The author describes how the interactive study of social media's effect on the Common Core debate was designed and executed. Important findings from the study were: 1) We live in an increasingly interconnected social world. 2) Media has evolved over the last half century from a passive system dominated by a few central opinion makers to the…

Three years ago when Hartford established excellence as a theme, the district put academic achievement at the top of its list of five goals. The other four goals were organizational climate, education with equity, economic empowerment, and management of resources. (Author/IRT)

Teacher unions' efforts to ensure teacher quality via one-time licensing and certification requirements are outmoded. The National Education Association offers guiding principles for creating a quality-assurance system that encourages teachers to improve their craft. Unions must redefine teacher professional development and give teachers more…

Describes the stages that students go through when they are first introduced to self-directed learning and lists specific strategies teachers can use to help students through the crises. (IRT)

Since 1970, 12 states (California, Oregon, Minnesota, Nevada, Iowa, Kentucky, Georgia, Indiana, Wyoming, West Virginia, North Dakota, and Hawaii) have created autonomous boards directly accountable to legislatures to control standards and practices for education professionals. These boards are establishing rigorous academic and professional…

Because today's families tend to be scattered geographically, children are less likely to interact with grandparents and other older adults. A volunteer coordinator describes the enriching experiences stimulated by a senior pen- pal program in Staten Island (New York) schools involving third graders and senior citizens. (MLH)

Describes the system the Bellingham, Washington, schools use to encourage cooperation among the certificated personnel, administrators, and the board of education. (IRT)

To help reluctant high school readers, a ninth-grade teacher modified a pedagogy called the Socratic Seminar (the Paedeia Approach) based on the work of Mortimer Adler and Dennis Gray. A Socratic Seminar is a focused discussion on a short piece of writing. The process is explained. (MLH)

In Boston schools, change coaches and content coaches are offering principals and teachers the kind of professional development that research deems most effective: ongoing, in school, high-quality, and focused on instruction and teacher cooperation. To succeed, coaches must be (unrecognized) leaders who unobtrusively foster teacher leadership.…

Describes the program at Alabama's Huntsville Alternative School, where severe behavioral problems are dealt with by promoting positive self-concepts in students through acceptance, trust, warmth, concern, firmness, consistency, humor, and the meeting of human needs as identified by Abraham Maslow. (Author/PGD)

Describes the Community Service Internship program at East Lyme (Connecticut) High School. The program is designed to help students understand the needs of various segments of the local population while allowing them to engage in community service for a substantial period. (IW)

Arizona allows charters to be granted by local school boards, the state board of education, or gubernatorially appointed boards. Regulatory loopholes allow multiple campuses, private school conversions, and outside-of-district charters. Market-based choice depends on political support, a strong state government, and enormous parental and teacher…