Youngsters nowadays have grown up learning "protect tomorrow!" lessons from "Barney" and "Bill Nye the Science Guy." They have been tutored by unforgettable futuristic movies like "A.I." and "E.T," by science fiction serials and "Star Trek" reruns and by future-oriented series on cable TV (including material on The History Channel). Of course,…

Public schools are offering more choices because educators increasingly have come to believe that a broader instructional menu brings positive results for everyone involved. The days of parents simply signing up their children at the neighborhood school for a one-size-fits-all curriculum are nearly over. In South Carolina, parents in high-choice…

Describes various school choice options and explains how each relates to school improvement. Variations include interdistrict choice, postsecondary options, second-chance programs, teacher-initiated or chartered schools, controlled choice (to aid desegregation efforts), and magnet schools offering choice within a traditional district assignment…

Describes a range of vocational education programs varying in scope, teaching methods, and educational philosophy that are developing throughout the country as a result of community and industry needs. (MD)

Although many superintendents remain leery of the charter reform movement, some (in Flagstaff, Arizona; Springfield, Massachusetts; and San Carlos, California), see beyond threats to a districtwide innovation model. Taking charters' lead, Flagstaff opened a magnet school and a full-day kindergarten. Another superintendent chartered his entire…

Robert Sternberg's triarchic theory of intelligence presupposes that students exhibit at least three kinds of intelligence: creative, practical, and analytical. Staff at the Wake County (North Carolina) School System designed learning activities to give students balanced experiences and a time to shine in the learning mode that suits them best.…

The challenge of engaging students with learning has led educators to rediscover apprenticeship. German apprenticeships enroll 70 percent of noncollege-bound teenagers in various manual, technical, and administrative fields in work/school programs that are not dumping grounds for weak students. The roles of U.S. employers, teachers, cooperative…

The author recently had the same conversation about local school reform with two superintendents--one from a large, urban district in the East and the other from a small district in the Midwest. Both superintendents were working with their respective boards to approve, design and fund reading initiatives consistent with the new federal guidelines.…

Discusses background, rationale, and current trends in school choice. Where implemented carefully with parent participation, choice plans have increased public support and student achievement and provided curriculum differentiation, cohesiveness, autonomy, and small size as benefits. However, school choice raises some equity problems, including…

While arts facilities should be equipped with computers, color scanners, MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) labs, connective video cameras, and appropriate software, music rooms still need pianos and visual art rooms need traditional art supplies. Dade County (Florida) Schools's pilot teacher assistance projects and arts-centered schools…

The Japanese educational reform movement is concentrating on increased individuality, lifelong learning, and the need to cope with societal changes, notably internationalization and the spread of information media. The American education system is admirable for experimenting with dropout programs, awards for improved student performance, magnet…