This qualitative study documented the variance of five different school districts and one consortium as they implemented Local Professional Development Committees (LPDCs). Two of the sites were pilot districts in the state of Ohio, which mandated that districts/consortiums create LPDCs effective in September 1998. The six different cases are…

Provides 10 guidelines to follow in implementing a competency-based curriculum. The guidelines include not imposing the program from above, matching measurement devices to instructional goals, stimulating student support of the program, and allowing for easy adjustment of competency measures. (IRT)

To implement curriculum changes successfully, five guidelines should be followed: changes should be research-based; successful innovation requires organizational changes; innovations must be feasible for the average teacher; implementation efforts must be organic, not bureaucratic; and a definite curriculum plan is essential. Guidelines for…

As the limited success of Boston Public Schools' Compact shows, school-business partnerships need to consider the time interval between investment and results. Several partnerships focusing on particular portions of the curriculum have had remarkable effects. A sidebar provides general guidelines for establishing school-business partnerships.…

Swedish school reform since the 1970s has involved a shift in policy and underlying values throughout the entire implementation process. Educational reform has broken into loosely connected fragments with relevant reform makers at all educational levels. Despite a newly decentralized process, observed changes are not really structural. Includes…

The 1990 Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) was passed in an atmosphere of excitement, optimism, and national attention. Recent survey results suggest that most Kentucky residents want KERA to succeed and are willing to provide the necessary resources. However, skepticism may be increasing. Support differs according to several demographic…

A national survey of General National Vocational Qualifications (GNVQ) implementation in 465 British post-16 institutions (response rate 67.9%) found some evidence that GNVQs fill gaps in provision; many complaints about jargon and an unwieldy system were noted; and the overreliance on behaviorist features of competency-based education was seen as…

Recent Australian higher education reforms envisioned creation of a unified national system (with a smaller number of larger institutions) through institutional mergers. This article discusses the merger of two Melbourne institutions, La Trobe University and Lincoln Institute of Health Sciences, focusing on key issues that delayed the merger for…

Describes how the Comprehension and Cognitive Development Program (CCD) has evolved in the middle and high schools of the Kansas City, Missouri, school district. Provides a rationale for including specific components of the program. Demonstrates (with selections from teacher portfolios) the effect that the program has had on teachers' thinking and…

School improvement literature focuses on the early stages of the change process and neglects actions to ensure its permanence. This article reviews research on institutionalization and the management of change in schools and develops a model for managing performance dips. Change facilitators must create administrative support and understanding,…

One fifth-grade teacher feels it is unfair if some students learn one thing, while others learn something else. Teachers must agree on some core of specific content and resolve to teach it at appropriate levels. Core Knowledge Sequence for grades 1-6 provides model of grade-by-grade content including literature, U.S. and world civilization,…

Reviews arguments and experiences with school choice. Raises some strong cautions about the implementation of choice programs, questioning whether enhanced parental choice would cure the ills of the public school system. (SR)

Describes difficulties of Saint Paul's Saturn School of Tomorrow from planner, implementor, and evaluator viewpoints. The plan for a citywide, ungraded, downtown middle school called for an extended school year and the latest technology in a completely redesigned building with 4 teachers, 4 interns, and 162 students. Teachers were overworked, test…

Survey of coordinators, teachers, and students in six designated technology schools in Western Australia revealed varying degrees of success in implementing the curriculum. Three crucial factors were identified: (1) continuous coordination by someone with adequate time and resources; (2) thorough documentation; and (3) enough time for faculty to…

The problems facing vocational-technical education in Russia are similar to those in the United States. Entrepreneurshp and better shcool-to-work transition can help solve some of those probelms. (JOW)