This literature review provides a review of policies, programs, and practices that have the potential to help students sustain the positive effects of preschool as they progress from kindergarten through grade 3 (K-3). The U.S. Department of Education's Policy and Program Studies Service commissioned this systematic literature review, which…

In this article, we review the empirical evidence on the impact of education vouchers on student achievement and briefly discuss the evidence from other forms of school choice. The best research to date finds relatively small achievement gains for students offered education vouchers, most of which are not statistically different from zero.…

The author discusses the difficulties that might be encountered in using various assessments and examinations in evaluative exercises. In particular, the discussion focuses on assessments that are presented in the form of examination results. The author also discusses an approach to a more school-based and hence potentially more useful form of…

Over the years, teachers and school leaders have engaged in some form of training beyond their formal preservice, university preparation programs. Whether referred to as in-service training, professional day, or staff or professional development, this activity normally had one purpose: to improve participant's knowledge or skills. With limited…

Reviews recent research about program and school evaluation, including studies of qualitative evaluation methods, replicability in program evaluation, assessment of equity in schools, triangulation, site-based management, approaches to evaluating staff development activities, state reform efforts, and educational inequality. (DMM)

In response to the (Scottish) government's decision to publish annual educational examination results, on a school-by-school basis, a three-year development program was established by Grampian Education Authority (Scotland) and the Centre for Educational Sociology (CES) at the University of Edinburgh. In this report, the main findings of the…

Essential to the definition of an effective school is an operational definition of minimum academic mastery as the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and concepts that enable the student to be demonstrably successful in the next grade level in the same school or in any other school in the United States. An effective schools program, such as the one…

This topical synthesis addresses the problematic issue of whether the techniques, processes, and procedures that generally result in effective, high-quality education will also achieve results with at-risk youth. After an extended introduction that raises this question, the key characteristics of effective schools are specified as leadership, a…

This report presents research findings concerning house systems in four New York city high schools during the 1988-89 school year. Quantitative analyses compared small and large schools with both weak and strong house designs. Findings indicate that house systems with more complete designs had more positive effects on staff and students and…

Reviewing the community college literature in the ERIC database, this paper examines determinants and studies of institutional and programmatic quality. Following a discussion of the contemporary debate over educational quality and its importance for the community college, determinants of quality are discussed in five categories: (1) measures…

Although the topic of effective schools is a popular one among today's educators, researchers, and publishers, there still is no commonly agreed upon definition of an effective school. One definition given by Ronald Edmonds and Lawrence Lezotte is notably precise, measurable, attainable, and easy to determine. They defined an effective school as…

A review of school effectiveness literature is presented in this paper. Research studies and other literature on this topic are examined, including case studies, surveys and evaluations, studies of program implementations, and organizational theories of schools and other institutions. Emphasis is given to organizational theories and findings…

Broad-based effective schools research suggests a school excellence model attributing student achievement to principal leadership, a positive school climate, the primacy of basic skills, high teacher expectations, an assessment and monitoring system, and the integration and coordination of the real and ideal curriculum and student assessment. (DCS)

Introduces the other articles in this special issue. Restructuring the schools to some means changing the "mechanics" of schooling; to others it refers to changes in relations of authority. However, there is uncertainty whether any restructuring will take place because a restructuring program will be difficult to implement. (BJV)

This book provides a brief historical review of outcomes assessment in higher education and a general guide to designing, implementing, and evaluating assessment programs. Chapter 1 provides several definitions of commonly used terms and a review of the major actors and the political context. It identifies factors contributing to the recent push…