An assessment of the school reform movement, this book focuses on the states of the Deep South--Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. Ten articles, organized into three sections, tackle such issues as the role of government in school reform, the professional growth of teachers, and the privatization of schools. Part 1 includes the following: "Public…

Findings of a study that describes restructuring efforts undertaken by state education agencies (SEAs) are presented in this paper. Data were collected through telephone interviews with SEA officials in 24 states that were actively engaged in restructuring and analysis of SEA documents. Factors that contributed to restructuring included the place…

Under conditions of restructuring, the most noticeable changes in roles and relationships occur at the school site. The purpose of this paper is to examine the changing roles and relationships of schools, central offices, and university facilitators as 11 schools in Louisiana implement the nationally recognized Accelerated Schools process. The…

The implementation of standards-based reform has been a goal of state policy makers for the last 10 years. States have also restructured their governance systems with the intention of distributing more authority to local decision-makers. However, even the high standards of this type of reform, and the strong incentives to encourage the change, are…

Plans for transforming middle-level schools in Illinois are described in this report, which serves as a guiding document for creating middle-level schools that acknowledge the needs of early adolescence. The report, facilitated by a Carnegie report entitled "Turning Points: Preparing American Youth for the 21st Century," describes early…

Findings from a study that examined the hypothesis that published standardized assessment scores would influence enrollment in Maine high schools are presented in this paper. The hypothesis was derived from the Bush Administration's assertion that regular educational assessment would influence parental school choice. The Maine educational system…

In the United States, education reform has many forms, but one of the most widespread versions is the adoption of performance-based or standards-based education. The basic premise of such reforms is a shift in focus from inputs to outcomes. This publication provides examples and summaries of state initiatives to develop goals, standards, and…

This document is the second in a 5-year series of reports presented to the Prichard Committee, which monitors the progress of school reform in Kentucky. Three sections examine different aspects of the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA)--primary school programs, school-based decision making (SBDM), and family-resource and youth-services centers.…

This guidebook shows how governors and states have worked on engaging the public in education reform. It focuses on important strategies to consider during the process of building public support for education reform. It highlights state strategies for communicating about progress made toward achieving the National Education Goals and for promoting…

Although state takeover of low-performing schools is not a new phenomenon in American education, it has seldom been exercised. Takeover actions exist in 11 states--Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, and West Virginia--but only New Jersey and Kentucky have exercised steps leading to…

The Rural Opportunities Offer Tomorrow's Success (ROOTS) program is a series of policy initiatives which address problem areas in rural education, economic development, health care, and access to programs in Pennsylvania. Policy initiatives to create a better educated rural workforce include: (1) expanding career and financial counseling in rural…

The Lifelong Learning Project was a 3-year effort launched in March 1980 to assist educational leaders in California, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, New York, and Ohio in their planning and coordination of adult learning services. These six states undertook a variety of project activities aimed at establishing and maintaining a participatory planning…

Inadequate public transportation in rural areas has long been a major impediment for rural residents' access to health care, jobs, and community activities and services. Particularly disadvantaged in transportation are the rural poor, elderly, and youth. This report highlights the benefits to be gained by passage of the Commission on Rural…

Despite the blizzard of reform activity since 1983, neither state legislation nor state education department mandates have diminished the failure rates of at-risk youngsters. One-third of all elementary students are at risk of failing academically. This paper reviews past state department of education reform efforts and suggests innovative ways…

The Task Force on School Leadership and Management was charged with examining incentives that states can develop to encourage effective management at the district and school leadership level. Four papers are presented in this report: (1) "School Leadership and Management" (Cindy K. Currence); (2) "A Policymaker's Guide to Improving…