As charter schools continue to attract lots of political and policy attention, research has emerged suggesting that these schools enroll fewer students with disabilities than public schools. Given that the success of the movement is based on charters being more effective than public schools as determined by test scores, it is not entirely…

Next Generation High Schools are schools that redesign the high school experience to make it more engaging and worthwhile for high school students. In order to create such Next Generation High Schools, schools, districts, and States should utilize evidence-based strategies to transform high schools in ways that engage students and help prepare…

This study uses descriptive data from the U.S. Department of Education to examine the composition of the private school sector in localities with sizeable school choice programs. If existing school choice programs are attracting educational entrepreneurs and unlocking the potential of new school models, the authors should expect to see significant…

Although a relatively new idea in the U.S., weighted student funding (WSF) for individual schools has a long history in the Netherlands. This country of about 16.5 million people has been using a version of WSF for all its primary schools (serving children from age 4 to 12) for 25 years. In this article we describe and evaluate the Dutch system…

In this article, we evaluate the advantages of public-private partnerships in helping fund and support district initiatives targeting out-of-school youth and those students who are disengaged or at-risk of dropping out of high school. (Contains 1 table, 1 figure, and 2 notes.)

After clarifying the meaning of restructuring through an analysis of the current educational paradigm, this document begins by differentiating between educational reform and restructuring and, similarly, between educational evolution and revolution. Paradigms are defined along with Kuhn's (1962) concept of the "paradigm shift." Clarifying,…

A specific legal model that would provide educational choice, called the "Scholarship Initiative," is cast in the form of a state constitutional amendment. The Scholarship Initiative provides a basic framework and point of reference for a legislative debate. Existing public and private schools could be converted into "public…

Parents' general satisfaction with child care, which they often do not investigate fully, and the ways they make their child care choices suggest that parents are not likely to be major catalysts for school reform. Issues of quality, equity, parent choice, and school restructuring are explored. (SLD)

In 1987, parents and teachers from diverse neighborhoods of a local school district in New York (New York) founded the Bronx New School, a small public elementary school of choice that was meant to be learner-centered, with high standards for all. The school was organized into heterogeneous, multi-age classes and structured to encourage…

This collection of four case studies discusses the work of teachers and their efforts to change their classrooms, schools, and districts. The case studies show that teachers can learn to use their own strengths and talents, knowledge, shared vision, and commitment to student growth and development to effect change. The first case study,…