We provide here a brief historical analysis of a movement in progress from a belief-based "mystery" model to an evidence-based "mastery" model of giftedness and talent development. We have observed that educators concerned about exceptionally capable learners are moving from a categorical notion of "the typical gifted child" with somewhat…

In low-performing public high schools in U.S. cities, high proportions of students drop out, students who stay in school typically do not succeed academically, and efforts to make substantial reforms often meet with little success. The Talent Development High School model is a comprehensive school reform initiative that has been developed to…

This report, the Center on Education Policy's (CEP's) third annual review of Maryland's efforts to restructure schools under the No Child Left Behind Act, finds that (1) although between school years 2006-07 and 2007-08 the number of schools in the restructuring implementation phase declined slightly, there was a drastic increase in the number of…

This third edition, now published by Pine Forge Press, features original readings and article excerpts by leaders in the area of Sociology of Education. With a wide array of theoretical perspectives, a broad range of respected sources, and inclusion of both classic and contemporary studies, this comprehensive, integrated text addresses key issues…

Evidence suggests that students throughout the nation are not being adequately prepared for post-secondary life and that students with disabilities face even greater post-school challenges (Wagner, Newman, Cameto, Garza, & Levine, 2005). In response to such evidence, many states and localities are initiating high school reform activities and,…

The headteacher's role in school improvement and the changing nature of the role suggest the need to investigate how new school leaders learn their jobs, that is, their socialization to the leader role. This study has two purposes: (1) to identify the content and methods used in the professional and organizational socialization experiences of new…

This document presents findings from a congressionally mandated study of school-based reform, which developed in tandem with congressional interest in making the Chapter 2 program more focused on school-improvement efforts. Data were obtained from a survey of a nationally representative sample of 1,550 school districts; mail and telephone surveys…

This report by the Kentucky Secretary of Education, Arts, and Humanities offers an overview of the initiatives begun in the arts and humanities with the implementation of KERA (Kentucky Education Reform Act), and a Kentucky Education Technology System. The Kentucky Education, Arts, and Humanities Cabinet was formed with restructuring efforts…

Given the important role of local school boards in the school-restructuring movement, this paper presents findings of a study that identified what board chairs in North Carolina knew about school restructuring. The study also examined the extent to which chairs agreed with major ideological tenets of school restructuring and with their…

This paper describes the initial efforts of the New American Schools Development Corporation (NASDC), a private, nonprofit corporation created as part of the American 2000 initiative to fund the development of new designs for American schools. NASDC is currently funding nine teams to develop and demonstrate designs for high-performing schools.…

Through its Metropolitan Educational Trends and Research Outcomes (METRO) Center, the Southwest Regional Laboratory (SWRL) helps school districts implement research-based programs for educationally disadvantaged students. The most prominent of these is Success for All, a nationally recognized school restructuring program. In 1992, SWRL made a…

This report expands on earlier research that found evidence of strong links between school restructuring and improved learning among students in the first 2 years of high school. This report, based on 1992 National Education Longitudinal Study (NELS) data, analyzes data collected for most of the same students in their last 2 years of high school.…

Conversations among educators, business leaders, legislators, and educational reformers have generated support for the application of Total Quality Management (TQM) to education. This paper considers whether TQM is indeed the solution to education's problems. After a brief explanation of TQM theory, the paper is organized around four broad issues…

Since the late 1980s, education reformers in the United States have emphasized "restructuring" of schools. This book synthesizes 5 years of research conducted by the Center on Organization and Restructuring of Schools (CORS). From 1990 to 1995, the center analyzed data from the following sources: (1) the School Restructuring Study (SRS), an…

This booklet presents findings of a study that gathered information about charter schools. Representatives of more than 170 public charter schools were surveyed by mail, telephone or at national and regional meetings. Approximately 120 surveys were returned by representatives of 110 charter public schools in seven states--California, Colorado,…