This report presents a comprehensive plan, developed by the D.C. Committee on Public Education, to help strengthen the public schools in the District of Columbia. Chapter 1, "An Introduction: A Vision of the Future," contains the following sections: (1) "Description of the Committee"; (2) "Philosophy and Beliefs of the…

An analysis of the development of diverse educational programs based on a common curriculum core is the purpose of this paper. After an overview of the major kinds of option/choice programs, a study of educational options in Utah and the United States is described. Three research methodologies were used to collect data: a statewide survey on…

Three fundamental changes in state focus are needed to improve urban education and prepare many more students to participate in society and the world. First, state boards of education must act upon the belief that all children can learn. Urban students need rigorous, top-quality curricula and instruction delivered by highly trained and competent…

After their 1969 inception as an electrical academy in a Philadelphia high school, the number of career academies grew steadily for two decades; since 1990, their growth has accelerated. Until the mid-1990s, they existed only as smaller units within high schools, but numerous high schools have since converted themselves entirely into career…

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation funds a 5-year program supporting the start-up of new small high schools of no more than 400 students and the conversion of larger high schools into smaller, more personalized schools or learning communities. This report focuses on the program's first year and compares new small schools, large high schools…

Effective building leadership and time utilization are important to the success of implementing change. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to describe the experiences of an urban junior high school principal involved in a collaborative change effort. Specifically studied were the principal's actions, behavior, communication, and…

This report takes a global look at the structural changes taking place in the 72 small schools that were created from 17 comprehensive high schools in Washington State. It also discusses the challenges conversion schools face when they operate with a foot in two worlds -- trying to realize the benefits of small while, in many ways, still operating…

Findings from this Fordham-sponsored survey--the fourth survey of Dayton, Ohio parent/community attitudes toward education since 1988--present a fascinating array of opinions about today's schools (and those who are responsible for them) and the changes that could be made tomorrow. Over 70 percent of Dayton-area parents support the idea of…

School reform leaders in Chicago (Illinois), Denver (Colorado), New York (New York), Seattle (Washington), Philadelphia (Pennsylvania), and Los Angeles (California) created the Cross City Campaign to work for the improvement of urban education so that all students are prepared for postsecondary education, work, and citizenship. This paper, from…

This paper investigated how the examination of student behavior, seen as techniques and their effects, has participated in the construction of citizenship in compulsory schooling in Finland. Data were gathered from "state educational discourse," including national curricula, governmental committee reports, legislative and regulatory…

A study questioned 26 administrators, counselors, and teachers at 6 middle schools regarding School-To-Work (STW) curriculum implementation. It asked about conceptual, organizational, and operational reasons for implementation; curriculum focus; student benefits; and issues and concerns. Five national associations were questioned about their views…

The Ninth Grade Restructuring Program of the Detroit (Michigan) public schools was designed to restructure the ninth grade in ways that improve academic performance, develop positive attitudes toward learning, improve the school environment, reduce the dropout rate, and increase the graduation rate of students. Features of the program were…

This qualitative study explored the presence of community voice in a newly structured inner-city elementary school in Santa Ana (California). Nearly every family at Pio Pico Elementary School lives below the poverty level, and Spanish is the primary language of 90% of the residents, with most families being of Mexican or Central American origin.…

The first wave of school improvement, largely perceived later as a failure, responded to Sputnik-era fears the United States was falling behind other nations, and focused on minor reforms of the educational system. Larry Cuban distinguishes the first-order changes of the first wave from the more fundamental changes implied in second wave efforts.…

To avert a collision between a strategy of educational equity and the push for excellence, impediments to inclusion must be closely examined. This examination will facilitate restructuring of schools' standard operating procedures to accommodate the Coalition of Essential Schools philosophy, which advocates flexible scheduling, heterogeneous…