A survey of school districts was conducted to determine the initial progress and problems associated with the 1997 Class Size Reduction (CSR) Initiative. Data reveal that most school districts had enough space for smaller classes for at least two grade levels; small school districts were much less likely to report space constraints. The CSR did…

Although there is a great deal of interest in the concept of literacy coaching in the wake of the No Child Left Behind legislation, and a number of programs exist that incorporate this technique, there has been little reliable research done on the impact of literacy coaches on student achievement. Currently, the information that is available…

Discussed are four issues of importance to educational planners who want to implement nonformal education programs: (1) definitional and identity issues--what nonformal education is; (2) policy issues--role of nonformal education in the new distribution of goods and power; (3) institutional issues--the delivery process; and (4) curricular issues.…

A two-year evaluative study of a Child Parent Center Compensatory Education Program examined specific program characteristics and parent involvement as they affected achievement, locus of control, and home environment. Based on this quasi-experimental study, the program increased achievement, promoted greater feelings of control, and stimulated…

Most major urban boards across Canada have expressed interest in schools for the arts. The principal concern expressed by educators, and especially music educators, is the potentialy negative effect brought about by the loss of students and their leadership on the programs in the general school. (BRR)

The "Implementation Proneness Typology" was developed to facilitate examination of a teacher's implementation to new innovations in a quantitative manner. Dimensions considered include assertiveness, surgency, conscientiousness, venturesomeness, imaginativeness, shrewdness, experimentiveness, self-sufficiency, humanistic classroom…

Procedures are presented for state departments of education and the local educational agencies to share the responsibility of showing that a minimum competency test is a fair measure of what is taught. It is recommended that the state lead in technical assistance, provide models, and monitor and evaluate the entire process. (CM)

To avoid the pitfalls of past curriculum projects, marine educators must be aware of what affects a teacher's willingness to use new ideas and materials. Summarized are findings from a study of factors which influence the extent to which teachers are receptive to educational innovations. (Author/WB)

The section on personnel preparation contains two articles--"Teachers-in-Training Conduct Field Trips for Special Class Students" by S. Squires and "A State-Wide, Inservice Project for Special Needs Personnel" by G. Markel and others. (SB)

Describes an evaluation of performance-based teacher education (PBTE) programs conducted in three Australian states for technical and further education teachers during 1979. The objectives of the research included effectiveness of the PBTE approach, reactions of participants in the programs, and institutional considerations in its operation.…

Participation has been accepted as an always desirable methodology in seeking development with rather than for the people. This paper explores some of the limitations of participation as it relates to planning and implementing nonformal education projects. The author focuses on six broad issues that relate to project participation. (SSH)

Discusses factors revealed by educational research that improve student learning and over which administrators and trustees have some control: school atmosphere and instructional time. Offers 14 steps for implementing research findings into educational innovations. (NEC)

Summarizes impressions of primary science activities in the United Kingdom, including student assessment, curriculum materials development, teacher development and support, and school implementation of science at the primary level. (DS)

As part of an ongoing faculty development program at the University of Minnesota Medical School, a program was developed to improve the teaching skills of clinical instructors. The background, program components, implementation, participant evaluation, and consultant evaluations of the program are discussed. (MLW)

Since Israel has a centralized educational system, a nationwide, comprehensive strategy was adopted in 1968 to attack ethnic segregation. This case study is mainly concerned with the process of implementing, through administrative procedures and organizational frameworks, the goal of school integration. (Author/SJL)