To contribute to a knowledge base of effective educational practices, this article summarizes several thousand small-scale psychological experiments on classroom learning and analyses of large-scale national surveys in the United States and other countries. (22 references) (MLF)

Dr. John Brock was elected in 1987 for a four-year term as State Superintendent of Public Instruction in Kentucky. His official duties were altered by the Kentucky Educational Reform Act (KERA). Dr. Brock answers questions that include his role as superintendent, the background of KERA, and his advice to legislators in other states. (MLF)

By eliminating categorical labels traditionally assigned to students, staff, materials, rooms, instructional procedures, and behavior management practices and promoting teacher and student participation, the Winooski (Vermont) School District has moved away from a dual education system. Collaboration and teaming practices are the cornerstone of…

Describes a collaborative, five-year project in the southwest to develop and explore ways of overcoming school culture obstacles to restructuring. Discusses four promising interconnected conditions--group dialog, public mindfulness, "outsider" questioners, and dialog facilitators--using examples from the project school, which seeks to…

This paper offers educators of gifted students 10 recommendations for encouraging change in the context of the movement for educational restructuring and reform. These include setting high learning standards and expectations for all students, structuring new roles for gifted education personnel, and integrating gifted education with general…

Schools and their communities in Dallas (Texas) develop and implement a comprehensive plan to improve student achievement, provide training for staff members, and evaluate and modify the program as it progresses. The goal is to bring the whole school and community together to create a climate that helps children achieve. (MLF)

A group of volunteers formed a new school district in California, and the newly formed school board learned to leave management to the superintendent it had hired. (MLF)

Thanks to direct governmental intervention, the role of New Zealand princip1als has changed dramatically as to structural positioning, career path, and professional expectations. Implementation processes engaged principals in new national and local schooling aims and a new political climate for school administration. Principals' responsibility for…

Efforts toward excellence and effectiveness in school programs should be viewed as a powerful opportunity for gifted education. Gifted educators should work toward expanding receptiveness to lessons learned from organizational research on innovation and change, effectiveness, and improvement, and educators should recognize that gifted education…

Discusses the impact that Chancellor Joseph Fernandez has had on the New York City school system. Discusses his ideological beliefs, which include school-based management and accountability. Comments on Fernandez's personal style and how this has affected his relationships with teachers, parents, principals, and others involved in the educational…

The 6 National Education Goals were developed in 1989 after extensive discussions with over 100 education groups by Presidential representatives and the nation's governors. Public education must be lifelong, focus on prevention, be flexible, include rewards for high performance and consequences for failure, attract and retain talented…

Current proclamations to reform schools with national examinations related to a national curriculum are a reflection of ignorance and destined to fail. We need to address educational improvement with seriousness and complexity and reconsider workplace structure, curriculum character, teaching practices, and the forms used to appraise our quality…

Discusses four activities involving Santa Clara, California, educators that represent serious attempts to create professional collegial learning communities and improve participants' quality of life. These include professional-development teacher-support teams, a high-school-principal-support network, an advanced-fieldwork and peer-coaching…

Describes restructuring objectives and changes at a suburban middle school in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Although collaborative planning led to predictable changes (interdisciplinary teaching, advisories, flexible scheduling, common planning time, core curricula, and a discipline system), several unplanned changes occurred regarding home-school…

A new definition of quality education based on performance and achievement is surfacing in Des Moines (Iowa). School restructuring is focusing stakeholder attention on systemic changes that mean that the quality of education will be judged on how students have been prepared for life. Restructuring efforts are outlined. (SLD)