The Chicago (Illinois) School Reform Act of 1988 (Public Act 85-1418) established the performance of students on a nationally normed, standardized test as a key measure of success. In the Chicago Public Schools, the tests used are the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) in the elementary grades and the Tests of Achievement and Proficiency (TAP) in…

Controlled educational choice, defined as parental or student choice of educational programs within the public school system that is regulated for public purposes, has become a leading proposal for educational reform. This paper reviews evidence from three working models of choice: the Minnesota Postsecondary Enrollment Options program (PEO), the…

Recommendations of a task force, directed to study ways to upgrade teacher preparation programs to make the course of study more rigorous and effective, became mandatory for constituent institutions once they were adopted by the Board of Governors and the General Assembly of a southeastern state. This provided an opportunity to study the process…

Most of the middle schools in Belgium are 2-year schools that form a link between the 6 years of elementary education and the last 4 years of secondary education. In Flanders they are regarded as an example of the more global reform of the secondary educational system in a comprehensive sense. First, this document outlines the new system of…

This publication includes two papers by John Hollifield, three ERIC Digests and two ERIC resource lists on group learning, and a reprint of an ERIC search on cooperative learning in elementary and middle schools. The two papers are titled: (1) "Cooperative Learning in Elementary Schools: From Supplemental Instructional Practice to Schoolwide…

This report analyzes and documents the ways that existing educational service systems have successfully modified their roles in order to improve school-to-adult-life transition services for students with disabilities. The report is based on findings from development of a model cooperative transition services system, which revealed that new roles…

A description is given of the Cooperative Professional Education Program (CPEP) that was developed and implemented by a teacher education institution and two public school districts. CPEP differs from traditional programs in the concurrent offering of coursework and clinical experience in an integrated year-long internship. The major components of…

These proceedings from a conference on restructuring the schools present a variety of perspectives for instituting educational change. Consideration of the theme allowed a review of the failures of educational reform, and a survey of current trends. There was a call for less rhetoric and more attention to comprehensive insights and plans that will…

This critical analysis of the reforms in education identifies the political motives behind many of the reforms and argues that top-down mandates for reform will fail. Data are taken from a survey of schools and districts with reputations for excellence. Excellence is defined pragmatically by describing what these schools do, and how educators in…

This booklet presents a model for changing an elementary and secondary school curriculum. In the first section, forms and resources are provided for analyzing change at the local level. The second section offers the following step-by-step guidelines for curriculum development: (1) identify components of the existing curriculum; (2) focus on skills…

In discussing the improvement of schools by using research and development findings, two different outcomes of a change program are considered. One is the effective implementation of new programs through use of available knowledge. The second is the broader issue of achieving school improvement through making the organization more healthy, the…

Empirical research pertaining to the relationship between external agencies' decisions and the implementation of these decisions suggests two conclusions. First, the implementors of change are likely to view externally initiated change with apprehension and resistance, and second, when external agencies initiate change, the result depends on…

The objectives of an ongoing 3-year study are to examine and document the immediate history of PL 95-561, Title XI; the development of its regulations, policies, and procedures; and its actual implementation. Research during the first year focused on the history, intent, regulations, and emerging policy of the law, especially Part A. Data were…

Focusing on the development of autonomous secondary schools in the Netherlands, this paper analyzes a Dutch plan for such schools, poses questions, and makes suggestions concerning the plan's implementation. Although requested to identify the characteristics of needed internal support structures (such as counseling or supplementary training for…

Teacher attitudes toward adopting individualized physical education programs for handicapped children were measured by the Stages-of-Concern questionnaire. This questionnaire was developed as a diagnostic tool for identifying personal reactions to an innovation. These reactions range from mere awareness of the innovation, through personal concerns…