A study was made of nine elementary school principals involved in implementing a curriculum innovation in their schools. The goal of this research was to determine what principals actually do on a day-to-day basis in their role as facilitators of change in their schools and to learn if there was a difference in the effectiveness of their actions…

This report on competency testing utilizes a literature review, examines the state of the art to define competencies, and presents information from the field to delineate programmatic and administrative questions and their implications. Information was collected from school districts implementing minimum competency testing (MCT) programs through…

The paper explains the design of a national survey which was intended to identify factors associated with variations in the properties and contents of individualized education programs (IEPs); provide descriptive information about the target population; the nature and setting in which special education services are provided to this population;…

Discussion of the need for distributed information retrieval systems focuses on a model system, Fulcrum FUL/Text. Differences from distributed database management systems are described; system design is discussed; implementation requirements are explained including remote operation calls (ROC's); and a prototype simulation model based on FUL/Text…

A study was conducted to assess the current status of microcomputer use by vocational agriculture instructors in Illinois. The study identified the number and types of microcomputers currently being used by vocational agriculture instructors, determined the techniques for managing microcomputer use, and identified the types of software currently…

Federal evaluations in education contributed in numerous and important ways to changes in law, regulation, and management. Information about implementation contributed most often, but information about outcomes, cost, and federal administration also made contributions. These findings differ from previous research that concluded evaluations do not…

This paper is based on a study of the Success for All (SFA) reading program at two Mississippi elementary schools. In particular, the study investigated whether SFA was being implemented as advocated by its developers, students' reading scores on standardized achievement tests, how the program was monitored, attitudes toward reading, and what key…

Benin is breaking new ground through a profound reform of its primary school system. The innovation in the system is the revolutionary approach as regards educational practice. The main focus has shifted, in the objectives of the curriculum, from what to teach to whom to empower. This paper analyzes the Reforme de l'ecole de qualite fondamentale…

As states have initiated educational reforms founded on standards-based education, teachers' roles have changed dramatically, shifting from the use of more structured textbook-driven instructional methods to more flexible, collaborative approaches. Teachers have implemented these changes with varying degrees of success. In this publication,…

The Concerns Based Acceptance Model (CBAM) has been a key element in developing and assessing the implementation of science and mathematics programs over the past 20 years. CBAM provides an organized approach to assessing where people stand as they learn about, and accept, changes in organizations. This study examined the status of the adoption of…

This study examined the longitudinal effect of a comprehensive school design and reform program on faculty perceptions of their contribution to students, collegial support, and autonomy in a secondary school. The study sought to establish whether these changes in faculty members' perceptions of their work environment covaried with the…

The Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement at the University of Minnesota has been working with SciMathMN to conduct a multi-year study of the implementation and impact of standards-based mathematics curricula in Minnesota in several district settings. Phase 1 of the study began in fall 2000 and continued through the 2000-2001…

The Academic Support Services Program (ASSP) provides funds to Massachusetts school districts to develop or enhance academic support for students in second through tenth grade who performed poorly on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) or on other standardized assessment measures. In 1999, the Massachusetts Education Reform…

Reasons for variations in the adoption and implementation of federal programs at the local level are discussed. It is argued that there is a case against local problem-solving approaches to change.

An outline and example of a field-based program implementation evaluation model and rating scale are described. Teacher, parent, and other influences on the implementation level of the program are discussed. Multiple measures are provided as sources of implementation data. (CM)