The author builds upon a foundation which identifies courageous school leadership and the professional learning community as the center of effective school reform. The author offers six guiding principles steps for creating and sustaining a high-performing school: (1) Common mission, vision, values, and goals: (2) Systems for prevention and…

To develop high-performance teams and improve student learning and achievement educators are making changes in the way they interact with colleagues. Educators are participating in various school teams-grade level teams, vertical teams, school leadership teams, study groups, and school improvement teams. This book translates what social scientists…

This presentation addresses three topics: (1) the assessment of professional learning communities in schools; (2) the design and development of professional learning communities in schools; and (3) the effects of professional learning communities in schools. The purpose of this brief document is to share descriptions, processes, and materials…

This collection of papers examines inclusive education practices in public schools. There are 14 papers in 4 parts. Part 1, "Inclusive Education in a Context of Emerging Partnerships," includes: (1) "Devolution, School/Community/Family Partnerships, and Inclusive Education" (Wayne Sailor); (2) "The Implications of Goals 2000 for Inclusive…

Many schools across the country face persistent teacher working condition challenges that are closely related to high teacher turnover rates and chronic difficulties in recruiting and retaining teachers. Center for Teaching Quality (CTQ) research examining working conditions survey results in both North Carolina and South Carolina demonstrates…

This booklet describes a framework for helping preservice teachers learn and implement behavioral intervention strategies in inclusive classrooms. A partnership of Human Services Consultants and Bloomsburg University taught 19 preservice early childhood and elementary teachers behavioral intervention strategies for mainstreamed students with…

The National Council of Teachers of English and the International Reading Association recently released language arts standards. California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) has been engaged in collaborative projects with local school districts in two counties (Los Angeles and Orange). This paper highlights CSULB's efforts with language arts…

An alternative curriculum program, a School-to-Work Transition Academy, has the potential to assist secondary special education students in developing workplace skills, knowledge, and competencies. Major elements are as follows: a collaborative team of special, regular, and career/technology teachers; advisory committee; transition-specific,…

This book offers narrative accounts of action research carried out by teachers, administrators, and professors operating a school-university collaboration. Following a preface, "Navigating a New Mentoring Pathway: The Search Begins" (Carol A. Mullen), there are 18 chapters in 3 parts. Part 1, "Mentoring a New Culture,"…

This report discusses the outcomes of a study designed to assess teacher attitudes about an interdisciplinary approach to the inclusion of students with behavior disorders. The interdisciplinary approach involved four components: responsible inclusion, language intervention strategies, self-management programs, and pragmatic skills for classroom…

Part of a series designed to provide practical resources for transition personnel on a variety of topics critical to the process of preparing individuals with disabilities for adulthood, this guide focuses on using transition teams to improve transition services. Chapter 1, "The Roles of Community Transition Teams," discusses the benefits of…

This paper discusses practices, issues, and trends in Japanese middle school education that have bearing on U.S. education, grouping them into four categories. Section 1, "School Reform," discusses central control of education, opportunities for student creativity, improved teacher education, and the examination system. Section 2,…

This paper describes college-school partnerships between Lesley College, Massachusetts and surrounding local schools. The partnerships fall into three categories: 1) training of preservice teachers in intensive, 1-year, field-based clinical masters programs, where coursework and field experience are integrated in an onsite clinical model; 2)…

Reviews a study that used a collaborative action research model to explore ways to integrate music authentically into the curriculum of a particular whole-language first-grade classroom. Presents a more differentiated definition of integration, identifying five types: topical, associated skills, conceptual, higher-level thinking, and pedagogical.…

Describes a pilot project designed to foster quality literacy projects by fifth-grade students; establish a positive working relationship between fifth-grade teachers and the Chapter 1 reading teachers; and provide an enriching atmosphere for the use of computers. Notes that the project uses portfolios and a process model of writing. Notes staff…