This report is based on a study that examined the effect of changing principals during a restructuring process. Data were collected at two rural elementary schools in a midsouthern state that had participated in the Accelerated Schools Project. The project's effectiveness was threatened by frequent principal succession at both schools. The schools…

Critical milestones in the university facilitation of meaningful school reform in schools serving at-risk students--schoolwide assessment, cadre-based planning, and pilot testing of new strategies--are examined in this paper. A training and facilitation mechanism developed by the University of New Orleans' (UNO) Louisiana Accelerated Schools…

The accelerated schools process provides a systematic approach to the restructuring of schools. Developed in 1986 by Henry M. Levin, the strategy seeks to provide the best education for all students. During the first stage, the "taking stock" phase, everyone in the school community works together to develop a comprehensive school…

This paper examines the change process that occurred in four elementary schools that implemented a participatory mode of school organization, the Accelerated Schools model. Methodology included document analysis and a total of 35 interviews with teachers, administrators, social workers, and parents. Findings indicate that: (1) the principal's…

This paper focuses on how teachers in a rural elementary school, involved in the fourth year of a restructuring process (the Accelerated Schools Project), used inquiry to transform teaching and learning. In the past, teachers generally worked within their own classrooms and had little input in school wide operations. However, after four years of…

A restructured school setting necessitates a major change in the principal's role. For example, the principal must not only espouse certain values, but practice them at the "in-use" level as well. This paper compares and contrasts the leadership styles of two principals who participated in the implementation of a restructuring effort, the…

This study sought to determine whether students in a graduate level class that focused on a school restructuring model were able to understand and practice its philosophy. The course focused on innovative school changes and teaching practices used in the Accelerated Schools Project (ASP). The course syllabus required students to examine the…