In the quest for excellence, school districts have a variety of indicators or attributes available by which to gauge their progress. This model, used By the Equity and Excellence Research school districts in Mississippi, monitors achievement in relation to educational excellence. Team members established a list of attributes and various means of…

The Solomon Islands are a scattered Melanesian archipelago in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. There are 21 large islands and numerous smaller ones with a total population of 285,766 in 1986. About two-thirds of school-age children attend organized schools. The literacy rate of the islands was reported at 17 percent in 1980. Approximately 30…

The evolution of the new field of women's studies in Ontario universities is described, identifying some trends in this evolution. Three sections examine: the development of women's studies programs in Canada; women's studies undergraduate programs in Ontario; and women's studies graduate programs in Canada. Programs at 14 colleges or universities…

Studying local and national population distribution, as well as economic and social patterns, is becoming crucial for educators who serve rapidly changing communities. School officials should take into consideration the tremendous diversity in cultures, economic and family situations, and educational levels existing within an ethnic group. Several…

Interviews expressing a variety of viewpoints on the present and future status of education on a national and global scale are offered by 14 major educators and public figures. The theme of educational reform frames each interview. Patricia Biehl reflects on the diminishing effectiveness of secondary education. Derek Bok favors the teaching of…

There is no dearth of claims as to the benefits of historical study. Written histories not only reflect the personal and professional interests of individual historians, they also relate to the larger priorities of the professional discipline they represent. Patterns of art education's professional development can be ascertained by an examination…

This report presents policy options for improving the effectiveness of schools in developing nations. Taking into account various conditions and experiences of third world countries, the text focuses on problems common to most developing countries and presents an array of low-cost policy alternatives that have proved useful in a variety of…

The understanding and management of the changes called for by fundamental restructuring are discussed in this sixth guidebook in a series of nine video conferences on school restructuring. Offered are a summary of school improvement over the last 30 years, a systems framework for individual and team changes, and strategies for organizational…

This digest discusses issues related to the implementation of high quality early childhood education by public school districts. Contents focus on: (1) the development of a written statement of philosophy; (2) the analysis of screening and assessment practices; (3) organization of the learning environment; (4) teacher preparation; (5) parent…

This paper highlights six issues to be faced by practitioners and others working in early intervention programs as they strive to meet parental expectations and achieve increased scientific respect and public acceptance. Issues discussed include the need to: (1) find an acceptable auspice and a nomenclature that communicates to everyone that…

School improvement teams are assembled to share leadership responsibility with the principal. Differing from advisory councils in that they have more involvement in decision making, and differing from management teams in that they include role groups other than administrators, school improvement teams may be composed of teachers and the principal…

The American educational system faces a critical need for restructuring. Social lag problems created by the transformation from an industrial to an informational society have affected U.S. institutions, especially education. Educators and policymakers must respond to the new economic, demographic, organizational, and educational forces which have…

Eleven participants from six countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, Thailand, and the Republic of Korea) participated in the UNESCO regional workshop which is the subject of this report. The four objectives of the workshop were to: (1) review and exchange experiences on research and pilot studies to improve teaching/learning…

Changing ideas about the role of early education increasingly point toward universal preschool education for all children. Early education has come to serve many purposes but, as it expands, there is danger that the particular needs of young children will be overlooked by both professionals and parents. This essay underlines the vulnerability of…

This paper examines the changing instructional role of the high school librarian from 1951 to 1984 to determine: (1) if the purported changes in the instructional role have been fictional or factual; (2) if the changes were those of substance or of form; (3) if the changes represented a process of growth and development in direct relationship to…