A research study of the implementation of "good ideas" in 14 schools came to the conclusion that differences in school organization and climate cause differences in the success of school improvement. Specific aspects of organization and climate in these schools, called factors of school context, are the following: resources, incentives,…

This paper outlines the types of schooling programs that will build on the strengths of educationally disadvantaged students to bring them into the educational mainstream as well as to prepare them for economic, political, and social participation. Without intervention on behalf of the disadvantaged, the following results may occur: (1) a dual…

While the initial phases of instructional program development are heavily dependent on knowledge sources outside the classroom, knowledge developed in the classroom by the individual teacher is usually vital to program implementation. Interviews with teachers, principals, and district administrators connected with four urban elementary schools…

Schools can have a tremendous impact on student achievement if they follow the direction provided by research. The book attempts to synthesize the research over the last 35 years that has provided clear and unprecedented insight into the nature of schooling. (It contains 601 references.) The book is organized into four sections. The first three…

Explores the implications of selected school reforms for library media services. Topics include school-based management; school choice; home schooling; inclusion of special education students; at-risk elementary students; adolescents and middle schools; secondary school issues, including school-to-work transition, curriculum reform, distance…

"Managing School Districts for High Performance" brings together more than twenty case studies and other readings that offer a powerful and transformative approach to advancing and sustaining the work of school improvement. At the center of this work is the concept of organizational coherence: aligning organizational design, human…

Schools and school districts throughout the nation are developing and implementing educational programs designed to improve teaching, learning, and school management. This report provides a description of how schools and school districts in various parts of the country are developing and implementing improvement programs, based on their own…

Guidelines for central office staff and personnel involved in school-based management efforts are offered in this manual. Contents include an overview of school-based management and the functions of school site councils, suggestions for training designs, and nine training modules. Topics addressed in the module include: the roles and…

A historical overview and analysis of the decentralization process in Victoria, Australia, is the purpose of this paper. The case study illustrates the impact of conflict between political and administrative agendas on attempts to implement the government-initiated policy decision. The current two-tiered system is composed of central and local…

Intended as a reference volume for elementary and secondary school administrators, this annotated bibliography is divided into 20 chapters on topics of current interest in the educational field. A total of 307 annotations of documents and journal articles that have been indexed in the ERIC system are included. The materials selected for inclusion…

This book presents an overview of the different policy approaches to educational disadvantage and equity within the Australian public school system. It highlights two general trends: the shift toward school-based management and funding approaches increasingly directed toward reading and mathematics achievement. More specifically, the book: (1)…

In 1989, the Kentucky Supreme Court ruled that Kentucky's education system was unconstitutional and invalidated the entire body of school law. In response, the General Assembly passed the Kentucky Education Reform Act of 1990 (KERA), a completely new educational system. This report upon the 10th anniversary of KERA's passage documents how key…

Examines one school's implementation of Basic School approach, characterized by connections among curricular areas, classroom and resources, the school, community, and parents. Describes classroom strategies, including mixed-age classes, two-year classes, and peer helpers. Describes community connections, National Guard mentors, running community…

This paper proposes a model of a democratic paradigm for educational researchers and practitioners. It attempts to explore the kinds of thinking that would be required to create such a system, to determine what principles and curriculum theories are involved and how they would work. It seeks to relate this model to the new National Council for…

The experiences of the first middle school to pilot the ideas and concepts of the Accelerated Schools Project are described. The school is an inner-city public school with a population of at-risk students presently scoring below district and state achievement averages. The 689 students are 53 percent Hispanic, 23 percent Portuguese, 17 percent…