When teachers and students share the responsibility for learning, students become active agents in their own learning who respond to feedback, set learning goals, track their progress, and adapt their own learning strategies when needed. Formative assessment provides a clear path forward to this kind of teaching and learning experience, and site…

Just what is meant by a "Best Practice"? A best practice is a procedure, a process, or a system, adopted by best performing districts, which has a noticeable long-term positive impact on the strategic objectives of the Procurement organization. The concept of "best practices" is a fluid one. As technology, regulations and…

It is essential for middle school leaders to develop and promote school-wide literacy models, organizational structures that have a significant impact on the learning environment for all students in their building. However, school-wide literacy models can be difficult to implement and sustain over time. Drawing from an Office of Special Education…

This report outlines plans to reduce the dropout rate of Detroit (Michigan) Public Schools from the present 45% to 34% by 1990. First, current efforts to improve pupil learning experiences and reduce the dropout rate are listed. These are divided into three types: (1) early interventions (identification of adjustment or learning problems and…

The program model presented in this handbook is directed to urban high schools in crisis. In 1982, Central High School in Providence, Rhode Island, was such a school. Thirty percent of the student body came from low-income families, violence erupted regularly, it was difficult to maintain discipline, academic achievement was consistently below…

This manual provides background information about the Senior Citizen School Volunteer Program (SCSVP) and describes the program model that has been developed and implemented by the staff of Generations Together in more than 75 schools. The SCSVP develops intergenerational programs by involving older people as volunteers in elementary and secondary…

Schools are increasingly confronted with crisis events. This resource aid packet provides materials to facilitate planning and implementation of a school-based crisis response and related staff training. The packet is divided into four sections. The first offers a brief overview that can be shared with school staff to raise awareness about the…

This guide may be used by charter school operators in developing a business plan that can be used as a management tool in individual schools and in preparing applications for charters, renewals, and grants and loans. A sound business plan must reflect the school's ideas, assets, and needs clearly and succinctly. Drafting a business plan begins…

This sourcebook, prepared to assist New Jersey urban school principals and administrators, presents research findings and describes exemplary programs related to the Urban Initiative, a school improvement project of the New Jersey Department of Education. The source book consists of three major sections. Section 1 reviews effective schools…

In this guide, the results and findings of a major survey of magnet schools are organized into a practical manual for school districts to use in planning, developing, and implementing new magnet programs or improving those already in existence. The guide is divided into three sections: (1) key steps in magnet program development (an outline of…

The challenge today in implementing educational technology is no longer one of acquiring equipment, but rather one of improved adoption, diffusion, and use of computers. Effective implementation requires effective planning and action to ensure equity of access to resources, coordination of resources, and developing infrastructures for information…

The Chicago (Illinois) School Reform Act of 1988 (Public Act 85-1418) requires each attendance center in the Chicago Public Schools system to prepare a three-year School Improvement Plan. This guide was prepared to help schools coordinate various plans and to link improvement planning with budgeting. The guide includes four principal sections. The…

This research brief examines the potential of technology to further the goals of restructuring U.S. schools. Strategies are presented for restructuring schools with technology. Although restructuring means different things to different people, the restructuring movement has generally focused on reorganizing school processes, taking a…

There is an urgent need not only to attract more people into the teaching profession but also to build a more diverse, highly qualified, and culturally sensitive teaching force that can meet the needs of a rapidly changing school-age population. This Toolkit takes best practices from high school teacher academies around the United States and…

This manual details the fundamental steps necessary to create a successful tutoring program. It is based on the experiences of the Anderson (South Carolina) School District One (ASDO) in their tutoring project initiated in 1989-90. The school district intended to increase homework completion, raise test scores, improve attendance, and generate…