Droves of school turnaround providers are chasing the massive federal infusion of funds flowing into failing schools. They arrive armed with glossy materials, impressive sounding claims, and, often, citing their prior relationships or experiences with one's school to support their promises of great service and impressive outcomes. But, are their…

Between 1970 and 1990 enrolment in Newfoundland and Labrador schools dropped by 22 percent. The first wave of major educational reform (1990 to 2000) saw massive reductions in public school expenditures and the reduction of more than 1650 teachers. Facing continued enrolment loss and a large current account deficit, in 2004, government again…

The impact of Florida's "A+" accountability program, which until 2006 included a voucher program for chronically failing schools, on public school performance has been extensively studied. The results have consistently shown a positive effect on academic outcomes in Florida public schools. However, no empirical research has been done on…

Given the potential consequences of test results, it is important that policy makers, educators, and parents understand the empirical base underlying the use and validity of assessments for measuring the academic progress of English Learners (Abedi, Hofstetter, & Lord, 2004). In order to understand how the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) school…

This article reports on 4 distinct Illinois reform initiatives that attempted to connect assessment to curriculum, instruction, and school improvement. Using quantitative and qualitative data obtained from principals and teachers involved in local reform efforts from 1993 through 2002, this study indicates that the lack of development of local…

This book is the culmination of extensive discussion among a panel of economists led by Eric A. Hanushek. The panel argues that improvement of schools depends more on better uses of resources than on the provision of added funds. The book outlines a plan to improve school performance without increasing expenditures. Specifically, it calls for more…