The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the experiences and knowledge that informed the decision-making of nine principals from a large midwestern urban district who shifted from implementing mainly exclusionary to restorative practices. Framed by Lederach's conflict transformation theory, the research question was: What knowledge and…

School-based management (SBM) remains a "hot topic" in educational circles. This article explores the reality of SBM internationally. It focusses on the perceptions of selected Australian public secondary principals who reflect on the drivers and impediments affecting their capacity to lead school-based innovation. While broadly…

To meet the constantly changing needs of schools and diverse learners, educators must frequently monitor student learning, revise curricula, and improve instruction. Consequently, it is critical that careful analyses of student performance data are ongoing components of curriculum decision-making processes. The primary purpose of this study is to…

Although 1980s school reform efforts focused on improving student achievement, they overemphasized content coverage and testing for content retention. Future secondary reforms must transcend student "production" to reach all students consistently, emphasize application of curricular content, model critical thinking and decision-making, and foster…

Analyzing math curriculum projects should be more than an affair of the heart, claim the designers of a systematic scheme for finding the best curriculum for your particular school's needs. (Editor)

Guidelines for teachers involved in curriculum development activities. (MLF)

If the textbook and material selection process is to be adequately supported in school budgets, curriculum directors, teachers, and administrators must be able to defend their requests with high-quality information. This article offers nine suggestions to help build a leadership structure and a database for making appropriate textbook selections.…

Provides a model for developing a course in student leadership at the secondary level. Includes a sample outline for a Basic Leadership Course and a sample outline for an Advanced Leadership Course. (MD)

Defining the meaning, practical uses and purposes, and objectives of consumer education, the author clarifies confusion regarding the topic. (MD)

Authors scrutinize some of the underlying issues of career education. Disclaiming that career education can be a panacea to all the ills of modern education, they do attribute to it great potential for developing student self-awareness. And self-awareness, not job training, should be career education's primary goal. (Editor/RK)

Administrators cannot afford to remain ignorant of the work of neuroscientists over the last 30 years. The findings of brain research can help administrators gain a better understanding of decision making. The author lists four benefits to education that administrators can provide through greater knowledge of the brain. (WD)

Discusses the perceptions of teachers on how curriculum decisions are made with their preferences for how such decisions should be made. Examines the results of a survey of school districts in New York to learn who has control over curriculum planning. (Editor/RK)

Discusses four key elements that comprise content for leadership development: strategic planning, shaping change, effective communication, and timely decision-making. These elements should be recurring themes in leadership institutes, along with material on needs assessment, outcomes-based schooling, evaluation, and followup activities. Includes…

The author assesses the contributions to educational planning of the National Assessment of Education Progress. He gives examples of the findings and asks questions as to how they can be utilized by school systems. (Editor) Aspect of National Assessment (NAEP) dealt with in this document: Results (Utilization).

Effective education depends on cooperative efforts at all levels of schooling and a bold insistence on progressive organizational power structures. (JW)