Policymakers need to formulate policies that are responsive to the reforms called for in recent reports but must decide for their own school districts what changes would be sensible and what procedures will best bring them about. (MLF)

The author's personal experiences illustrate her comments on five factors that affect whether learning environments are positive or not. These factors involve student relationships with staff members, the clarity of disciplinary processes, justifications for rules, the presence of practices encouraging dishonesty, and respect for confidentiality…

The role and responsibilities of the English headmaster are examined and compared to those of the American principal. Suggestions are offered for improving schools by giving principals more responsiblilty and leadership ability. (DF)

Evaluation of the school-based, collaborative inservice program implemented by 10 elementary schools in Jefferson County, Kentucky, indicates that ideal conditions are not essential to school improvement. Based on the effective schools research model, the project also provided evidence that local schools will adopt successful programs after pilot…

This article presents 10 newly defined competencies in which principals must be trained if they are to manage productive schools. The competencies are in the areas of schoolwide goal setting, work group performance, individual staff performance, staff development, clinical supervision, work group development, quality control, instructional…

Private and public secondary schools were studied to compare differences in student results on the American College Test. Students in accredited and nonaccredited schools, and city and county schools were compared. The performance of students in schools that utilize different organizational patterns was assessed. Results are discussed. (DF)

This report presents information from the Sixth Annual Survey of State Higher Education Officers, and once again provides information on performance funding, budgeting, and reporting in all 50 states. Survey results show the triumph of performance reporting and the trials of performance budgeting and funding. The bad budgets for higher education…

Summarizes findings from the annual survey of Community College of Philadelphia (CCP) graduates regarding their development of the general education skills and affective attributes outlined in the college mission (e.g., interpersonal growth, appreciation for diversity, etc.). The survey includes measures of mission effectiveness based on…

This paper analyzes data on elementary schools in Memphis, Tennessee, that had reorganized 4 years prior to the study. The Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS) was used to provide performance scores showing students' year-to-year gains, whereas data analyzed for this paper were derived from scores on the TerraNova, the state-mandated…

This paper reviews research that correlates student achievement and the condition and utility of school facilities. The discussion focuses on the influence of various facility conditions on students, including building age, temperature and ventilation, acoustics, lighting, curriculum development, and school size. Research shows that older…

The document comprises of the Tennessee Board of Regents' (TBR) third annual report card and a press release about the report card. The report card evaluates student learning, academic program, faculty productivity, and financial accountability. Each report card provides outcome data on 15 different performance indicators, which are compared to…

The Effective Practice (EP) schools are 26 Boston Public Schools (Massachusetts) that have demonstrated high levels of implementation of some of the essentials of whole-school improvement. In 2001-2002, these schools took on the implementation of Collaborative Coaching and Learning (CCL), a new coaching strategy for professional development. The…

Graduates of the service academies operated by the Army, Navy, and Air Force currently make up approximately 18 percent of the officer corps for the nation's armed services. The academies represent the military's most expensive source of new officers. The Department of Defense (DOD) pays the full cost of a student's 4-year education at the…

This paper is meant to help designers of educational accountability systems think more critically about the questions they want to ask schools and the kinds of analyses that best answer these questions. There are two essential questions in school evaluation: how good is this school, and is it getting better? Each of these questions then can be…

This report for South Carolina's Trident Technical College (TTC) includes the following Institutional Effectiveness components: majors or concentrations, academic advising, two-year to four-year transfer, and library resources and services. Across the programs, the most common effectiveness indicators include job placement rates, number of…