School finance reform--traditionally based exclusively on school districts' access to funding--has been made difficult by fiscal retrenchment on one hand and the educational excellence movement on the other. Stating that school districts must consider the use as well as the availability of funds, this paper proposes a new definition of equity that…

Synopses are presented of nine recent reports on educational reform in the United States: (1) "Who Will Teach Our Children?"; (2) "What Works: Research About Teaching and Learning"; (3) "Tomorrow's Teachers: A Report of the Holmes Group"; (4) "A Nation Prepared: Teachers for the 21st Century"; (5) "What Next? More Leverage for Teachers"; (6)…

Saudi Arabia has not ignored the fact that education is the key to a nation's progress. It considers education as a first priority and is trying to catch up with more advanced nations in this area. One way Saudi Arabia has planned to reduce the risk of complete reliance on the oil revenues is by improving education. This study was designed to…

This paper discusses the adequacy of research for informing practice and areas of research that will extend the knowledge base about schooling. The first topic also includes the extent to which existing knowledge has been disseminated. The second topic involves the identification of research topics that merit funding so that knowledge that can…

This document reports on the third of a series of hearings on the reauthorization of expiring federal elementary and secondary education programs. Four school administrators gave testimony regarding the block grant programs funded under the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act, Chapter 2. Testimony suggested the following: (1) the proposed…

A survey on parents' attitudes about school effectiveness in the early childhood and elementary programs was conducted in the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, City School District. All students in grades K4 through 5 were given surveys to take home; 3,328 surveys were returned. The survey measured parental attitudes toward six dimensions of school…

Learning style is the way people concentrate on, internalize, and remember new and difficult knowledge or skills. It is composed of cognitive, motivational, and physiological elements that affect each person's ability to perceive, interact with, and respond to the learning environment. Extensive research documents the hypothesis that when students…

This paper examines the potential influence of school reform policies on the high school dropout rate. We summarize a diverse set of reports on American education which recommend increasing academic standards in schools as a means for improving secondary school performance. We also describe our understanding of the processes by which youngsters…

This report from the Murphy High School in Atlanta (Georgia) provides information on student achievement for the 1986-87 school year. The narrative presents nine findings concerning enrollment, attendance, reading achievement, and math achievement. Conclusions and recommendations generated from these findings are the following: (1) test results…

The demographics of American schools are changing. While the actual number of school children has declined, the proportion of minority students, poor students, and students from one parent families has grown steadily. Education must be reformed to address these populations with equity. Strategies which have been adopted, such as more student…

This paper summarizes the steps taken during the 1985-1986 school year to improve performance by Black students on standardized tests in the Alexandria City (Virginia) Public Schools. In spring 1985, the test results for Blacks were lower than for Hispanics, Whites, and Asians. During the summer of 1985 a plan was devised to improve minority…

The DeKalb County (Georgia) School District has developed a leadership assessment program called the Profile for Assessment of Leaders (PAL) that assesses eight generic competencies: (1) relating to other people, (2) communicating effectively, (3) making decisions, (4) planning and organizing, (5) supervising and evaluating, (6) professional…

A group of 81 primary school teachers enrolled in a Bachelor of Education conversion program in Australia was surveyed in 1985 and a similar group of 55 was surveyed in 1987 to compare the numbers and variety of microcomputers purchased and how teachers used them. This study suggests that, because political changes unexpectedly brought reduced…

Drawing on research conclusions about the process of educational change, this report seeks to demonstrate the importance of understanding the diverse factors that inhibit or enable school improvement efforts. The report focuses on leadership and support in achieving successful change and stresses that principals are but one of several players who…

A survey addressing the fairness of the Cincinnati (Ohio) Design for School Excellence (DSE) Merit Schools program was administered to school principals in March, 1986. The questionnaire was developed by a representative committee of elementary and secondary principals and central office personnel not directly involved in the original development…