Examined effects of multicomponent, participatory school reform process by measuring teachers' perceptions, remedial and special education student achievement, teachers' ratings of student behavior in 12 experimental schools and 10 control schools. Found reform program resulted in positive teacher attitudes toward change process, in new approaches…

Designing staff development activities that incorporate four elements of reflective practice helps develop participants' reflective abilities. The article discusses focusing on real problems and concerns; changing the nature of the problem; process-oriented staff development; and promoting collaborative partnerships. (SM)

Since December 1992, the Capac (Michigan) Community School District has adopted zero-based budgeting for 40% of its budget. Instead of building on the previous year's budget, the superintendent requires every staff member and school to justify projected expenditures based on contributions to future educational goals. Academic programs benefit.…

A teacher discusses classroom management techniques, explaining that discipline tends to involve the teacher maintaining his/her position of authority rather than creating a democratic community and noting that threats and bribes buy short-term behavior change but do not help students develop a commitment to positive values. (SM)

Total quality management is a business-oriented theory being applied to education as total quality learning (TQL). TQL lets students take responsibility for their learning; believes that everyone can learn; and makes students, teachers, parents, and administrators colleagues in learning. The paper describes one teacher's experiences with TQL. (SM)

Reviews educational reform literature advocating changes in the organization of teachers' work to foster teacher satisfaction and effectiveness by treating them as reasonable, capable, and autonomous persons. Focuses on participative decision making, learning for improved practice, and evaluation. Decries the lack of parallel arguments regarding…

A conceptual frame is offered for the investigation of issues related to teacher participation in educational governance and teacher evaluation. In a restructured school system both teachers and schools would seek evaluation, not in response to demands for accountability, but as a step toward performance improvement. (SLD)

An SBM team chairman of a middle school-college collaboration explains ongoing problems, including teachers' discomfort with student and parent participation, teacher-administrator power struggles, the push for immediate results, and communication issues. Despite setbacks, the group has some tangible outcomes: improved safety procedures, a…

The current debate about the future of health care has obscured the impact of democratization on social service organizations. This article advances some preliminary notions about democratization of health care, in terms of financing services, community-based agencies, client-based intervention, citizen advocates, and cultural supports. (DR)

Almost 90 percent of principals (n=149) who responded to a survey of 12 Midwestern suburban school districts indicated support for the concept of site-based management (SBM). These principals were not particularly threatened by SBM, supported initiatives likely to empower teachers, and did not regard unionism as a specific barrier to SBM. (IAH)

Profiles Virginia Aguilar, a high school principal who, with her staff, has been exploring and implementing changes and improvements in response to state mandates. The paper describes improvement efforts by the school district and how Aguilar's school makes use of them. Aguilar's encouragement of participative decision making is discussed. (SM)

Describes a project in which students created a wall-sized map of Vermont to celebrate the state bicentennial. Suggests that the minimum of instructions the students received and democratic discussion and voting made the project an experience in cooperative learning and communication. Explains that the project incorporated art, history, geography,…

Independent living centers serve a cross-disability population; involve persons with disabilities in policymaking, goal setting, and service delivery; provide comprehensive services for independent living; and provide both consumer and systemwide advocacy. Barriers to rural independent living and approaches to overcoming them are described. (SV)

Memphis established school-based decision making (SBDM) during a systemwide reform. The paper discusses teacher empowerment to make school level decisions, presenting case vignettes from Memphis to highlight differential rates of teacher involvement. It describes beginning expectations of teachers and principals, noting factors associated with…

The article addresses structural, personnel, and pedagogical considerations pertaining to the development of beginning teacher mentoring programs in the context of restructured elementary schools. Research indicates restructured schools provide a natural environment for fostering successful mentoring experiences because of their empowered…