Purpose-centered learning, which requires students to use their studies to address challenges they identify in their community, is effective in all types of schools and with diverse students. The system can generally be implemented simply by reallocating existing resources and rethinking traditional approaches. Purpose-centered education connects…

Shows how five key dimensions of efficient production organizations have been applied directly to improving school productivity through a national school reform effort, the Accelerated Schools Project. Substantial productivity gains can be obtained at a marginal cost (less than 1% of the school budget) through transforming schools to improve their…

Describes the inception and development of an Ethiopian refugee English program in Cairo, Egypt. The following topics are addressed: (1) background; (2) teachers; (3) program; (4) classes; (5) materials; (6) content; and (7) day-to-day administration. An essay on "refugeehood" by a program participant is included. (BJV)

Oregon State University implemented Total Quality Management in nine phases: exploration; establishing a pilot study team; defining customer needs; adopting the breakthrough planning process; performing breakthrough planning in divisions; forming daily management teams; initiating cross-functional pilot projects; implementing cross-functional…

Describes the Teens for Literacy project, in which teens come up with ideas to improve literacy in their schools. Notes that, in the nearly five years of the program, teens have developed a Big Brother/Big Sister reading program, selected and displayed posters in school corridors, developed videos promoting literacy, read with children, and…

Two elementary teachers teamed up to help colleagues develop classroom strategies to use with children suffering from attention deficit disorders. From a pilot test conducted with other volunteer teachers, they developed a systematic process featuring teacher-request consultation forms, strategy searches, action plans, implementation, and followup…

Inspired by tips from a Motorola Corporation executive, the superintendent of an Illinois district initiated strategic- planning and total-quality practices to improve student performance, customer satisfaction, and operational efficiency. Teachers have also successfully implemented quality and continuous-improvement practices in their classrooms.…

Durham (North Carolina) School of the Arts' transformation in 5 years from a run-down, segregated facility to a highly desirable magnet school is proof that a school accessible to the whole community can succeed. Students are chosen by lottery and are showing appreciable academic growth on state tests. (MLH)

Poised to help legally homeless parents become their children's best teachers, instructors in a Nevada literacy program found that human relationships took precedence over academics. Instructors learned the importance of renaming the program (to avoid association with prior academic failure) and blending literacy activities with hot meals, family…

Discusses a British primary headteacher's attempts to introduce collaborative decision making by establishing regular formal meetings, both as a whole staff and within age-related teams. Describes and interprets the varied, complex patterns of staff response. Teachers are more responsive to collegial leadership styles when they perceive that the…

Community schools come in all shapes and sizes, offering wide-ranging support and opportunities for children, families, and the greater community. Elementary principals from several rural and urban community schools explain how close-knit community partnerships created campuses that involved parents, energized teachers, and enhanced children's…

Following the legislature's passage of the 1990 Kentucky Education Reform Act, the statewide Commonwealth Institute for Parent Leadership was established. The 700 graduates form a small cadre of activists who are informed about standards-based reforms and how to make them work for their children. (MLH)

Studies have demonstrated that treatment for drug-involved offenders can reduce relapse and recidivism. However, few institutions utilize validated assessments of drug dependence, limiting the ability to determine and prioritize services. Toward this goal, we explain an assessment method implemented statewide using a sample of 22,069 prisoners.…

This article details a strategic planning model and concurrent 3-year research study focusing on the benefits of preK-16 professional development school learning communities for the participating preK-16 educational leaders in a midwestern school-university partnership network. Results of the study, along with the strategic plan's success at…

The increasing emphasis on accountability in early care and education has created an opportunity for programs to revisit their child assessment practices. This article presents a model for using authentic assessment practices to document children's progress toward a set of program standards, specifically the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework, as…