Transforming the school as an organization requires change in all its components. More important, transformation connects the technical components with the human elements to create fundamental changes in the ways people perceive, think, and behave. With the community, a Wisconsin school board adopted a school district value statement to be used as…

Education researcher Gerald Bracey claims that the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) will result in privatization and educational vouchers because schools are expected to show regular gains in the proportion of students judged "proficient." (MLF)

An acclaimed former New York City principal says small school size is an absolute prerequisite for school reform. Smallness, to be effective, must be accompanied by control over budget, staffing, scheduling, and the specifics of curriculum and assessment. (MLF)

After voters in Cincinnati, Ohio, defeated a tax increase, the school board hired a new superintendent, released a study that provided 38 hard-hitting recommendations, and convinced the citizens to pass a tax increase. Changes adopted included a voluntary administrator-reduction plan and a reversal of the top-down administrative structure. (MLF)

Questionnaires sent to principals of 10,363 public and private high schools elicited 3,380 (33%) responses. Discusses responses to 36 indicators of change in 5 broad areas: (1) curriculum and teaching; (2) school organization; (3) community outreach; (4) technology; and (5) monetary incentives to improve performance. (MLF)

Describes the ways in which block scheduling can decrease school-day interruptions, reduce discipline problems, and help students who need more time and a slower pace. Also describes block schedules' effects on students and teachers. Sidebars offer guidelines for block scheduling and selected references. (LMI)

Comprehensive school-reform models like the Accelerated Schools Project stress professional development and give educators specific, research-based strategies to address essential requirements for enhancing academic achievement. The federal Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration initiative provides necessary funding. Information sources and…

Granby High School in Norfolk, Virginia, is a large comprehensive high school restructured into four smaller academies that allow students a more personal learning environment. Positive growth is shown in test scores, dropout rates, and the narrowing achievement gap between minority and majority students. (MLF)

School restructuring means forging a collaborative relationship between the central office and local schools. Outlines the differences between a traditional and a restructured central office. (MLF)

A 20-item quiz to help school boards understand Total Quality Management (TQM) and whether they agree philosophically with TQM's tenets such as quality, continuous improvement, and employee empowerment. (MLF)

A survey of local school-board chairs in North Carolina concluded that such leaders show more philosophical agreement with reform ideas (decentralization, work redesign, the student as worker, school choice, and the board chair's role) than practical knowledge of how to implement those ideas locally. (MLH)

In Prince George's County, Maryland, Superintendent Jerome Clark told staffs of low-performing schools to resign and reapply for positions. New principals were hired, and schools were restaffed. San Francisco has experimented with reconstituting or jumpstarting dysfunctional schools since the 1980s. A Department of Education study shows mixed…

School governance has recently dominated Canadian provinces' political agendas. Every province has reduced the number of school boards and centralized decision making. This article summarizes school board and funding status in each province and territory. Alberta, British Columbia, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec have…

In this excerpt from her new book, "National Standards in American Education: A Citizen's Guide," Diane Ravitch argues that there are steps local school boards, parents, and communities can take to implement educational reform and high academic standards. (MLF)

Teacher union leaders suggest that instead of focusing solely on pay and benefits, unions need to turn their attention to the larger issues of professionalism and teacher quality. The national agenda doesn't necessarily filter down to state associations or local unions. Summarizes union positions of school reform issues. (MLF)