Fourth-generation program evaluation is a collaborative, responsive approach that attaches great importance to the claims, concerns, and issues set forth by various stakeholders. This model stresses value pluralism and has several community-involvement phases: planning, data collection, results, final evaluation report, and follow-up. (20…

Summarizes a pilot study examining departmental effectiveness in a small sample of British secondary schools. The subject departments were chosen because a previous study showed they significantly enhanced pupils' learning. Effective departments boasted a climate for change; vision; collegiality; sound organization, resource management, and…

Discusses the misperception that public schools are failing and that the system should be opened to competition. Looks at Channel One, educational vouchers, and the current period of corporate dominance in educational reform. (JOW)

Examines relationships among overall leadership in schools, 4 organizational functions (adaptation, goal achievement, integration, and latency), and 4 school-effectiveness measures (perceived organizational effectiveness, student achievement, student absenteeism, and staff turnover rates). Also considers leadership roles of principals, teachers,…

Reports on indicators of effectiveness of schools of library and information studies derived from surveying and profiling four American Library Association (ALA) constituent groups: ALA's Committee on Accreditation, senior academic administrators, alumni and alumnae, and employers. The methodology and results are discussed, and a table of…

The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) results of 1,200 students in 9 British secondary schools in 1 district were subjected to multilevel modeling to derive school effectiveness measures. The relative ordering of schools changed markedly depending on the output measure and student factors. Ranking based solely on GCSE results was…

Critiques John Gray and associates' article "A Multi-level Analysis of School Improvement" in the same "School Effectiveness and School Improvement" issue. Instead of distinguishing between stable and unstable components of school-effectiveness indices and between different effects, the authors identify schools' variances…

Draws on a study of seven comprehensive high schools to examine how parents, pupils, and the local community view each schools' strengths. Factors affecting the community view of a particular school are background history, organization, community relationships, public relations policies, management style, and shared values. Reputation can lag many…

Although principals typically emphasize their managerial role, they need to increase their role as instructional leaders. The principal's role as an instructional leader encompasses three dimensions: (1) defining the school mission; (2) overseeing the instructional program; and (3) promoting the school learning climate. (KS)

No U.S. school district is world class. Radical systemic reform must (1) recognize that learning in context works; (2) assert that noncollege careers have worth; (3) raise standards and expectations. Foundation skills needed include basic, thinking, personal, resource, interpersonal, information, technology, and systems. (SK)

Summarizes findings of a study exploring student attitudes to schools of different size. A semantic differentiate scale of attitude toward school was completed by 4,746 (British) pupils from 192 primary or junior schools. Those attending schools of 60 or fewer showed more positive attitudes than those attending larger schools. (45 references) (MLH)

Examines the relationship between principals' strategies to coordinate organizational activities and school effectiveness. The dominant view of effective principals suggests that they generally emphasize tasks directly related to teaching and learning and exert influence to coordinate these tasks. Results of a study of Israeli elementary school…

Discusses indicator systems and the relationship among indicators, development, and accountability for strategic management of school system improvement. Explains a system of indicators developed to monitor the effectiveness of practice, highlighting these indicators' dual purpose (school development and quality management). Areas requiring most…

Describes a multistate study focusing on six school districts that had engaged in districtwide school-improvement plans based on effective-schools research. The study examined superintendents' behaviors and activities to determine how they facilitated the school-improvement process. Findings showed that each superintendent (through his/her focus,…

A site visitor for the U.S. Department of Education's 1993-94 National School Recognition Program describes several qualities common to exemplary schools. Collaborative leadership heads the list, followed by a wholesome, interactive teaching environment; a developmentally appropriate, thematic, and interdisciplinary curriculum; high expectations…