Reviews two books on involving father figures in early childhood and on early education as a career choice for males: "Getting Men Involved: Strategies for Early Childhood Programs" (J. A. Levine, and others), and "Men in Child Care and Early Education: A Handbook for Administrators and Educators" (edited by B. G. Nelson and B. Sheppard). (TJQ)

A Milwaukee (Wisconsin) program to improve its public school education with the help of faculty from three universities (University of Wisconsin, Marquette University, and Milwaukee School of Engineering) is described. The program, EQUITY 2000, aims to bring systemic change to entire school districts by eliminating tracking and raising standards…

An unnatural, selective school crisis envelopes the poor, the cities, and Latino and African American communities. Structures of privilege and oppression apparent in the larger society are mirrored in schools. The perspectives of principal Deborah Meier, novelist Toni Morrison, and poet Adrienne Rich lend credence to empowerment and…

Discusses school reform efforts in England that were designed to make England's publicly funded schools as attractive as independent schools via government funding. Efforts include enhancing parental choice of schools by removing bureaucratic and administrative restrictions, establishing a national school inspection system to maintain quality, and…

Bloomfield College (New Jersey) and St. Norbert College (Wisconsin), both small, church-related liberal arts colleges, have supported diversity through organizational change, one with a degree and certification program for a specific Native American population, the other with a collegewide effort for faculty development, inclusive curriculum,…

Describes "essential" classrooms, where students concentrate on essential subjects and learn to think for themselves, at Fairdale High School in Louisville (Kentucky). The accompanying interview with T. R. Sizer outlines this new direction in education. The most credible agent for change is a comparable school already involved. (SLD)

Explores the idea of school-community councils as a way of establishing a social compact between schools and the community. Specific suggestions are given for establishing councils and keeping them functioning smoothly. Literature and community resources that can help are suggested and listed. (SLD)

Multimedia instruction, a computer-based system incorporating video, audio, and digital storage media, provides educators with the tools to bring learning alive. With strategic planning, adequate funding, and faculty development, multimedia may become the most common form of instructional technology by the late 1990s. (Author/MSE)

Examines two student assessment problems (differentiating between assessment and evaluation and linking assessment to instruction and curriculum) and presents characteristics of authentic assessment in physical education, offering suggestions for restructuring teacher education to include formative assessment. (SM)

Politicians and educators recommend significant improvements in scientific and mathematical competency so Americans can be more competitive in tomorrow's high-tech economy. The article outlines shortcomings of current change proposals and describes an alternative that integrates various kinds of knowing, including science and technology, into an…

Describes a long-range plan developed by the Cleveland Public Library to provide users with electronic information and full text delivery. Specific goals are addressed, including online catalog access and converting periodical holdings to electronic format; legal issues involving copyright are discussed; and pricing issues and user fees are…

Describes Project SCOPE (School-College Operation in Physical Education), a college-school partnership that takes a holistic approach to improving teacher education, faculty development, and K-12 curriculum in physical education. It was implemented with no money and limited support. The article discusses the conceptual framework and explains the…

A teaching portfolio is to document, over an extended period of time, the full range of one's abilities as a college teacher. Seven dimensions can be documented: what is taught; how it is taught; changes in teaching and course activities; academic rigor; student attitudes; skill development efforts; peer assessment. (MSE)

A Foxfire teacher describes student reactions to a democratic approach implemented in an undergraduate teacher education course and an inservice teacher workshop. Goal was for participants to develop methods and activities that would involve their future K-12 students in active and democratic learning. (LP)

A rural school-community council identified local risk factors for youth substance abuse, selected prevention strategies related to the risks, and developed objectives and evaluation processes. Community members were presented with the plan and formed a committee to begin implementation. (LP)