Saying "teaching matters most" is easy, and seems obvious. Making it the top priority for school leaders and staff is not so easy--in fact, it's messy. If we want to change how students write, compute, and think, then teachers must change how they teach. They must transform the old "assign-and-assess" model into engaging, compassionate, coherent,…

Kent State University (Ohio) has focused on developing an organizational culture that expects and promotes quality. A college finance division statement, distributed to division staff, identifies its values and beliefs and emphasizes a culture in which planning, empowerment, and continuous improvement are key elements. (MSE)

States, school districts, and schools across the country are increasingly implementing multi-tier systems of support (MTSS) to improve outcomes for all students. Kansas is no exception. The Kansas MTSS is designed to improve outcomes for all students by instituting system-level change across the classroom, school, district, and state. Such…

This guidebook was developed to assist local school districts in Kentucky with the implementation of the program improvement section of the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act, Chapter 1. The emphases of the reauthorization of Chapter 1 are accountability and program effectiveness. Each local district must now identify Chapter 1 schools…

Workshops and related staff development activities designed for vocational education instructors, administrators, career counselors, and support services staff are described in this two-part report. Part I focuses on the Vocational Staff Workshops (VSW) project, indicating that its key objectives were to identify regional in-service training…

This report provides a plan that teachers and school supervisors can use to implement seven tips for improving instructional skills. Designed to be referred to regularly, it includes three levels of implementation, as well as recommendations for utilizing technology to support each tip. The seven recommendations include: (1) Use technology to help…

Can a capacity building policy encourage school leaders to engage in professional development that will increase their focus on student achievement and understanding of instructional leadership? To explore this issue, school administrators were interviewed and a content analysis of plans for professional development generated during the first year…

This guide was designed to help vocational education supervisors to link existing resources for program improvement with actual teacher practice. The guide has two general purposes. First, it provides information relating to the special resources available and the challenges faced by vocational education teachers. Second, it helps in four problem…

Featured are 8 of the 17 exemplary staff development programs selected by the Advisory Panel of the National Center for the Improvement of Learning. Nine of the programs were featured in the February issue. (Author/DCS)

This manual was written for the Wisconsin Program for the Renewal and Improvement of Secondary Education (WRISE) to help schools develop their own capability for systematically improving their educative processes from year to year, using existing resources. The program, which has been tested and found effective, indicates general procedures,…

Information on fiscal year 1983-1984 awards made through the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education is provided. A list of recipients of new and continuation comprehensive program awards and final year dissemination awards is presented, along with new Mina Shaughnessy Scholars. For each new and continuation recipient, a statement of…

A model is presented which helps principals plan and evaluate instructional improvement. Described in relation to educational reform in Tennessee, the model assigns to principals the responsibility to implement the instructional changes required by a career ladder program. Research shows that continuing education, communication, and climate (the…

A response to the allegation that the University System of Georgia's use of the Regents' Test Program as a graduation requirement is discriminatory is presented. The U.S. Department of Education has alleged that the test has discriminated against students who attend the traditionally black institutions (TBIs). The Federal Government also cites the…

Descriptions of 155 programs supported by the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education are provided. In addition to a brief statement of the scope of each program, the project director, address, and phone number are identified. Topics addressed by the programs include: ensuring adequate math preparation for college work through…

The purpose of this study was to explore the nature of recent educational reform efforts in Washington State and to determine what educators believe to be the most important future areas of focus. In particular, the researchers wanted to determine whether school-wide improvement efforts (i.e. School Improvement Plans (SIPs), School Improvement…