This document includes presentation summaries and policy recommendations from the 2004 Tomas Rivera Policy Institute (TRPI) Education Conference: (1) The Present and Coming Crisis: Demography and Education (Dowell Myers and Estela Mara Bensimon); (2) A View from the Academic Community (Moderators: Jorge Haynes and Jamilah Moore; Presenters:…

This report compares district leaders' perspectives on changes in school capacity, student outcomes and district policy over three years of implementation of Middle Start (MS), a comprehensive school reform program to demonstrate the potential for improving the effectiveness and sustainability of CSR at the school level through integrating…

In Spain, many aspects of educational reform began with the social movements arising in the 1960s. By the end of the 1970s, as the first democratic local elections were held, psychologists, educators, and social workers began to work toward schools that would compensate for the social and individual disadvantages of many students. These efforts…

A state survey examined the opinions of West Virginia educators about the educational system and needs for educational reform. Surveys were sent to 182 recognized educators (those receiving awards in the past 10 years), all 55 superintendents, and a random sample of 1,000 teachers and 41 principals. A total of 384 surveys were returned. Followup…

Passage in 1989 of Oklahoma's education reform bill, H.B. 1017, provided encouragement and financial rewards for use of consolidation as a reform strategy, but this approach is often met with anxiety and hostility from stakeholders. In an effort to identify strategies that facilitate consolidation, semistructured interviews were conducted with the…

This report is part of South Carolina's effort to move toward "100 percent performance funding" for the state's public colleges and universities and results from a task force's investigation of ways to assess critical thinking. The following eight major findings are reported: (1) policy makers must determine priorities; (2) critical…

This study reviews selected aspects of the evaluation process for the American Council on Education-Kellogg Project on Leadership and Institutional Transformation. Attention is focused on developing an understanding of institutional transformation and the "lessons learned" about the various methods and strategies used. Institutions were…

Public anger is a typical reaction to governments' or companies' attempts to cover up mistakes, conceal evidence of risks, make misleading statements, or lie. Many times, this anger leads to an entrenched resistance to public or private initiatives. Ways in which this resistance can be overcome by a mutual gains approach, which involves…

In 1988, the National Child Care Staffing Study first gathered information on staffing and quality from a sample of child care centers in five metropolitan areas--Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Phoenix, and Seattle--and returned for updated information in 1992. In 1997, directors of the original sample of centers still in operation were contacted again…

Vocational education and training (VET) systems and their institutions should be highly directed toward innovation, but the position of VET in existing educational systems does not automatically enhance innovation. Within the existing educational systems, innovation in VET has to overcome a number of problems; the literature also indicates factors…

This paper examines shyness--its causes and its impact on children--and presents several strategies based on social learning theory for parents and teachers to help young children overcome shyness. The paper also describes a personal application of these strategies on a young girl. The strategies presented for parents and teachers are: (1) tell…

The purpose of this study was to determine whether reformed science and math courses at community colleges and universities were impacting education majors as they began a teaching career. The reformed courses, in contrast to typical lecture classes, implemented inquiry-based methods that emphasized deep understanding of fundamental science and…

This booklet presents the story of Benito Martinez Elementary, one urban elementary school in the midst of change and renewal. It is one of 85 schools with which the National Institute for Urban School Improvement is involved in partnerships for change. Through the stories of parents, students, teachers, and administrators, the booklet describes…

The question of whether school choice improves student outcomes persists. This digest explores issues surrounding school choice, highlighting major research findings. Overall, the ultimate impact of choice depends on how parents and schools respond to more schooling options and greater competition. Research indicates that greater parental…

Seeking solutions for a troubled child welfare system, the Children's Action Alliance in Arizona held four forums throughout the state in 1997 at which participants were invited to give testimony on their experiences with the child welfare system--its positives and negatives--and their solutions for change. Along with their comments, this report…