Although education lacks a rigorous theoretical base, principals and other administrators can improve their theory-based decision making by formulating a statement defining the status quo, adjusting practices to eliminate inconsistencies, developing a consistent districtwide theoretical structure, and giving future decisions a sound theoretical…

Describes new theories of teacher professional development, identifies known costs of conventional professional development, discusses how new approaches (like collaborative problem solving and mentoring relationships) affect costs (for teacher time and supportive infrastructure), examines efficiency considerations, and highlights fiscal and…

A review of significant research studies on high school restructuring supports four key findings. Reforms must be connected to instruction; remotely imposed mandates do not improve achievement; restructuring produces modest achievement gains; and high schools with smaller enrollments create a better sense of belonging for students and more…

Describes some of the tensions and challenges that nine student teachers faced as they attempted to apply theoretical tools or principles for teaching middle and secondary school English to the realities of practice. Suggests the importance of understanding the kind of relationships that student teachers develop within each setting and how social…

This article describes an innovative and intensive staff development program based on effective schools/effective classrooms research which targets building-level teams of teachers and administrators. A progress report on outcomes after two years at the district, school, teacher, and student levels is provided. (Author/MT)

Interrelates the conceptual approaches of Michel Foucault and Pierre Bourdieu while reviewing educational reform in Iceland over the past 25 years. Identifies legitimating principles in educational reform discourse, focusing on tensions concerning what counts as capital in teacher education. Pedagogy, curriculum theory, and educational psychology…

With political support, Total Quality Management principles can help urban schools redefine schools' role, purpose, and responsibilities; focus on continuous improvement; plan comprehensive leadership training; create staff development confronting staff attitudes and beliefs; use research- and practice-based information to guide policy and…

Highlighting Success for All, this article argues that federal funds are being used to support the promulgation and biased evaluation of failed programs. Educators need to beware of conflicts of interest and developers' misleading claims about publicly and privately developed programs. Independent evaluators are needed. (MLH)

Reviews current elements of administrative thought and practice, aiming to provide a comprehensive outline for new programmatic ventures in educating future principals. Describes an existing nontraditional leadership preparation program at Butler University that allows students to work cooperatively on projects, learn through self-direction,…

Describes and analyzes a training program for school support agents carried out in Madrid, Spain, from 1990 to 1992. Explores the institutional, cultural, and personal factors influencing program implementation. Addresses problems involved in reconstructing the theory and practice of external support through inservice training of school support…

Client-centered thinking is gradually transforming British schools, where there is increased emphasis on competitive marketing, enhanced "customer" information (for parents), and quality assurance systems. However, children are rarely seen as clients and even less seldom listened to as customers. This article explores British primary…

The administrative policies in Australian and New Zealand school systems have undergone radical changes in recent years. This article summarizes research into the origins and patterns of the reforms, their progress, and the problems encountered. Holistic reforms were intended to achieve increased economic efficiency, educational effectiveness, and…

Develops a theoretical argument for regulating school choice, using pluralistic concepts. Applies this argument to documentary and interview data concerning a 30-year-old French school choice policy. Because France and the United States have the greatest economic inequalities among Western democracies, the French experience with choice is…

Describes a study that evaluated implementation of curriculum materials for secondary social studies in the Netherlands. The evaluation focused on individual teachers' actual use of these materials in their classrooms. A large discrepancy emerged between the curriculum developers' original intentions and the observed instructional processes.…

Describes aspects of Linda Flower's work used by the author in devising writing technical assistance for teams writing technical reports in the United States General Accounting Office. Discusses three brief case studies describing the relationship between the work program structure (a major barrier to audience-based writing) and the writing…