Describes a staff incentive program that has successfully used employees to improve a school's efficiency through an old fashioned suggestion box. (MD)

Dexter, Kansas, uses a four-day school week that is improving classroom instruction and cutting energy bills. There is evidence that four-day schedules improve student achievement, increase attendance, allow more class time, raise teacher morale, and provide more staff development time. (MD)

Observers of school reform efforts in 17 central New York school districts found a performance dip that sets in during the implementation stage. Staff performance suffers because everyone is learning the new system. Assistance, support, and training need to be offered until everyone has mastered the basics. Gradually, the reforms will become an…

Numerous studies indicate that student learning is directly linked to the quality of teaching that occurs in the classroom. School boards can play a vital role in staff development. They should adopt standards for student learning, teaching, leadership, and staff development. Adequate funding and an incentive system that rewards improvements in…

An employee preparatory program in the St. Joseph (Missouri) School District, is designed for school staff who have not completed high school. An instructional program prepares them for the General Educational Development (GED) test. The program is designed around the work schedule of the majority of students and is without charge. (MLF)

Discusses improving attendance of staff and administrators by providing various financial and recognition-oriented incentives including savings bonds, plaques, and a year-end trophy. Rewards for perfect and near-perfect attendance resulted in a 16 percent improvement in total staff attendance and improvement in 90 percent of individual schools.…

Schools need staff-development programs focused on teaching children to read. Students must read effectively by the end of third grade. The Success for All curriculum is effective, is transportable, focuses on basic literacy, uses formative assessment, and provides continuous, onsite assistance and support to schools. (MLH)

Describes a program in a Colorado school district that offers research grants to master teachers for projects that help solve school system problems or that disseminate teaching ideas and techniques to colleagues. Funded projects include inservice workshops for teachers and preparation of teaching aids or classroom materials. (TE)

Some school systems are recognizing their responsibility to check software piracy, and a few publishers are responding to schools' needs and offering discounts on multiple copies of software to schools with policies protecting software copyright. Includes a model policy example. (MD)

The only valid reason for supervising and evaluating teachers is to improve instruction. Boards of education can improve teaching and learning in schools by setting up a teacher evaluation system, letting administrators do their jobs, and giving backup with funding. (MLF)

Better organization and more efficient use of time are the key elements of a plan to boost student achievement at a Virginia district. Teachers focus almost all classroom time on direct instruction, guided practice, core courses, and applications to the real world. At the secondary level, teachers now also emphasize critical thinking and problem…

Wireless networks allow students to access technology when and where they need it. Describes a wireless network at a Florida magnet high school, methods of training teachers to use the new technology in their classrooms, and problem solving. A sidebar lists wireless resources. (MLF)

Handheld computers are just beginning to be introduced in schools. Before adopting the latest innovation, administrators must ask careful questions about issues and implications regarding leadership, teaching and learning, staff development, technology support, planning, infrastructure, safety and security, ethics, evaluation, curriculum, change,…

School districts implementing change proceed through the phases of investigation, facilitation, and cultivation. In addition, staff members are encouraged to develop professionally according to their individual choices and their levels of success and commitment. (MLF)

Board members can initiate three strategies to improve writing instruction: (1) an inservice program in writing instruction; (2) a new staffing pattern that includes hiring writing specialists; and (3) achievement tests to measure program success. Describes several successful writing projects. (MLF)