Trends and research in nongraded schooling over the past three decades are described in this paper. The 1960s and early 70s were marked by a strong interest in the nongradedness movement and the British concept of open education, followed by a declining interest in the 1970s. A nongraded revival in the 1980s was facilitated by recognition of the…

This text presents a conversation between James Comer and Ronald Edmonds, whose meeting in New Haven in 1982 was sponsored by the Danforth Foundation to describe and compare the differences in their approaches to school reform. Each developed an Effective Schools model based on the belief that all students can learn. Comer's focus, however, was on…

The kinds of school choice programs and the processes by which they became legalized in Minnesota are discussed in this paper. The first part reviews reasons for restructuring American schools. The second part describes how the Minnesota education system moved changed in the following areas: from a single delivery system to community education;…

Steps toward developing a more constructive framework for linking research with educational practice in effecting school change are presented in this paper. To understand the problem of research-based change in schools, the process is reviewed from the following perspectives: the school and its practitioners; research-based knowledge itself; and…

Findings of a case study that examined restructuring and organizational change in a California school district over a 12-year period are presented in this paper. The research draws upon the conceptual framework of "adaptive realignment," a process in which an organization continually responds to external and internal changes as they occur. Data…

Plans for the fundamental restructuring of Utah elementary-secondary education are described in this report. The plans include a shift in focus from reforming the old system to making systemic changes in order to meet students' needs. The first section outlines the mission, goals, and anticipated outcomes of Utah public education. The second…

Educational research seldom addresses the role of the practitioner who must translate the need for change into practice. Written by practicing school administrators in the state of Vermont, this book offers a cohesive rationale and philosophical direction for educational reform, identifies successful reform initiatives, and illustrates how these…

The member states in Asia and the Pacific region participating in the Asia and Pacific Programme of Educational Innovation for Development (APEID) initiated an effort to restructure secondary education. During its fifth programming cycle (1992-1996), the APEID continues its focus on restructuring secondary education. Consequently, the UNESCO…

School finance is a complicated topic that is central to determining how to provide quality education to all students. Historically, school finance has been linked to local property taxes, which has led to disparities in school spending. In the 1990s, school finance issues have been more closely linked with student achievement. This has occurred…

School-based management and teacher empowerment are consistent elements of school restructuring efforts nationwide. These developments have grown out of frustration over the failure of centralized efforts to significantly improve schools and increase support for individual empowerment. Teacher empowerment is based on four assumptions: (1)…

This document discusses the shift in democratic countries toward the allocation of responsibility for the organization and control of education in the public system by decentralization from the center to the local community and beyond, to the governing bodies of individual schools, and to the parents who are represented on school councils. This…

This bulletin explores the roles that various stakeholders have in systemic reform and offers some recommendations for action. Data were derived from a review of research on systemic education reform and interviews with four Oregon administrators. Chapter 1 provides a sampling of the diverse groups that are calling for reform and offers some of…

This book provides an account of the major administrative restructuring and organization that has occurred in Australian public school systems over the past decade. Section 1 provides a discussion of the Australian restructuring efforts in an international context. Chapters in this section include the following: (1) "The Restructuring of…

This sourcebook of over 100 Texas middle-school programs was developed to help educators implement intermediate-grade education concepts and practices in their schools. The volume is a companion publication to "Spotlight on the Middle: Report of the Texas Task Force on Middle School Education." The introduction mentions two offices in…

Based on a review of the literature, this paper objectively examines the key issues surrounding the implementation of year-round education (YRE) at the elementary level in public schools. Following the introduction, statement of the problem, and definitions, the fourth section provides a history of year-round education in the United States. The…