A good deal of evidence now suggests that a strong sense of community in schools has benefits for both staff members and students, while providing a necessary foundation for school improvement. This digest in Spanish provides an overview of the literature on schools as communities. The digest identifies the elements of community schools, the…

A good deal of evidence now suggests that a strong sense of community in schools has benefits for both staff members and students, while providing a necessary foundation for school improvement. This digest provides an overview of the literature on schools as communities. The digest identifies the elements of community schools, the effects of…

Grade-span configuration refers to the range of grades within a school. Grade span is an important issue to various factions in public education, including advocates of middle schools and rural educators concerned with the association between grade fragmentation and school consolidation. This digest focuses on research that has examined the…

Confronted by overcrowded schools and tight budgets, school districts in about 30 states are keeping schools open year round. This is not extending the school year; year-round students attend the same number of days as those on the traditional calendar, but the year-round students have several short breaks. More students can fit into existing…