In July 1986, the Portland (Oregon) Public Schools began a 3-year study of the use of evaluative data in instructional planning and decision making in schools. This report summarizes the second year of the investigation, in which case studies of evaluative data use were conducted in one elementary school (kindergarten through grade 5) and one…

The Alford Information Technology Centre represents a new approach to the provision of information technology in schools. The center is a single-story extension to an existing secondary school, housing a wide range of information handling media, intended to serve both the schools and the local community. The report's eight sections (1) describe…

A case study in which an institute of higher education (West Georgia College) and a school district (Carroll County Schools, Georgia) collaborated on a two-year school improvement project is described. Five roles/perspectives--those of the college professor, superintendent, central office, principal, and teacher--are used to describe the three…

This ethnographic study investigated informal and unregulated child care in a white, ethnic, working class community in a Northeastern city, which is identified by the pseudonym "East Urban." The study includes stories about families of second and third generation descendants of mainly Italian immigrants who live in the close-knit communities…

This document contains the results of qualitative case studies conducted on state and local implementation of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act of 1984. The case studies were conducted in three communities in each of nine states. The first of the report's six chapters gives an overview of vocational education and the role of the federal…

This paper examines the influence of race and ethnicity on who goes to college and who graduates, and discusses policy issues surrounding higher education access and outcomes. Based on case studies of 10 majority institutions in 8 states, the paper proposes a conceptual scheme for dealing with such issues as the appropriate balance between…

Three case studies of interorganizational arrangements between public school districts and a college/university are used to illustrate how a state higher education agency (the Massachusetts Board of Regents of Higher Education) promoted voluntary, lateral relationships to strengthen local school educational programs. A within-case analysis…

Special education professionals in Illinois were surveyed regarding case study procedures for use with mentally retarded students, rating usefulness of procedure, modifications desired for use with different age groups and severity of retardation, and what professional should hold primary responsibility for component completion. Processes rated…

A model of the influences on teacher practice and student learning is formulated and illustrated by analyzing the practice of 12 high school history teachers in 6 schools. Since the data base contains both observations of 228 lessons, as well as extensive interviews with teachers and department chairs, it is possible to assess the opportunity for…

This report describes 80 exemplary projects that were identified in a national survey of Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) Title III projects. It examines the likely reasons for the success of eight of the projects and discusses the policy implications of the eight case studies. Of these eight projects only one (the job training project in…

This report documents a study which used naturalistic procedures and a case study approach to examine and describe four early childhood special education programs and their decision making processes. Data collection procedures included: observation of meetings, classroom activities, screening, and assessment procedures; interviews with various…

Findings related to instructional intervention and decision making from four in-depth ecological case studies were integrated and analyzed. The case studies focused on four early childhood special education (ECSE) programs that were characterized by a variety of approaches to ECSE decision making and by urban, suburban, and rural locations. The…

Prepared to assist teachers who are using the case in class discussion, this case study describes a suburban, college-preparatory high school located in the pseudonymously named "Northwood," a midwestern "rust belt" city characterized by rapidly shifting demographics and a growing commercial tax base. Although the city is now…

This document combines a facilitator's manual designed to train candidates for Local School Councils (LSCs) and others who want to improve Chicago (Illinois) schools with fact sheets, worksheets, checklists, and case studies (in English and Spanish) to be used by participants in the leadership training program. The following goals are outlined in…

This report describes the Distance Learning Project North, which began in September 1988 in Alberta, Canada. The primary emphasis of the project was on increasing equity in educational opportunity and the focus was testing alternative distance education delivery systems which can be used to provide equitable, cost-effective education to the…