Highlights the initial restructuring efforts begun by a Pennsylvania high school participating in the Coalition of Essential Schools. After several years of discussion, the staff undertook summer inservice training featuring a reading project, an ideal/reality exercise, a shadowing project, and a school visitation process. Choosing an…

This paper reports on a study that took place in a faculty of humanities and social sciences at a UK university. The institution had recently undergone a radical restructure and the vision for the future presented by the new senior management team highlighted internationalization as one of four major areas for growth. The internationalization…

School-based staff developers are becoming more common, but their job description is often poorly focused and their duties varied. The fate of this emerging model of professional development will depend on whether districts and school leaders devote time and resources to develop this strategy into a meaningful method of school reform.

School restructuring is enhanced when strong staff development plays three primary roles: a vehicle for developing new knowledge, skills, and attitudes; an unfreezing influence that helps people consider large-scale restructuring; and a vision of the school as a learning community. Examples from three school districts are provided. (SM)

Four school districts adopted a school restructuring project using Deming's business management method. Deming offered alternative views of organizations based on psychology, systems, perceptual framework, and causes of variance. He listed 14 points for quality improvement. Evaluation indicated that key staff members willingly engaged in…

Despite serving growing numbers of at-risk students, Pasco (Washington) School District has been transformed through outcome-based education into a district widely recognized for quality. Pascoe's OBE process demanded a school vision and mission statement; intensive teacher retraining; implementation of mastery learning, reality therapy, and…

The superintendent, a central-office supervisor, the principal, and an external consultant began discussions to address the specific needs of an elementary school in Scottsboro, Alabama. The process involved completing a pre-assessment and feasibility study, developing and introducing a staff-development change model, creating an action plan,…

This practicum project used organized professional development to increase involvement of teachers at a preK-8 school in the school's reform process. All members of the school community actively participated in planning, data collecting, and sharing of pertinent reform information. The 3-month staff development intervention consisted of three…

The nation's Governors resolved to lead restructuring efforts in their states as part of their commitment to achieve the national education goals by the year 2000. States are experimenting with a range of approaches to restructuring, depending on their resources, demographics, governance structures, and traditions. This report describes states'…

High school improvement is possible with visionary leadership and common goals. Ayer (Massachusetts) High School is a small, comprehensive school that has restructured itself to meet 21st century needs. Revolutionary changes have occurred in instructional improvement, core curriculum, technology education, class size, graduation requirements,…

In 1989, Swift Current Division in Saskatchewan, Canada, initiated the Chalk, Chips, and Children technology project. The project was funded by various corporate partners and developed by a broadly constituted advisory committee. The principal's role changed drastically as he reexamined leadership competencies and faculty developed their own…

A persistent dilemma of school leadership is whether principals should concentrate efforts on building cohesion and good working relationships among staff or on specific curriculum aimed toward specific learning outcomes for students. Interviews with three principals who worked through both strengthening collegiality and improving curriculum show…

Describes the implementation of a technology project in an Arizona elementary school that provided classrooms with networked access to the Internet as part of a school restructuring effort. A business partnership with Motorola Corporation is explained; technical support and staff development are discussed; and examples of classroom projects are…

A staff development program for a New Jersey school district involved a day-long visit to a new corporate office complex to acquaint teachers with a modern electronic office and the need to prepare students for the modern workplace. (MLF)

This paper outlines the changes and resultant strategy alterations that took place in the legal education system of the Lao People's Democratic Republic in 1991 and how these changes affected the Vientiane School of Law. In the late 1980s, the government was transformed from a centrally-governed economy into a market economy. The difficult task…