This article discusses how the call for families' active participation in school can be understood as a form of regulatory act producing neoliberal subjectivities based on responsibility, entrepreneurship and rational calculation. The analysis draws on the results of two projects aiming to improve the relationship between families of Spanish Roma…

Maryland's school finance system experienced a restructuring in 2002 with the passage of SB 856, the "Bridge to Excellence Act." The "Bridge" Act set the funding amount for "base" students, brought state funding for kindergarten students on par with students in grades 1-12, and collapsed about 50 school funding…

One way of garnering grant funding to support restructuring projects is to establish a districtwide grants development office. This article describes a low-cost grants office in the Norfolk (Virginia) Public Schools that employs one administrator and one part-time clerical support person. An overview of the grants development and proposal writing…

This booklet is the fourth in a series of "hot topic" reports, that address current educational concerns. The booklet examines questions relating to grade configurations, its purpose being to increase awareness and understanding of the issues surrounding grade span. It explores the ways that schools have addressed concerns associated…

In Prince George's County, Maryland, Superintendent Jerome Clark told staffs of low-performing schools to resign and reapply for positions. New principals were hired, and schools were restaffed. San Francisco has experimented with reconstituting or jumpstarting dysfunctional schools since the 1980s. A Department of Education study shows mixed…

This guide is intended to help current and prospective charter school leaders decide whether and how to work with pre-existing "whole school designs." Such school designs range from those that cover one core element of school operations to designs covering almost every aspect of school operations. The guide contains initial information…

This book is part of a series of case studies that demonstrate better ways to educate Ohio's students. The case study is part of the Transforming Learning Communities (TLC) Project, designed to support significant school-reform efforts among Ohio's elementary, middle, and high schools. The text describes the 12 Ohio schools that were selected for…

The study examines the defining features of school improvement programs. Twelve research-based programs that have been implemented for 5 or more years in at least 50 schools or for 3,000 students were analyzed. All have achieved national visibility. Eight of the programs focused on curricular reform and topics included: (1) Core Knowledge; (2)…

Australia's National Schools Project tried to facilitate restructuring by abolishing, bending, or breaking the rules that prevented schools from improving student outcomes. Since 1992, the 50-school project has expanded to over 200 sites. An evaluation of three NSP schools identifies barriers (cultural resistance and structural complexity) and…

This handbook explains site-based management (SBM) in schools to help those who wish to decentralize their operation so that the campus-level staff have flexibility in making decisions that affect the students at their location. The text is divided into four major sections, each devoted to a particular area of concern under the SBM concept.…

In 1988, the Education Commission of the States and Coalition of Essential Schools joined forces to create Re:Learning, which aimed to change the education system and bring about improved learning for all students. This report describes the development and implementation of the program and focuses on program influences on student achievement and…

Examines differences and similarities in role conception between principals participating in a state-sponsored restructuring program (the Centennial School Program) and nonparticipating principals. Findings from a statewide survey of administrators show that CSP principals generally report practices and attitudes congruent with program elements.…

Four promising programs for raising student achievement are described. All four attempt schoolwide improvement and primarily affect curriculum and pedagogy. Each program has its own strengths and weaknesses, but they all show evidence of: (1) high standards; (2) effectiveness; (3) replicability; and (4) support structures. Success for All, an…

The major focus of the research is to explore how the implementation stage of two local education authorities (LEA) reorganizations initiatives in England was managed at LEA and school levels. The focus is on what must be done at both of these levels to implement central-government-approved reorganization proposals so as to portray how groups at…

This comprehensive statewide plan was developed to revitalize the Maryland educational system on the school, school system, and state levels by 1992. The plan incorporates the following elements: (1) a set of data-based areas that are considered most useful to inform and guide the school's instructional results for each student; (2) a computerized…