After describing the programs and staff at Ian Bazalgette Junior High School in Calgary, Canada, this document reviews the problems at the school in 1979 that led to the implementation of the Effective Schools Program. A review of literature related to effective schools precedes an explanation of seven school effectiveness factors adopted by the…

This report documents the evaluation of a New York State Incentive Grant that was designed to improve the quality of instruction in New York City schools for students in Specialized Instructional Environment (SIE) classes during 1989-90. The program offered 25 hours of staff development training for SIE teachers and related service providers, and…

After clarifying the meaning of restructuring through an analysis of the current educational paradigm, this document begins by differentiating between educational reform and restructuring and, similarly, between educational evolution and revolution. Paradigms are defined along with Kuhn's (1962) concept of the "paradigm shift." Clarifying,…

This paper presents a historical portrait of the process of financial resource allocation at Compton Community College (CCC). Introductory material provides information on the college, its organization, and its budgeting and accounting procedures. Next, changes in finances occurring between 1974-75 and 1977-78 are outlined, including the growth of…

Four alternative approaches to the standard teacher education program are currently being offered at Michigan State University. Each alternative program provides instruction on the effective teaching of school subjects, but each option emphasizes a particular aspect of the teacher's role: (1) fostering academic learning; (2) teaching in…

Having a sound budget based on an effective school philosophy is one way to provide for quality programming in reservation schools. The Ganado Unified School District, located on the Arizona part of the Navajo Reservation, attempted to decentralize the budget-making process and to study whether the current budget effectively supported the school's…

In order for education to improve, it must undergo change implemented by teachers and administrators; directives from governing bodies will not accomplish much. The process for change could be based on the Japanese management model of redefining the corporate mission every few years with input from the employees. Schools need to listen to the…

The article aims at exploring what counts as successful leadership and what the key questions in exploring successful school leadership across countries should be. A main argument is that successful leadership is a contestable concept, and I argue for framing school leadership as a moral and democratic enterprise, which implies a need to protect…

This manual, intended to serve independent schools, is an update on an earlier evaluation of school heads and trustees. Section 1, "Evaluation and Why It Matters," emphasizes the relationship between performance evaluation and school purposes. "Examples of Evaluation of Performance," section 2, illustrates planned evaluation of six schools.…

The state-funded Quality Improvement Program Plan (QUIPP) for Special Educators provided professional development training to New York City special education teachers and paraprofessionals to improve the quality of instruction for students with mildly to moderately handicapping conditions. The program was designed to be participant-driven and…

School reform efforts may prove ephemeral without changes in the teaching occupation. The field lacks professional discretion, career advancement, and adequate compensation. As a result, the profession fails to attract enough educationally qualified people. Experiments in changing teacher work roles are being done to try and fill this shortage.…

The purpose of (Colorado's) Clear Creek School District's strategic planning process has been to develop basic district-wide parameters to promote instructional improvement through a process of shared leadership. The approach is termed "sight-based" to indicate the school district's commitment to connecting curriculum and…

In 1988 the Collective Bargaining Forum, a private group of labor and business leaders, adopted a statement of principles recognizing that the institution of collective bargaining is an integral part of economic life in the United States. The purpose of the statement was to facilitate the spread of positive relations between labor and management…

Scholars working from various perspectives are beginning to define teaching as a decision-making process. Research shows that teachers are reflective and connect knowledge to situations through observation, understanding, analysis, interpretation, and decision-making. This paper provides empirical evidence to show the relationship of…

This paper presents a case study of the development of the Professional Analysis Team (PAT) program structured after the Quality Circle program used in industry. Modifications and innovations of the Quality Circle program are examined, and essential characteristics are outlined. The PAT program, designed to enable education professionals to use…