America is not Singapore and Singapore cannot be America. So why are we often comparing ourselves to high-performing countries based on international exams? Despite the educational crisis many U.S. schools are facing, Americans should be cautious not to mimic another country's model within our diverse classrooms. We are largely grounded on the…

The educational planner will always find himself or herself face to face with a conflict of interest from which the plans and ultimate decisions will eventually emerge. Lessons learned by an educational planner involved in long-term planning with the Ministry of Education in Hungary are discussed. (RM)

Analyzes how the problems of freedom in educational policy in Spain have been affected by authoritarian and liberal governments during the twentieth century. Freedom of teaching, professional freedom, participatory government and student groups, participation of society at large, and freedom of language are examined. (SR)

School change is examined using the experiences of local educational change projects in Sweden. Specifically discussed are Swedish educational development centers that encourage experiments directly involving teachers and the SSK experiment in Uppsala designed to give teachers, parents, and pupils a greater say and more responsibility in…

The staff in British Infant Schools creates a special learning environment. British parents have differing expectations of the schools and their own educational role. In creating the open classroom, a modification of the British Infant School, American educators seem to have missed these two crucial points. (SJL)

Educational changes enacted by four Swiss cantons regarding the following are summarized: educational objectives, right to education, public/private schools, school structure, compulsory education, class size, holidays, fees, parent/pupil participation, guidance services, insurance, financial support, curricula, teaching methods, disciplinary…

Many high school and junior high school concert bands in Japan are performing on a level equal to America's college bands. Reasons why include long hours in rehearsal; the prominent role students play in the organization, preparation, and administration of the ensemble; and the strong sense of fellowship and cooperation. (RM)

Compares the Chicago School Reform Act of 1988 with the English Education Reform Act of 1988. Explains the source of authority for school-based management in each setting and examines six common themes. Emphasizes the conflict between the concepts of the professionalism of teachers and client empowerment through enrollment choice or…

The first part of this paper challenges the traditional dichotomy between formal and informal education. Part two discusses a variety of nonformal education programs in the United States. The concluding section highlights the biases in favor of more affluent youngsters and the national character of much nonformal education. (Author/SJL)

Suggesting that, like the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in the United States, Britain's Assessment of Performance Unit is likely to evoke opposition, the author proposes a teacher-based assessment system as an alternative. (SJL) Aspect of National Assessment (NAEP) dealt with in this document: Procedures (Evaluation).

An overview of the legal status of special education in Israel, especially the Israeli Special Education Law of 1988 and judicial rulings, suggests that the law has promulgated a parallel placement system in which the special education bureaucratic system is empowered to act without parental input. Cultural influences are noted and suggestions…

This article comparing the educational systems of various countries contends that, while most countries have clearly articulated educational goals and educators know how to achieve the goals, there is little information on the extent to which students with disabilities are achieving such goals because most accountability assessment efforts do not…

Examines the processes by which segments of society previously excluded from membership in political and socio-economic institutions are incorporated into these institutions as citizens. Emphasis is on expectations and disillusions. The role that school and the workplace play in civic inclusion are specifically discussed. (RM)

This article first summarizes the American literature on applying the market force to education in the movement to give greater power to parents in determining school policy and then applies these concepts to similar trends in the United Kingdom. Issues emerging from interviews with British parents of children with learning difficulties are…

Discusses the linguistic and cultural challenges faced by Japanese students who are receiving their education in U.S. schools. Provides a historical perspective on education in Japan and discusses parent involvement, the culture of Japanese schools, differences in the teacher/student relationship, group identity, gender distinctions, personal…