Methods staff developers used to improve the reading program at a Greenwich, Connecticut, elementary school are discussed. The entire staff of the school was involved in developing the new reading program, which focused on increasing teachers' expectations of student learning, use of diagnostic teaching, and other techniques. (PP)

Research has found that effective schools can be distinguished from less successful counterparts by five characteristics. These are: strong instructional leadership; high expectations for all students to learn; an orderly and positive learning environment; a carefully developed instructional focus; and regular measurement of student learning.…

In 1988, in preparation for its 10-year reaccreditation, Howard Community College (HCC), in Maryland, undertook a comprehensive examination of its long-range planning process and formulated a number of strategic priorities. As part of HCC's customer service priority, two survey instruments, Quality Evaluation of Service Trends (QUEST) and the…

School climate is defined, four instruments used to assess various dimensions of school climate are described, and implications of a school climate profile for developing an individualized staff development program in a rural school setting are discussed. Developed from the professional literature, the definition of school climate includes the…

As everyone enters the 21st Century there is a great deal of discussion in business and education circles alike about the type of skills the youth will need to survive and thrive in this century. At the same time, there is little known today about the level of 21st Century skills students currently have. In part this is because, as a nation,…

The current phase of the Ways to Improve Education in Desegregated Schools (WIEDS) project is described in this final interim report. In 1981, the project sought to develop, test, and produce a model and set of guidelines for more effective inservice teacher education in desegregated schools. The goal, design, and methodology (including…

A group of three conference papers, all addressing effective instructional programs, is presented in this document. The first paper, entitled "The Organization--A Viable Instrument for Progress" (Barbara Sizemore), addresses the subject of high-achieving, predominantly black elementary schools. Routines in these schools not present in…