The president of Teach for America, a privately funded teacher corps, believes that school districts, states, universities, and nonprofit organizations must assume new roles, implement substantial policy changes, restructure, and reallocate resources to improve teacher recruitment, selection, training, and assessment. (SK)

Examines the concept, implications, and dilemmas of school restructuring, whose meanings are confusing and complex. Restructuring can be synonymous with top-down reform or ruthless retrenchment or can signify redefined power relationships in classrooms, staff rooms, and schooling communities. This paper identifies four restructuring dilemmas…

Presents a strategy for identifying schools that are restructured across several dimensions. Analyzes data from a nominated sample of restructured schools to discover relevant dimensions and criteria and degree of restructuring. Schools tended to meet more criteria in the areas of student experiences and teachers' professional life; significantly…

Recent survey of time usage in restructuring schools disclosed five time-management strategies, including freed-up time (temporary interventions freeing teachers from scheduling constraints), restructured or rescheduled time, common time (for teacher planning and preparation), better-used time (to replace faculty meetings and professional…

Traditional school-finance systems need dramatic change to make them more supportive of the goals and strategies of standards. The shortcomings of current structures are reviewed, and suggestions are provided for changing finance structures, including a shift from fiscal equity toward educational adequacy. Elements to enhance a new system are…

Evaluation of recent literature and interviews with Russian educators showed how liberalization of schools has shifted power to teachers and students, resulting in short-term teacher demoralization and student indiscipline. The situation is complicated by competing interest groups and ideologies, and indecisive leadership. (SK)

Raises the questions of where school psychologists fit into school reform and whether they have the organizational knowledge and skill to contribute to this comprehensive process. Critical to success of programs is the use of a collaborative problem-solving consultative model, which incorporates a four-stage process: problem identification,…

Examines implementation of various restructuring designs in 13 elementary schools in the culturally, linguistically, and ethnically diverse Sunland County Public School District (Florida). Preliminary findings indicate a variance in implementation across sites and suggest demographic and numeric shifts in student population, lack of teacher…

Draws on the insights of John Dewey to argue that the contrast between developmental appropriateness and academic rigor is an untenable dualism. Considers directions for middle school renewal that unite these two concepts. (JPB)

Summarizes a study that surveyed school board presidents and school superintendents about their perceptions of school reform. Reports their views on desirable restructuring outcomes, important restructuring ingredients, factors influencing restructuring, and the political emphases associated with restructuring. Although school officials generally…

Holt presents counterevidence about what U.S. high schools do successfully and suggest where reforms should really be implemented. Morris reviews recent reform efforts, concluding that meaningful reform should address real-life issues, be integrated, and address development of the inner self. (SK)

Ralston (Nebraska) High School's restructuring was helped by participation in the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development's consortium. Ralston faculty led the change process, holding students to higher standards, altering curriculum beyond arbitrary subject limitations, changing the school year, and increasing staff expertise with…

The intellectual dimension of school reform has been given the least attention thus far. It is falsely assumed uncritically that teachers are prepared to deal with this dimension. Institutional and teachers' personal mission statements should emphasize critical thinking, inquiry-based learning, and intellectual leadership. (SK)

Discusses the implementation of partner teams of two or three teachers at the middle school level. Considers the effect of these partnerships on class organization, student achievement, and teachers' relationships, and notes the evolution of partnerships from teaching teams. (JPB)

Along with the restructuring of educational programs must come the restructuring of resources. Schools should review all resources, including the ones for teacher development, to focus on serving students optimally. Under the new Title I schoolwide programs of the Improving America's Schools Act, this is easier and more logical than before. (SLD)