Describes the efforts of a Maryland high school to strengthen its position in the community by means of public service radio messages, a "positive family contact" system that emphasizes positive reinforcement of student achievements, and a weekly newspaper column that acknowledges the contributions of "students, staff members and…

In a comparison between American and Scottish education, it is shown that American high schools actually exert a stronger effect on their students' educational attainment than is commonly believed. Scottish schools had a weaker effect, but academically gifted children in Scotland achieved at a higher level than American children. (Author/IS)

In the wake of the accountability movement, school administrators are inundated with data about their students. How can they use this information to support student achievement? "Data Wise: A Step-by-Step Guide to Using Assessment Results to Improve Teaching and Learning" presents a clear and carefully tested blueprint for school leaders. It shows…

For-profit schools are serviced by commercial companies whose primary goal is to raise student achievement to a designated level within a period specified by contract. Different school systems are discussed along with their positive and negative points. Questions related to possible issues are presented in each case for consideration. Reasons for…

SABIS International Charter School was among 24 Commonwealth charter schools included in a study undertaken by the Office of the Inspector General in March 1998. The Office identified weaknesses in the contracting practices, procurement procedures, and financial management. Findings include: (1) the Board of Trustees did not employ sound business…

This book offers methods on how to cultivate and capture teacher expertise--one of the most grossly underused assets in education. These methods are simple and include goal-oriented, data-driven collaboration and ongoing assessment that can lead to an array of effective innovations and strategies to enhance school effectiveness. Five case-study…

Few states have overcome the political and practical obstacles to implementing a clear, feasible, comprehensive accountability system. The University of Washington's Center on Reinventing Public Education reviewed experiences from state accountability efforts. Workable accountability systems focus on results, clarify goals and roles, and…

The 1990s brought a new notion of accountability for public colleges and universities. The goal shifted from accounting for expenditures to accounting for results. Academics, who were now expected to set goals and evaluate results while cutting costs, opposed the application of this model to academia. Public higher education had adopted Austin's…

This address, delivered by the chancellor of Houston Community College System, considers the issue of meeting the challenges of leadership in changing times. There is lack of cohesion between faculty and administrators. Both groups must prepare students to live in a changing world, and make the necessary institutional transformations to do so.…

The nature of direct and indirect effects of local management of schools (school-based management) on learning outcomes for students has remained elusive. The findings from a 5-year longitudinal study of the "Schools of the Future" reform in Victoria, Australia, are reported in this paper. The Victoria system is the largest public school…

Service learning has been proposed as one strategy to empower youth, engage students, and provide real-life applications for classroom learning. One model of service learning, "The Helper Model," which was designed specifically for use with middle school students, is presented here. Data to test the model were collected from over 500…

This report presents the results of a survey at Johnson County Community College (JCCC) (Kansas), conducted to determine new students' educational objectives and what factors influenced their decisions to attend JCCC. Questions were also asked about new students' preferences for various media in order to provide information for the college's…

This report provides brief case studies of 22 public school buildings in 12 states, representing urban, suburban, and rural communities, including both district-run and charter public schools. The studies demonstrate the schools' ability to improve academic achievement and behavior in safe, nurturing, and stimulating environments. The researchers…

Based on national data from Prospects: The Congressionally Mandated Study of Educational Growth and Opportunity, researchers identified individual characteristics that distinguished academically successful, or resilient, third grade students from minority and low socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds from their less successful, or nonresilient,…

Aggressive intervention by a school-choice coalition and supportive elected officials turned back threats to the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP) posed by burdensome state regulation of private schools. MPCP continues to expand, studies report academic gains, parents are satisfied and involved, and public support has grown. Supporters of…