In "The Fight for America's Schools", Barbara Ferman brings together a diverse group of contributors to investigate how parents, communities, teachers, unions, and students are mobilizing to oppose market-based reforms in education. Drawing on a series of rich case studies, the book illustrates how disparate groups can forge new…

The Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education adopts final requirements for the School Improvement Grants (SIG) program, authorized under section 1003(g) of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA). These final requirements make changes to the current SIG program requirements and implement…

Background: In 2009, the Obama Administration announced its intention to rapidly "turn around" 5,000 of the nation's lowest-performing schools. To do so, it relied on the School Improvement Grant (SIG) program to provide temporary funding for states and schools, and to mandate drastic, school-level reforms. Most of these reforms require…

Over the past year, many national leaders have committed to reform education and reshape America's school system. With this goal in mind, the Obama administration created a competitive grant program entitled Race to the Top (RTTT), which was passed by Congress as a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). RTTT features two grant…

Over the past two decades, community organizing has emerged as an effective force for school improvement. In the context of shrinking education funding, stubborn opportunity and achievement gaps between low-income and wealthy children and between children of color and White children, and polarizing debate on school reform, community organizing…

Author, with the U.S. Office of Education, describes Management Information and Evaluation System (COP-MIES) which was developed in response to the various short-comings of present-day evaluation and the specific developmental needs of the Career Opportunities Program. (Author/MB)

Based on an address given at the Charles R. Drew Postgraduate Medical School in Los Angeles, California, in January 1970. (IR)

Chapter 1 of this report on the implementation and evaluation of the Experimental Schools Program (ESP) in the Jefferson School District provides a brief geographical, demographic, historical, and economic overview of the district. Chapters 2 and 3 provide data of a historical and developmental nature, as well as data on the overall purposes and…

This report reviews the plans of three of the experimental school sites -- Berkeley Unified School District, California; Franklin Pierce School District, Washington; and Minneapolis Public Schools. The Experimental Schools Program, an evolving program, is designed to encompass the newest educational ideas as well as to avoid administrative…

The current accountability movement in education is examined in terms of its historical antecedents and federal versus state initiatives and requirements. The assumptions underlying the educational accountability movement are then considered, and refinements and extensions to these assumptions are proposed. The accountability movement in American…

Contents of this report on Title I, E.S.E.A., include: the nature and purposes of Title I; the uses of Title I; Process for developing Title I proposals--responsible bodies: role of parents, community advisory committee, community school board, New York City Board of Education staff, State Department of Education; time-table for development of…

Policy is developed at many levels in the educational bureaucracy and is influenced by many agencies and groups. Few policies or deliberations, however, are related to any other policies or agencies, and most policies are developed to speak only to a particular goal or problem in a particular educational setting. There is no agreement on the…

This report reviews and synthesizes the findings of a four year, two-phase study conducted by the Rand Corporation to examine and evaluate a national sample of educational innovations funded by Federal programs. Section I of this document provides background information and descriptions of the study. Section II discusses Rand's research approach…

This study, funded by ESEA Title III, has concerned itself with that program's ability to encourage local school authorities to accomplish needed educational reforms and to consider implications for future program activities. Suggestions are included for those concerned with the administration of Title III at the State level. The information upon…

A telephone survey of 26 principals on their use of Chapter 1 funds for family and community involvement activities found several barriers, including restrictions, lack of information and adequate funds, and fear of change. However, schoolwide planning, new legal flexibility, and district support can make Chapter 1 funds more useful. (JB)