An urban school reform strategy which stresses the development of local capacities for problem solving is described in this paper. The context which gave rise to this conceptualization of reform is analyzed and some difficulties with the conceptualization are discussed. Difficulties include ambiguities about the boundaries of "local,"…

This is the second in a series of four booklets describing the Child Development Associate (CDA) Project at the California State College in Pennsylvania, one of the 13 original CDA pilot programs. The focus of this booklet is on the problem solving approach used in the project. Topics discussed include: (1) the necessity for change in behavior…

For every 100 Mexican Americans who enter elementary school, only 22.5 make it to college. Of these 22.5, only 5.4 graduate. The situation appears as bleak in the area of graduate studies. However, Chicano or Mexican American oriented groups at universities in the Southwest, often aided by outside groups, have been pushing for institutional…

This study analyzes the paperwork burden placed on the educational community by the federal government and recommends ways to reduce those burdens while still providing the data needed for effective planning and administration. Information for the study was gathered through public hearings, interviews with federal agency personnel, analyses of…

The effects are examined of an innovative experience on the classroom practices of teachers who have implemented an individualized instructional model in an externally supported program and are currently teaching in regular public school classrooms where the model is not supported. Data were collected through interviews, observations, and…

This study examined whether selected protocol materials in classroom management, used in inservice courses, would bring about long-term significant changes in teachers' classroom performance. Fifteen teachers participated in the study by taking an inservice course on classroom management and discipline. Two modules of classroom management…

This report reviews the research on school and classroom environments, discusses the implications of such research for the design and evaluation of secondary school programs, and provides an annotated bibliography of the relevant literature. Topics discussed in the review include: (1) the semantics of school environment research; (2) the…

Four change models are viewed as representing the range of strategies currently employed by schools in improving education. Intended as a source of assistance to those who wish to undertake a more thorough examination of these models, this article, in outline form, summarizes the distinguishing characteristics of each model along with the…

This report: (1) identifies the main policies, objectives, and thrusts in the health manpower development (HMD) program of the World Health Organization (WHO); (2) identifies factors influencing or determining these policies, and examines how they have shaped the HMD program; (3) investigates how policy changes and achievements in health manpower…

An inservice program for teachers involves a peer group strategy for helping them set goals and experiment with new teaching behaviors. This supportive inservice model proceeds from the premise that meaningful change occurs when the individual perceives a need for change. The major component of this program is a support group of tenured teachers…

This section of the School Environment Handbook can be used by schools to improve school environment and to develop the necessary change strategies. The handbook serves four major purposes. First, the material is designed to facilitate thinking about steps in the planning process. Second, it discusses how to set goals and to state them in ways…

This paper presents a needs assessment project developed to establish drug-related services in a small black community. A literature review reveals the influence of social issues relevant to the population on research methodology, program planning, and social action. The convergent analysis approach used in the needs assessment is explained and…

This study attempted to identify which tactics used by administrators had the greatest influence on the introduction of special education curriculum innovations. Surveys and interviews with administrators in 39 sites were used to gather data. The administrators were those identified as advocates of a particular innovation, the Social Learning…

Project QUEST (Quarters for Utilizing Educational Services for Teachers) was developed in 1976 for the Frederick Douglass High School in Baltimore, Maryland. Its purposes were to strengthen staff abilities, enrich the school program, and improve the working and learning climates of the school, which were suffering from low staff morale. QUEST was…

This collection of papers addresses significant issues related to the training of general educators to prepare them for the education of handicapped students in regular classrooms. Authors make specific recommendations for policymakers as they consider effective inservice and preservice programs. Papers are presented on the following topics: (1)…