Educators and the public must study recommendations from national educational reports to discover strengths and weaknesses and then select those that match their needs. An example of this process is provided. (DF)

This article reviews the quality circle concept, shows why its characteristics appeal to American executives, and examines some of its limitations. It looks at self-managing teams and discusses the reasons that adoptions have been relatively few. It then shows what organizational conditions are necessary for quality circles to evolve into teams.…

Describes an evaluation of a summer career awareness workshop program for economically disadvantaged youth. The evaluation found that three-fourths of the 96 participants reported that as a result of the three-day workshop, they were closer to making a career decision. (CT)

An internship/residency model of teacher education was developed by the California Consortium on the Beginning Years of Teaching. A successful initiation of the model and problems that prevented implementation elsewhere are described. (DF)

The University of Rochester (New York) has implemented a process to ensure that all students receive necessary immunizations. The immunization requirement is combined with a required health history form and has helped the college facilitate significant increases in immunity to rubella, measles, mumps, and tetanus. A description of the program is…

To encourage a greater policy discussion of the complexities of implementing major school improvements on a large scale, this report (a) discusses the need to expand school improvement planning to address how schools and districts will accomplish necessary systemic changes, (b) outlines some basic considerations related to systemic change, and (c)…

New American Schools (NAS) was formed in 1991 to create and develop whole-school designs that would be adopted by schools throughout the country in order to improve student performance. This book is a retrospective on NAS and draws together the finding from RAND research. Chapter 1, the introduction, gives an overview of NAS, RAND's purpose and…

The authors present a step-by-step approach to a phased-in career development model to help develop, restructure, evaluate, and implement a program. Steps include: examine existing practices; sell top management; communicate corporate philosophy; integrate the program; design workshops; and evaluate. (CT)

This material is excerpted from the first book of the Addison-Wesley series on computers in education titled "Practical Guide to Computers in Education." Details on planning the physical setup, the question of access, providing the information needed, and establishing rules for computer use are presented as a guide. (MP)

Describes a group education plan for school districts and an individual education plan for the disadvantaged learner, as developed in New Jersey. Elements discussed include formulation of the group education plan and implementation of the individual education plan. (CT)

This summary of the 1996 Schonell Memorial Lecture addresses four major topics related to the education of students with disabilities in general education classrooms with support, including characteristics of inclusive education, key lessons learned about inclusive education, tools to facilitate inclusion, and the impact of inclusion on students…

This special issue provides diverse data sets on a school-improvement initiative in Memphis, Tennessee. The effort seems unusually promising because of top-down district support for eight separate site-based reform designs, planners' reliance on New American Schools and other familiar designs, long-term data-collection opportunities, accessible…

Presents a framework and some practical examples for using rigorous implementation research to inform program outcomes and foster program development for developmental interventions. Focuses on: (1) role of process research, specifically developing developmental interventions; (2) characteristics of adherence process research; and (3)…

Step by step, the designer of this employee-based recruiting tool, a campus speaker's bureau, details its rationale, planning, and implementation at American Telephone and Telegraph. Concludes a speaker program is an invaluable link between a company and students. (Author/TE)

Chairing the annual Mountain Plains Adult Education Association Conference for 250 adult educators in Coeur d'Alene this past spring provided an opportunity for the author to offer a hands-on, conference planning experience to graduate students. Wanting to try something outside the typical classroom experience, the author organized a special…