Improving Schools to Promote Learning is a concise and common-sense examination of all the moving parts that drive student learning. The book ties together the research, policies, and practices relative to the state, district, school, classroom, and family, and explains their effects on student learning. The author covers an array of topics,…

This book presents a theoretical and practical portrayal of how, when, and why public school districts build new schools. Based on extensive data analysis and a comprehensive review of the literature, the book specifies school district reorganization and the subsequent steps necessary to implement plans. It discusses how school districts relate to…

A federal system is better than one that is totally nationalized or left totally in the hands of the states and their districts. The principle undergirding that system is appropriateness. Responsibilities most appropriately handled at the state level ought to rest at that level. Responsibilities best met by the resources and reach of the national…

In this book, educational scholars and practitioners examine school-restructuring processes, particularly those involved in site-based management. Following the introduction and overview by John J. Lane and Edgar G. Epps, part 1 examines concepts and theories that relate to school restructuring in general and to school-based management in…

This book is designed to provide public officials, leaders of organizations concerned with school funding issues, and citizens active in educational affairs with information about the political, economic, and equity issues that underlie the school finance reform debate in New York State. It discusses present inequities and potential approaches to…

The school district decentralization process is described in this guidebook, which focuses on the administrator's role in implementation. Three chapters are organized around the three phases of decentralization--exploration, trial, and commitment. Each phase is examined in terms of the real-life experiences of administrators and other…

This book comprises part I of the eighty-sixth annual yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education. Focusing on the theme of the ecology of school renewal, this volume consists of 12 articles by different authors. The first five articles focus on school improvement: "Structure, Process, and an Agenda" by John I. Goodlad;…

The report presents a rationale for School Based Curriculum Development (SBCD). SBCD is defined as any school initiated process which brings about a redistribution of power, responsibility, and control between central and local educational authorities. The result would be that the schools would acquire legal and administrative autonomy and…

The requirements of urban sprawl, a highly industrialized and technical economy, and an unpredictable job market apply great pressure to the educational community for diversity of offerings, quality, and accountability. However, despite the extraordinary demands for programs and services, the economic forecast for higher education is pessimistic.…

In addressing issues that are common to all educational jurisdictions in Canada, the author has designated as "national" those issues that are manifest concurrently within the provincial and local board arenas and as "federal" those issues that integrally involve relationships between the federal government and the provinces.…

Evaluations that use imperfect information run into both analytical and political problems. Educational accountability systems based on achievement scores are an instance. Such systems frequently turn out to be irrelevant to policy decisions, resisted by educational interest groups that fear unflattering comparisons and the misuse of results, and…

This book provides insights into how one state department of education perceived its role in the interpretation and implementation of educational reform legislation. It is based on the experiences of a former state department of education employee and her coworker, who were hired to administer three new programs to increase teacher retention--a…

Has the revolution in British education over the past 15 years brought about greater educational freedom? Have parents gained freedom of choice under the neo-market system? Or has state influence over curriculum and instruction increased so much that choice and diversity have become a chimera? This collection of colloquium papers tries to answer…

This book is based on the premise that each person, in his organizational and institutional roles, is embraced by a network of policy decisions that influence his behavior. From an examination of the importance of policy studies, the author moves to an exploration of the nature of policy and distinguishes the similarities and differences between…

This book advances the new field of educational leadership--that of policy scholarship. It examines the ways in which concepts of educational leadership and management have evolved historically and culturally and reviews contemporary debates about the nature of school leadership. These debates involve cultural conservatives, New Right marketeers,…