This article analyzes how school reforms in the United States during the 1990s supported transformative literacy practices in the context of a Hmong-English third grade classroom. Using methods that allow for an analysis of both macro and micro discourses shaping the literacy practices of English language learners, this 2-year study illustrates…

Principals in the information age need to be information driven, committed to shared leadership and relentless about continuous improvement. They must reshape the processes, norms, and behaviors of teaching and learning around aggregating and interpreting shared information. In this article, the authors discuss the role of a principal in shaping…

National educational reform must be interpreted from a broader sociopolitical vantage point. Following the introduction, "The Change Process and Educational Reform" by Val D. Rust, the four papers in part 1 are devoted primarily to conceptual issues related to educational reform. They include: (1) "Problems of Educational Reforms in a Changing…

In less than 2 years after the publication of the national report "A Nation at Risk," an overwhelming majority of states adopted many of the educational reform measures advocated in the report. The rapid adoption of the reforms among states with different political cultures, policy traditions, and partisan control raises the question of…

Although current policy debate on school restructuring is centered on choice, empowerment, and professionalization issues, the effects of communally organized schools has received little attention. This paper postulates that student achievement, particularly in mathematics, is related to selected elements of communal schools (shared norms and…

This monograph explores the notion of viewing leadership as a single, interconnecting system at work in the internal and external school environment, rather than as a collection of individual roles. The document explores what the new leadership paradigm--a decentralized, collaborative model--means to schools. Leadership is viewed as an…

Educational restructuring is influencing the change in names of vocational education specialty areas as well as the change in course offerings for the specialties. In some schools, the name "vocational education" has been replaced with new names more reflective of the school's restructuring efforts. Within a given area, new courses are being added…

Every aspect of children's lives affects their ability to learn and succeed in school. However, conditions associated with poverty environments are major factors in students' dropping out. Children whose home environments and social backgrounds result in development different from the mainstream enter school at a distinct educational disadvantage.…

A classroom that has been restructured focuses on the learner and the quality of learning. What does a restructured classroom look like? How skillful does the teacher have to be as a manager and how complex do the structures of management become? How do the roles of teacher and learner change in a bottom-up restructured classroom? How do teachers…

The uncertain context of educational practice caused by reform proposals has created a dilemma for architects of educational-administration programs. If program designers do not respond positively to reform movements, they may fail to equip beginning administrators with the necessary knowledge and skills. On the other hand, if the preparation…

This paper focuses on a program at Marist Sisters' College, Woolwich (MSCW), an Australian secondary school, that integrates information skills into subject curriculums. A description of the school which includes its philosophy and ethnic makeup is presented to give a context for the program. The research project investigated the impact of…

A charter school is an autonomous educational entity operating under a contract negotiated between the organizers who manage the school (teachers, parents, or others from the public or private sector) and the sponsors who oversee the provisions of the charter (local school boards, state education boards, or some other public authority). The…

Next to the family, the school has the most significant impact on children's growth and development. The School Development Program (SDP), a school-reform initiative, was designed by Dr. James Comer to provide students with a nurturing, challenging, and supportive school environment. The process emphasizes mutual respect and collaboration among…

The 307 schools funded by the Ohio Venture Capital program were the focus of a study on teacher empowerment. This paper focuses on the method used to maximize survey responses, rather than on the study findings. Data were sought from the building principals and 10,544 classroom teachers to create a "total picture" of the individual…

Beginning in 1990, the United States and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) conducted an international, 14-nation study of programs for at-risk children. This report presents findings from the second year of the study, during which the Planning and Evaluation Service of the U.S. Department of Education reviewed the…