A Louisville elementary school has a brighter future, thanks to the Kentucky Education Reform Act. Kennedy School's reform efforts predated the 1990 state law, but teachers and administrators credit KERA with providing appropriate resources and a psychic push toward success. Although the school suffered a performance drop in 1996, it has made vast…

To gauge their feelings about the first five years under the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA), school library media specialists were asked how professional roles and programs had changed, how library media programs supported specific KERA strands, and how continuing education or professional development activities had been helpful. Includes…

Studied the barriers encountered by an urban school principal in implementing reforms within the context of the Kentucky Educational Reform Act. Results show how site-based decision making councils exemplify a policy decision that ignores the practical realities of distressed schools. (SLD)

Explores the relationships among school climate, group openness, group trust, and the implementation of two Kentucky reform initiatives: school-based decision making and nongraded primary classes. Participants included 292 teachers in 13 schools. The Tennessee School Climate Inventory and the Group Openness and Trust Scale were used. Results…

Following the legislature's passage of the 1990 Kentucky Education Reform Act, the statewide Commonwealth Institute for Parent Leadership was established. The 700 graduates form a small cadre of activists who are informed about standards-based reforms and how to make them work for their children. (MLH)

Focuses on a model of school-based management (SBM) and on generalities that can be drawn from recent research on SBM in several southern states. A case study of SBM in Kentucky, where the Kentucky Education Reform Act mandated SBM, illustrates issues in its implementation. (SLD)

A randomized survey of Kentucky college and university faculty showed they were more familiar with the Kentucky Education Reform Act's goals than with assessment or accountability issues. Most support restructuring goals but do not believe that KERA-educated students will be better prepared to enter their institutions than formerly. KERA has not…

In Kentucky, where school-based decision making is legally mandated for all public schools, appreciable policy and decision-making powers are vested in SBDM school councils. Since 1990, educators have learned some valuable lessons: reform policies need early implementation guidelines; decentralization mandates create control problems for state…

Describes experiences of two elementary math teachers, whose dynamic, hands-on teaching techniques were at odds with components of the Kentucky Instructional Results Information System (KIRIS). Despite these teachers' successful efforts, the new Commonwealth Accountability and Testing System (CATS) replacing KIRIS will not contain portfolios. (12…

Investigates the effects on students' literacy learning of implementing recommended practices for primary programs, mandated in Kentucky's sweeping education-reform effort. Finds that students taught by four "high implementing" teachers outperformed students of "low implementing" teachers on every measure of literacy…

This volume provides the background of the Kentucky Education Reform Act and discusses the assessment and evaluation principles on which it is based. It reviews early steps in implementation of the Act's mandates, but was written before most of the battles of implementation had begun. (SLD)

Discusses the content and impact of the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) of 1990, which redesigned the state's education system, including new finance, governance, and accountability mechanisms. Although funding differences between school districts declined, the basic proportions of allocations changed very little. The KERA strategy appears…

This research summary says school-based management increases political activity in schools, but is time-consuming; many teachers evade SBM; less actively participating parents risk co-option by educators; and schools will not commit necessary resources. Academic achievement is not necessarily improved, and organizational implementation obstacles…

Presents observations and lessons drawn from two years of Kentucky school reform. Implementing the Kentucky School Reform Act of 1990 teaches that reforming schools also requires addressing the ways in which communities raise their children. Community work, with parent and student participation, improves family conditions and political decision…