As organizations committed to providing upward social mobility and leadership development for academically high-achieving working-class youth of color, transitional school programs (TSPs) prepare students to transition from urban public schools to elite, mostly private high schools. However, TSPs' dependence on wealthy, White institutions to…

This evaluative case study focused on how organizational changes--specifically a new directional system--affected staff culture in a rural Midwestern school district. This work was theoretically grounded in Owens and Valesky's school climate model. Through observations, interviews, and a review of documents, I determined that the new directional…

The aim of this study was to adapt the Scale of Organization Improvisational Capability (SOIC) into Turkish culture and determine schools' organizational improvisation capability. The study first presented the theoretical framework of the concept of organizational improvisation, which has been understudied in Turkey so far. In the experimental…

School improvement has become a goal in many education systems globally, with the mantra of 'whole school change' adopted as key to achieving that goal. However, whole school change is complex and interpreted variously. In Australia, a case in point is the drive to lift literacy outcomes. Drawing on qualitative data from a study of literacy…

The purpose of this study is to determine schools' openness to change (SOC) in the Sultanate of Oman & Saudi Arabia based on the views of public school teachers. The study implements a quantitative approach using the Faculty Change Orientation Scale (FCOS) developed by Smith & Hoy (2007). A sample of (719) subjects is selected during…

The history of public education in America is a history of school district mergers. Population growth and improvements in transportation and communication brought isolated communities together. Financial pressures and promises of economies of scale overcame reluctance to merger. In more recent times, federal and state legislation has provided…

With the changing cultural demographics in U.S. classrooms, school counselors must develop innovative approaches to promote culturally responsive school climates and organizational change. A vision is offered of systemic cultural responsiveness and culturally relevant teaching practices that nurture and engage all learners. The role of the school…

Previous research in the area of resistance has inadequately described opposition to change within-school reform initiatives with a social justice orientation. A lack of attention to, and agreement on, the nature and causes of resistance may explain why so many equity-minded educational reforms fail to be sustained. This article highlights various…

Background: Support for small schools, and specifically for the creation of small, autonomous schools of choice, has grown considerably in the past decade--particularly in the context of urban schooling. Funded by private and public monies, small-school initiatives have been implemented in most of the nation's city school districts and have become…

The Academy for Educational Development (AED) sent a research team to Montclair State University (MSU) on September 25-26, 2008 to conduct interviews with individuals who play important roles in the university's teacher preparation program. These interviews, along with additional documentation provided by MSU and identified by the AED research…