This study examines the perceived barriers which prevent school superintendents in the state of Washington from closing the gap between knowing core leadership practices that increase student academic performance and the superintendent's ability to act on this knowledge by implementing them. The theoretical frames established were organizational…

Stand for Children was founded in the late 1990s as a way to advocate for the welfare of children. It grew out of a 1996 march by more than 250,000 people in Washington, D.C. The aim of the march was to highlight child poverty at a time when Congress and the Clinton administration were preparing to "end welfare as we know it." Jonah…

The challenge of producing the systemic changes that are needed to boost educational attainment and economic competitiveness across the country falls heavily on entities that coordinate public postsecondary institutions. Coordination of postsecondary education, whether of a single system of institutions or across an entire state, requires…

Public organizations charged with coordinating higher education institutions face a complex set of tasks. Whether coordinating institutions within one sector or across sectors, such organizations play vital roles in promoting a state's capacity for policy leadership to meet the growing need for an educated citizenry. National experts have…

How far should a school go in helping families with their myriad problems? Empathy is admirable. But schools need to get smarter about how and when and in what form they provide support for their families. People who choose to work in schools are, by nature, eager to help others. But institutions are weakened by trying to be all things to all…

In testimony before the President's Council on Foreign Language and International Studies, the activities of the Washington Association of Foreign Language Teachers are described, and recommendations are made for effective political action by teachers to promote foreign language education. (JB)

In response to Washington rural residents concerned about availability and distribution of health care, a study was conducted to: (1) better understand the physicians serving rural Washington and (2) determine if their services could be increased by taking physicians out of their traditional solo practitioner roles and placing them in groups of 2,…

A study was conducted to assess the expectations and sources of conflict and frustration for school board members in Washington, Missouri, and New Jersey. It tested the widely held belief that school board members are experiencing increased conflict and frustration and explored how these pressures are related to the conflicting expectations on…

This report looks at and identifies emerging trends in the roles that teacher unions play in educational reform and improving the quality of teaching. A description of the efforts of six teacher unions to improve teacher quality within the context of the current systemic reform movement shows a range and depth of union initiatives beyond what is…

In response to requests by the Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board for a systematic approach to student outcomes assessment, and in an effort to identify potential areas for improving the quality of community college education, the State Board for Community College Education conducted a vocational outcomes study in 1989. The study…

As traditionally structured, American schools, in general, have found it more difficult to educate some students than others. In Washington State, as in most other states, the single best predictor of student achievement at the school level is the percentage of students on free or reduced (f/r) lunch status (Abbott & Joireman, 2001). This fact…

Reports the findings of a survey on the numbers of secondary school science and mathematics teachers from 1974 to 1979. Indicates a decline in the number of teachers with majors and minors in science and mathematics. Recommends that professional organizations encourage more qualified persons to work as teachers. (SK)

This annual report highlights the work of some grantees who are finding innovative ways to respond to today's new challenges based on a rigorous commitment by their leadership to gathering pertinent facts. These include cities that are planning wide-scale, lasting improvements in arts learning or out-of-school opportunities, basing their choices…

The Select Advisory Board and the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory project staff have analyzed and evaluated the need for reorganization in the district using the data, information, and organizational charts made available during the study. Recommended changes are appropriate because line and staff functions appear not to be accomplished…