Almost two million children in more than 40 countries around the world have received a One Laptop per Child (OLPC) XO netbook computer. These netbooks represent the commitment of politicians, community leaders, and educators to implement disruptive, large-scale education reform initiatives that will advance their countries into the 21st century…

In late 1999, philanthropist Susie Buffett wanted to make the smartest possible investment to improve public education in her hometown of Omaha, Nebraska. She and her then-foundation president, Dan Pedersen, spoke with Superintendent John Mackiel regarding how he would choose to use private funds to enhance opportunities for Omaha's 46,000…

One of a series of reports documenting efforts at educational restructuring nationwide, this paper focuses on the achievements and ideas of James Comer, founder and director of the School Development Program (SDP) of the Child Study Center at Yale University. The first part of the report presents remarks made by Dr. Comer on the history and…

The middle school movement, as a mechanism of educational reform through grade-level reorganization, has attracted a great deal of attention; and the total number of middle schools has grown significantly. This review surveys 19 documents previously announced in RIE, all but four of which are available through ERIC. The material reviewed is…

In this article, the authors talk about the Paideia program of the Asheville Middle School (AMS). Paideia is a Greek word that expresses the idea of nurturing the whole child. The Paideia Program is a systemic school transformation project based on the work of philosopher Mortimer Adler. The authors discuss the principles of the Paideia Program.…

This document relates the experiences of individuals who have embraced the concept of developmentally appropriate practice in kindergarten and made the effort to translate their understandings into practice in public school settings. The book's primary authors are a kindergarten teacher, an elementary school principal, a school superintendent, and…

Even Start is a family literacy and support program for families with young children. This paper focuses on the impact and potential of transitions for children and adults as Even Start helps them move across settings. Such transitions occur daily, such as from home to day care to work, or occur over time, such as a transition to formal schooling.…