing the legitimacy of evaluation and assessment, while also critically examining its appropriateness? To help address this question, this article…

The new independent Christian schools developed by parents and evangelical churches in the United Kingdom since the late 1960s remain controversial among both Christian and secular educators. In response to this controversy, the present study traced 106 men who had graduated from these schools between 1985 and 2003 and analysed their evaluation of…

The Black College and University Act defined an historically black college and university (HBCU) as one that existed before 1964 with a historic and contemporary mission of educating blacks while being open to all. An HBCU must either have earned accreditation from a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association or be making reasonable…

The way to educate poor children effectively lies in the fusion of school social work and knowledge about effective schools. The following factors should be of concern to social workers: (1) parent involvement; (2) student welfare; (3) administrative leadership; (4) academic focus; (5) consistent monitoring of student progress; (6) high…

We surveyed 374 parents and 82 teachers in the Juarez, Mexico schools regarding their views of what makes an effective elementary school. The survey was a Spanish translation of an instrument used by Johnson (1998). Although both parents and teachers supported most of the factors associated with effective schools, they emphasized different aspects…

A new body of educational research is now showing that there are many things teachers, principals, and schools can do to improve student performance. Effective teachers do five things: (1) focus teaching and curriculum selection on the basic skills; (2) provide most instruction to the class as a whole; (3) maintain a high student success rate; (4)…

This survey is designed to be an assessment instrument for measuring a school's effectiveness in meeting the needs of at-risk and low achieving students. The survey consists of nine sections. Statements listed in each section are used to characterize specific behaviors with a scale rating for how each statement reflects the situation or attitude…

Today is an opportune time for school administrators to exercise leadership in curriculum development for school achievement. Effective schools research has found a school's culture and its strategies and tactics to be foundational to an excellent school. These are explored in this article. (DCS)

Reviews "School Matters" by Peter Mortimore, a rigorous longitudinal study of the effects of elementary schools in London. Concludes that school differences influence student development, and explores the connections between school leadership, classroom life, and student cognitive and noncognitive development. (FMW)

Explores why women's colleges, and the education provided by them, are different than coeducational settings. The article explains how women's colleges provide students with value and respect and give them a sense of ownership. It also discusses why women's colleges excel at preparing students for the future. (GLR)