Strengthening Pre-collegiate Education in Community Colleges (SPECC) was organized by The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching in partnership with The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation to increase student learning in developmental--or basic skills--classes. However, their concern was not just the success of students in classes…

Bridging the areas of political-economic sociology, the sociology of agriculture and environmental sociology, this study tests two hypotheses derived from a refined theory of foreign investment dependence. The hypotheses state that pesticide and fertilizer use intensity in less-developed countries are both positively associated with foreign…

Research on school effectiveness continues to indicate that those aspects of schooling that are closest to the student, namely teaching, instruction, and curriculum, have the greatest impact on student learning (see Gamoran, Nystrand, Berends, & LePore, (1995). Furthermore, the available evidence suggests that schools that cultivate particular…

Effective management relates to creativity, good leadership, and a strong educational basis. Managing conflict is one of the main responsibilities to be an effective administrator. The purpose of this study was to investigate conflict management methods that administrators are using and what the perceptions of subordinates. Thirty-eight…

This book describes how the principles of quality can be applied to education. Based on the work of W. Edwards Deming and Joseph M. Juran, the book outlines a systematic and practical approach to implementing quality in educational settings. It also describes how to encourage staff participation in quality initiatives. Total-quality schools are…

This report by the United States General Accounting Office (GAO) summarizes research findings on what has and what has not been successful in schools and workplaces. Studies concerning successful organizations (elementary and secondary schools and firms in a wide range of businesses) and successful practices were reviewed. Most of the reviewed…

"The Development Data Book," published by the World Bank presents statistics on countries with populations of more than one million. The statistics relate to economic development and the changes it is bringing about in the world. Sometimes called indicators, the statistics are measures of social and economic conditions in developing and industrial…

The Accelerated Schools Project is based on the premise that all children can learn and can learn at high levels. It provides both a philosophy and a process for schools interested in making radical change. The philosophy is built on the following three principles: unity of purpose, empowerment coupled with responsibility, and building on…

This paper offers a traditional but often neglected view of schools as places of work. It argues that schools are best understood as places where people work and face problems similar to those encountered in other work organizations. Good schools are places where the quality and quantity of work are greater and the work is integrated more…

Meeting the demands of the public, policymakers, and the private sector have spurred Education School (Ed School) leaders to find ways of working "smarter" as well as harder. The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education conducted a telephone survey of 32 Education School deans and directors to determine the catalyst and the rationale…

This book follows a ficticious school community called "Dewey Middle School" in its transition from a traditional junior high school to a middle school. The stories were conceptualized around recommendations made in the 1989 report, "Turning Points: Preparing American Youth for the 21st Century." The purpose of focusing on one…

This book describes in detail the basic elements of school-based management (SBM) and the ways in which to implement successful change in the individual school. Specifically, it tells how Prince William County Public Schools (Virginia) has implemented SBM. Chapter 1 presents a rationale for the development of a more effective school-operation…

This paper presents findings of a study that investigated educational change within two innovative schools experiencing financial crisis. Data were derived from interviews with 14 educators (principals and teachers) and from observations of school board meetings. The two schools were: (1) the Team Academy, a nongraded K-6 school; and (2) the…

Responding to the need for a comprehensive framework for monitoring and improving school effectiveness in local and international contexts, this paper presents the findings of a case study of one effective and one ineffective school. Data were derived from a survey of schools, document analysis, and field observations. The case schools are…

Professional-development schools are collaborations between universities and public schools to improve the nation's teaching force. Prospective teachers are assigned to K-12 schools for formal instruction, planned experiences in classrooms, and mentoring from master teachers. This paper presents findings of a qualitative study that described the…