Through programs aimed at enhancing educational effectiveness, states can play important and substantive roles in helping local schools, students, teachers, and principals improve, according to the study "State Strategies to Support Local School Improvement: Cross Site Analysis." The study identifies the key elements of the local change…

As part of a research project on "Patterns of Successful Assistance in Urban School Programs," this paper presents a case study of an assister's work in a Teacher Growth Program (TGP) at an elementary school in Staten Island, New York. The school has an experienced teaching staff, a supportive principal, a cross-sectional student…

As educators across the nation launch into frenzied efforts to "do something" in response to the various recommendations of commissions on educational excellence, many are forgetting that knowledge of how to implement change is available. This paper focuses on three concerns that educators must face when fitting general recommendations…

This paper presents a model for turning research findings into prescriptions for practical action. The model contains the following five interactive elements: (1) clear, understandable research knowledge; (2) relevant knowledge, which is seen as meaningful to normal life and concerns; (3) images of actions which exemplify the knowledge; (4) a will…

A review of five of their own research findings suggests (to the authors) four strategies for preparing facilitators to help implement school improvement programs. "Facilitators" are people who support teachers in implementing new classroom practices, and can include principals, district staff, or external providers of support. The five…

To learn the extent to which a revised elementary science program for grades 3 to 6 had been implemented in the 81 elementary schools of the Jefferson County (Colorado) School District, program developers adopted an assessment system based on the innovation configurations concept. The evolution of this system into an ongoing program for…

While pressures to revise administrator evaluation systems are increasing, the actual process demands great time, energy, and commitment to planned change. This article describes a large urban school district's efforts to redefine evaluation purposes, develop a process and principles, and implement and assess the new system. Includes 23…

Explores the link between the management of fiscal retrenchment and the need for more effective schools. Describes school improvement strategies based on the school effectiveness research and on past experience with educational change programs. A final section discusses the potential role of these strategies in the larger context of educational…

Types of changes being recommended by various national educational reports were compared with actual changes reported in a national sample of high schools. Implications for staff developers are offered. (DF)

This case study examines the reform of the teaching of French in the primary schools of French-speaking Switzerland. Two major questions are examined: (1) What are the real motives for introducing a new reading methodology? and (2) How can a methodology on paper be transformed into practical action?

The principal coordinates curriculum change in the public schools. Critical features of effective curriculum implementation are open communication, a strong staff development program, and daily encouragement and support of faculty members. Planning and organization, financial support, and human support are among the principal's significant…

The concepts of mutual adaptation and mutual accomplishment are used in an analysis of implementation of a delinquency prevention research and development program. Success from the perspective of both the developer and the participant is described. (DF)

A combination of qualitative and quantitative methods of analysis support the proposition that tight cultural, structural, and interpersonal linkages in a school's organization increase the degree of implementation of new classroom practices. The three-year study involved 14 schools engaged in instructional improvement projects with an external…

Ontario has provided special education legislation through the Education Amendment Act, 1980. Issues related to teacher preparation for special education and program planning and implementation are reviewed. (DF)

Innovation and change in educational practices begins and ends with the classroom teacher. An opinion about what role the teacher should serve is offered. Content background, curriculum reform, and student motivation are steps to consider in meeting the current need for effective learning experiences. (Author/DF)