This paper uses research and propositions to argue that staff development funds provided under Chapter 1 of the Education Consolidation Improvement Act of 1981 be used to integrate understanding of the special needs and prospects of and for Chapter 1 students throughout a school. Rather than isolate staff development opportunities within a Chapter…

During the 1987-88 school year the New York City Board of Education instituted Magnet School Programs in the following high schools: (1) Central Park East Secondary School; (2) The High School for the Humanities; (3) Townsend Harris High School; and (4) John Dewey High School. The programs at these schools were designed to offer special curricula…

The fine arts magnet program of the Dade County (Florida) public schools was evaluated. These programs offer intensive and specialized fine arts instruction and serve artistically talented students in five elementary, two middle/junior high, and two senior high schools. Focus is on such programs at the Moton Elementary, Perrine Elementary, Norland…

This paper reviews current educational research and philosophy on effective school characteristics and discusses how to put them into practice. Prevailing beliefs among educators have advanced from "there are good and poor learners" to "there are faster and slower learners" and now to "most students are similar in learning…

To examine the relationships between the external environment in which a high school exists and the internal structure of the school, a study compared selected resource variables in Connecticut communities and the internal organizational characteristics of the 25 high schools in those communities. The literature suggests external environmental…

A study was conducted to enable a comparison to be made of prekindergarten and kindergarten through 12th-grade teachers' perceptions of work-related problems. In the first phase of the study, copies of an inventory entitled "My Biggest Problem Today" were sent to both national and state (Wisconsin) samples of prekindergarten programs.…

Both Ireland and Canada are officially bilingual countries. There are similarities between the two countries and differences with regard to numbers of speakers and purposes for which speakers use Irish or French. Yet, a comparison of language policy in the two countries is possible, one which would focus on demographic, economic, social, cultural,…

A study of the effect of implementing educational innovations in local schools across the country explored several factors affecting successful improvement. This paper provides a general overview of the interrelation among these factors, with illustrative diagrams. Particular attention is paid to innovations requiring major changes in teacher…

The objective of the Adaptive Learning Environments Model (ALEM) is to establish and maintain school environments that ensure optimal learning success opportunities for most students through adaptive instruction. Modification of the environment to accommodate student differences has been an important design consideration in the development of the…

This paper includes a discussion of South Carolina's 1988 amendment to the law regulating home schooling instruction. A brief history of the law and the amendment is provided. Prior to the passage of the amendment, the State Board of Education approved home instruction programs. The amendment specifies: (1) procedures for application; (2)…

The paper considers improved instructional design for learning handicapped students including the development of a cooperative and supportive school organization, the creation of appropriate classroom management systems, and the employment of active teaching strategies. A supportive school organization requires a positive interpersonal climate,…

This book comprises part I of the eighty-sixth annual yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education. Focusing on the theme of the ecology of school renewal, this volume consists of 12 articles by different authors. The first five articles focus on school improvement: "Structure, Process, and an Agenda" by John I. Goodlad;…

This ethnographic study of mandated innovation in an urban school district analyzed teachers' emerging perspectives of curricular and concomitant administrative change. It responds to recent calls in educational research for studies that add to the understanding of the complicated processes in school worlds. Specifically, the study investigated…

Instructional leadership is long-term dedication to instructional excellence that includes both instructional and school management issues. Recent research suggests that effective principals can make a significant difference in their schools' instructional programs through a combination of personal traits, particularly a strong belief in their…

The six major conference papers collected in this document focus on developing ways of facilitating equity and academic achievement in a desegregated setting. The psychological impact of fostering these expectations among multicultural populations, methods for involving minority students in a science and math high-tech curriculum, and methods for…