The purpose of this systematic literature review of empirical studies was to analyse the results of 20 years of research, related to education reform, to identify factors that support or hinder change efforts. An electronic search identified a total of 160 relevant primary studies published between 2000 and 2020 that were included in the review.…

The United Nations has set forth an ambitious vision for education systems around the globe: cultivating life-long learning from early childhood through an individual's civic and work life. Schools must support children and youth in basic learning--including crucial socio-emotional, literacy, and numeracy competencies--to contribute to sustainable…

The stakes are incredibly high in California to provide access to a high-quality education in a safe environment for all students. As districts across the state resumed full-time instruction and began the task of pandemic recovery, members of the California Collaborative on District Reform convened three times in 2021-22 to continue and deepen…

District administrators who want to build capacity for data use in schools may be well-served by starting in the central office. This case study of the Boston Public Schools shows how central office administrators can leverage their own data inquiry cycles to improve the ways they support schools in using data. Using the Data Wise Improvement…

To assist system administrators as they pursue their own teacher leadership initiatives, this profile from Leading Educators and the Aspen Institute details the steps Denver Public Schools (DPS) took to design and implement its Differentiated Roles pilot. Specifically, it examines the initiative's opportunities and challenges within the context of…

By virtue of the educational process, there exists a literate electorate that wants a voice in what the educational system is producing and that knows how to articulate its demands. Schools are faced with Federal, State, and district expectations. Along with these expectations there are internal and external forces that weigh on the educational…

Program objectives and fiscal accountability were combined as program budgeting was developed in a local school district. This approach to budgeting increased staff involvement, emphasized the system approach, and improved communications. The budget development process is described and documented through one school year. (Author/DW)

When programs or projects involve a complexity of personnel and activities, it often becomes an administrator's headache to keep the program on course. Some type of program operational guide (often referred to as work plans or management manuals) should be developed to assist program staff with management of the implementation process. An analysis…

It is possible to remain faithful to the general intentions of management by objectives (MBO) while boiling it down to four major points. First, MBO places the emphasis on results rather than on resources or the ways in which resources are utilized. Second, responsibility for achieving these results is shared jointly by the superior and his…

A management-by-objectives project designed to provide a rational basis for implementing a programming-planning-budgeting evaluation system in the school district is summarized. The project goal was to design and implement an accountability model utilizing participative management as a tool for development. Three organizational phases involved in…

This review of the literature briefly outlines the history of management by objectives (MBO), describing the Madison, Wisconsin, school district's application of this systems approach to school management, as well as alternatives to the Madison MBO plan developed by other districts across the country. Although there are many variations of MBO and…

The aim of this article is to describe some ways in which behavioral principles and techniques can be efficiently and effectively applied within the school setting. It discusses helping students define their goals, criteria of behavioral counseling goals, insight versus behavior, behavioral change strategies, and various other applications.…

The Department has developed a Race to the Top program review process that not only addresses the Department's responsibilities for fiscal and programmatic oversight, but is designed to identify areas to differentiate support based on individual State needs, as well as certain topics where States can leverage work with each other and with experts…

This State-specific summary report serves as an assessment of the District of Columbia's Year 1 Race to the Top implementation, highlighting successes and accomplishments, identifying challenges, and providing lessons learned from implementation to date. The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) manages the District of Columbia…

This State-specific summary report serves as an assessment of Delaware's Year 1 Race to the Top implementation, highlighting successes and accomplishments, identifying challenges, and providing lessons learned from implementation to date. Delaware created new structures at the State level to support both State and LEA (local education agency) Race…