This country review offers an independent analysis of major issues facing the use of school resources in Portugal from an international perspective. It provides a description of national policies, an analysis of strengths and challenges and options for possible future approaches. The analysis focuses on the process of decentralisation of school…

This report is a follow-up to "Gaining Ground in the Middle Grades" (Williams, Kirst, Haertel, et al., 2010). That study specified a comprehensive set of actionable practices that differentiated higher academic achievement among 303 middle grades schools in California. In doing so, the study provided a compelling and coherent account of…

A 1988 Johns Hopkins University survey of 1,753 principals from public schools serving seventh graders describes middle grade education in the United States. The 5 articles in this special section are intended to encourage discussion about ways to improve middle level educational practices and disclose new research directions. (MLH)

Improving leadership development opportunities among those likely to ascend to the principalship is a particularly effective policy response to reform advocates. But the school district level requires a deeper understanding of the individual personality preferences and leadership styles of those preparing to apply for the next round of…