Explains why school-based management fails or succeeds, based on research in 44 schools. SBM fails when principals advance their own agendas, decision-making power is too concentrated, and business proceeds as usual. Success requires teacher-led decision-making teams, continuous improvement, information sharing, staff rewards, facilitative…

Discusses reasons for the failing of the computer in schools and universities, including: hardware emphasis, little focus on learning, little focus on students, software-based failure (elitist programs and weak interaction), the "idea of the moment," relation between information and learning, failure of teacher education, lack of empirical…

Examined effectiveness of Academic Assessment Program, academic course taught as condition for reinstatement of suspended college students n=345 in 1988; 241 in 1989). Intervention contributed little to student performance. Results question value of increasing minimum standards for entering academic assessment intervention. Institutions should…

Five indicators of failure suggest mistakes in program design or delivery: aborted planning, insufficient enrollment, negative reactions, unattained objectives, and incomplete transfer of learning. Learning from these mistakes requires deliberate reflection and systematic analysis. (SK)

Interviews with 32 adult education practitioners elicited success/failure factors. Practice-related observations included (1) reflecting on success/failure helps clarify values and assumptions; (2) new ways of perceiving, planning, and evaluating are stimulated; (3) integrating past experiences with changing demands promotes flexibility; (4)…

Discusses individuals as producers of their life span developments, and examines individuals' selection of their life paths and their proneness to failure. Considers a model that explains individuals' optimization of their life course management in terms of selection of life paths and compensation for age-related losses such that potential for…

Conducted survey of philosophies and practices of rejection letters from broad spectrum of selective colleges and universities. Surveyed high school counselors, students, and parents to determine their feelings about rejection letters and practices. Many counselors and students agreed that such letters were warm and compassionate but lacked…

An analysis of apparent program failure should determine whether the fault lies with the program model, implementation strategy, expectations, or evaluation methods. The evaluation should be planned before completing and carrying out the program design. (SK)

Describes a cost-benefit analysis study that resulted in unfavorable financial outcomes and discusses how this result became a learning opportunity for human-performance development/performance-improvement professionals in the organization. Considers failure in organizations and learning from failure. (Author/LRW)

Reviews current studies predicting risk for reading disability. Studies indicate children at risk for reading failure can be identified early in their school career. Measures of phonological skills are useful components of prediction batteries, but other factors should be considered. Describes tools for early identification and discusses methods…

The purpose of this study was to determine whether an early intervention program based on the Reading Recovery (RR) format could be developed for pairs of struggling readers that would allow them to make accelerated progress similar to that experienced in the 1-to-1 RR tutorial. A preliminary pilot study showed that the RR lesson format could be…

'Underachievement' is now a widely used term in education policy and practice. It is used routinely to refer to nations, home nations and regions, to types and sectors of schooling, to physiological, ethnic and social groups, and to individuals. It has been used to mean simply low achievement, also lower achievement relative to another of these…

The present study set out to develop a self-report instrument, the Depressive Symptoms Questionnaire (DSQ), for assessing depressed mood in school-aged children. Included were items based on research that reported symptoms of depressed mood in children, items related to negative psychosocial functioning, and items related to self-perceived…

A truancy intervention pilot project was implemented in an urban high school and incorporated two innovative approaches: (a) student enrollment in a school-based health center for comprehensive health services, and (b) recruitment of teachers from within the students' school to engage in mentored relationships. Students with 15 or more days of…

If leadership education programs are improving, then why do some American graduates fail in leading schools and districts even as others succeed? As one way to answer this question, this study explores the preparation, careers, and success or failure of two superintendents prepared in top tier university leadership preparation doctoral programs.…