This study examines the Study Circles program on education that was conducted in Arkansas and Oklahoma in the fall of 1998. Study Circles are a community involvement strategy for collaborative problem solving. They are small, highly participatory groups led by trained facilitators using materials provided by the Study Circles Resource Center. The…

This paper reports on a study that investigated how local school board chairs (N=16) in North Carolina framed school restructuring. It examines major problems awaiting to be addressed in public education and discusses what board members can do to create the conditions under which schools help students become productive citizens. Data collected…

Presents findings of a case study that examined the use of teacher leaders on an elementary school management team and perceptions of teachers and staff members. Team members were positive about using teacher leaders on a management team but found a need for clearer definitions of leadership roles and better communication between the staff and…

Every school must have the power and responsibility to select and design its own particulars. Unfortunately, the existing system is not designed to support "oddball" entities. Small, self-governing schools of choice could flourish in an exemplary, accountable manner, if we built the system for them and changed our mindsets about the…

Provides a comparative analysis of the provision of INSET in the local education authority, grant maintained, and independent sectors in the North and Midlands of England. Surveys of schools' headteachers suggest that the market has a limited effect on determining INSET choice, and that considerable inequalities exist in access to inservice…

Examines events that facilitated collaborative school-university research within a Professional Development School (PDS). Analysis of observation notes from school visits, records of schools' work with university liaisons, and surveys of PDS and school faculty indicated that PDS teachers highly valued sharing knowledge with colleagues. Several…

A study of school-level change in 13 Newfoundland schools found a positive relationship among team leadership, organizational learning, and classroom practices. Subsequent research found that within team leadership, at least one leader must be recognized as a champion for change; external interventions may be necessary in schools without team…

Research on teaching and learning emphasizes the need for school-family partnerships, student engagement, opportunities for relevant and authentic learning, and community involvement in the learning process. The case of a gifted but bored "problem student" shows how a school counselor encouraged collaborative problem solving among…

This literature review addresses four variables related to school climate: teacher efficacy, collegiality (as promoted by the principal, shared decision making, and staff development), student achievement, and parent involvement. Schools attempting reform should consider how each of these variables can contribute to a positive school climate and…

Outlines a 10-year plan for school board members to restructure individual school districts. The objectives are to fund groups of teachers directly and establish teaching as the premier professional position in the school district. (MLF)

Compares current patterns in existing anthropology major requirements with a model for an undergraduate major consistent with the recommendations of one influential report, "Integrity in the College Curriculum," focusing on the discourse of its rationale for curriculum design. Identifies critical points of difference between opinions of…

Parents of 111 students in 4 Scottish special schools generally perceived themselves to be involved in their children's "recording" (information gathering and decision making) procedures, but mothers' perceptions were more positive than fathers'. Interviews with 14 school and agency professionals indicate professionals' support for…

This article describes the development of a seven-step faculty-driven school improvement model and provides a case study of how the model is currently being implemented at a central Florida middle school. The model empowers teachers to design staff development programs based on their own needs. (IAH)

Surveys participants in the 1985 Columbia University divestment protest to develop a perspective on recruitment and commitment to social movements, emphasizing the importance of political solidarity. Group processes such as consciousness raising, collective empowerment, polarization, and collective decision making influence movement participants…

Explores potential changes in the power relationships among teachers and principals. Describes and analyzes the following models of teacher decision-making: (1) Instructional Leadership Teams; (2) Principals' Advisory Councils; (3) School Improvement Teams; and (4) Lead Teacher Committees. (FMW)