Michael Hinojosa, general superintendent of the Dallas Independent School District, is hiring 140 new arts teachers this year. It is the latest and perhaps most remarkable step in a 10-year effort by policymakers, educators and community leaders to ensure that every student in Dallas has access to quality arts learning experiences in and out of…

The Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL) works with administrators and teachers to build their skills in research-based ELL strategies that can be implemented in general education settings. This article discusses the five key elements that guide the work of the academies. These are: (1) Assemble a strong leadership team; (2)…

Superintendents, principals, and teachers can no longer work in isolation or on parallel tracks. Leaders must be role models, engage in meaningful dialogue about children, and create new learning opportunities for the adults teaching them. Schools must cultivate talented leaders, not managers, to create what does not exist. (MLH)

Across the nation, districts are throwing beginning administrators into school leadership positions, mistakenly assuming they already know everything. Training programs are preparing principals for a long-obsolete work environment. Committed mentors and on-call coaches can help overwhelmed and overworked principals become effective leaders. (MLH)

In the new economy, knowledge (not labor, raw material, or capital) is the key resource to be converted to goods and services. Public schools will have to educate three tiers of knowledge workers (doers, problem solvers, and designers) using differentiated assessment, curricula, and instruction. Organizational action, not mantras, is needed. (MLH)

A major reason for scaling up school-community collaborations is to provide greater equity across community lines and offer similarly coordinated services to all children and families. Capacity must be built through eliciting commitment from key constituents. Expanding school-linked services is as complex as major educational reforms, since it…

For years, schools have overlooked the training needs of trades and industry, focusing on preparing more students for college. Qualified carpenters, roofers, electricians, masons, and plumbers are in short supply. Schools must consider trades training, partnering with technical and community colleges, local builders, and factory owners to reduce…

Making report cards more understandable and valuable to users is a top priority for educators revising them. Administrators should tie report cards to new standards and exams; be open-minded; involve parents, teachers, and schools; check with technology people; and strive for clarity. A Maryland district's experience is profiled. (MLH)

The "Net Generation" refers to children born after 1977 who are growing up as intimate computer users and enthusiastic Internet surfers. Technoliterate youngsters will challenge educators to accommodate their learning needs in imaginative ways. The Internet has democratized information and demolished geographical borders. Memorization is…

Certain that students' average standardized test scores did not reflect their faculty's teaching effectiveness, Department of Defense dependent schools in Wuerzburg, Germany, mounted a districtwide experiment involving performance tests and rubrics in writing and science. Teachers documented gains in students' high-level writing and science skill…

Despite politicians' claims to the contrary, public schools are not holding back the economy, and most future jobs will require only modest skill growth. Economists attribute today's economic growth not to improved schools, but to greater efficiency, downward price pressure, and experimentation with lower interest rates. (MLH)

Too many students are being channeled into career fields not demanded by the new economy. Nearly half drop out of college. There is a growing mismatch of skills and well-paying computer-related jobs. Schools must inform students interested in technology of good job opportunities requiring less college preparation. (MLH)