When remedying deficiencies disclosed by national educational reform commissions, school districts must be as concerned with quality as with quantity. In response to a demand by 17 school districts to study their schools' effectiveness, Emporia State University's College of Education (Kansas) has developed an assessment model and initiated a…

Two veteran staff developers explore the challenges and lessons learned as they served as volunteer change facilitators on the school improvement teams in their children's schools. The article examines why they became involved, what they hoped to accomplish, what obstacles they encountered, what they accomplished, and what they learned. (SM)

Discusses lessons learned in the implementation of James Comer's School Development Program including: (1) leadership; (2) overcoming resistance to change; (3) time required for change; (4) creating a supportive climate; (5) staff commitment and staff time; (6) personnel and staff training; (7) parent involvement; (8) connecting school and…

Since the handover of the sovereignty from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China in 1997, there have been a series of change, development, and related issues in special education programs for learners with disabilities in Hong Kong. In this paper, we try to describe the background and recent trends, issues, and implications that…

While studies of school climate abound, conceptual frameworks have been ambiguous, and parent perceptions of climate are seldom considered. This paper describes a school improvement model employed in four rural Maine school districts in which (1) a school climate assessment is designed collaboratively with school staff; (2) the assessment is…

This folio series is designed to be used by school leaders--particularly superintendents and principals--involved in the process of comprehensive school reform. The folios can be used to initiate discussion, guide planning, or organize review sessions. The suggestions are intended to help the reader explore possibilities when designing a new…

Tips are provided for implementing successful inclusion programs for students with disabilities, including providing continuing, consistent support with structured staff-development activities; eliciting parental collaboration in all aspects of the inclusion effort; enhancing peer involvement, and facilitating classroom diversity by making…

Beginning in 1990, the United States and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) conducted an international, 14-nation study of programs for at-risk children. This report presents findings from the second year of the study, during which the Planning and Evaluation Service of the U.S. Department of Education reviewed the…

Introduction of national curriculum in 1988 has required British elementary teachers to teach and assess range of subjects with little specialist assistance and virtually no planning time during the school day. Compared to one New Hampshire school, English schools lack assistance for special needs students and have less extensive parental…

The United Kingdom's approach to planned educational change is called school improvement. This book presents a new approach to school improvement based on the experiences of 30 British schools that are being monitored by the Improving the Quality of Education for All (IQEA) project. Following the foreword by Michael Fullan and the preface and…

Describes the experience of a conservative, suburban school system making the change from traditional classroom instruction to more developmentally appropriate practices. Discusses the planning and implementation process, focusing particularly on the issues of skills acquisition, assessment, staff development, and parent involvement. (TJQ)

The branches of experiential education are many, but they all derive from a common philosophy and approach to learning that values hands-on experiences and centers on the learner. Encouraging the broader implementation of experiential learning requires that the field be interpreted to initiates down to its roots. In the case of whole-school…

The ExceL through Innovation grants program provides funding for elementary campuses to implement 4-year instructional and staff development programs designed to raise student achievement. All 66 campuses of the Austin Independent School District (Texas) received ExceL funding for the 1996-97 and 1997-98 school years, with the funded amount based,…

This volume summarizes the third year of the 3-year Study of Chapter 1 Implementation and addresses how schools have responded to the changes in Chapter 1 created by the Hawkins-Stafford Amendments of 1988. Results are summarized of nationally representative surveys, collected during 1991-92 and the third year of Hawkins-Stafford implementation,…

A true leader is not grounded in control, but believes in shared decision making and power. Today's principals should develop leadership skills in others and let them help lead school reform. A Carrollton, Texas high school formed a leadership team comprising staff, students, parents, and the community. (MLH)