This paper addresses the role of successful teachers of students of color within a restructuring educational environment. It describes three successful teachers of African-American students in two restructuring schools, discusses ways in which their practices and outlooks supported the success of otherwise low-achieving students, and describes how…

Significant change in curriculum also affects other facets of schooling, including teaching, learning, and the school culture. The Curriculum Reform Project explored the nature of various curricular reforms, the barriers to reform, and the means by which selected schools met challenges and achieved positive change. The 4-year research project…

More than one-fifth of American school-age children and youth come from language-minority families--homes in which languages other than English are spoken. This volume, the first in a series of three, presents findings of a study that examined exemplary school-reform efforts involving the education of limited-English-proficient (LEP) students. The…

In the wake of the educational reform efforts of the 1980s, researchers sought to identify the characteristics of effective schools. This book describes the reform efforts of the Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda (Ken-Ton) Union Free School District, which is located outside Buffalo, New York. Data were obtained from observations; document analysis; and…

This study sought to determine whether students in a graduate level class that focused on a school restructuring model were able to understand and practice its philosophy. The course focused on innovative school changes and teaching practices used in the Accelerated Schools Project (ASP). The course syllabus required students to examine the…

This collection of articles focuses on the practice and policy of staff development in terms of recent developments in teacher learning. Following an introduction by the editors, the book is divided into five parts. Part 1: New Perspectives on Practice contains three chapters: (1) "Reconceptualizing Teaching: Moving toward the Creation of…

The Blue Ribbon Commission on Diversity and Equity, appointed by the Superintendent of the Saint Paul (Minnesota) Public Schools, reviewed the policies and practices of the city's public schools, focusing on the low achievement of students of color. The Commission presented its report in May 1994, and this report is the Superintendent's response.…

This document presents arguments to counter nine criticisms, or "lies," most frequently leveled at school choice. The criticisms include the following: (1) the undermining America argument: Choice will destroy the American public school tradition; (2) the creaming argument: Choice will leave the poor behind in the worst schools; (3) the…

An analysis of a number of university-school collaborative efforts in the United States and Canada to establish professional development schools, and of action research efforts in the United Kingdom, has shown that the partnership efforts studied devote significantly less attention to ideas about the nature of learning, teaching, schools, and…

A desire to raise student achievement levels is leading many educators and parents to work for restructuring and reforming U.S. schools. One of the many areas in which this effort is proving to be complex is the question of changing college admission criteria to respond to the changes in curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment that are occurring at…

Is it possible for state legislation designed to initiate systemic school reform to influence curriculum, instruction, and assessment at the classroom and building level? This paper presents findings of a longitudinal study of Oregon educators' reactions to school-reform legislation since it was passed in 1991. The Oregon Educational Act for the…

Educator reticence in some states has exerted a moderating effect on attempts to redesign public schooling. This paper presents findings of a longitudinal study that investigated the phenomenon of educator reaction to systemic state school-reform legislation. Oregon's landmark school-reform legislation, passed in 1991 and revised in 1995, serves…

This paper explores some of the many reasons to restructure, suggests the participants in restructuring, responds to Goodlad's (1990) postulates and essentials of restructuring and describes a model for restructuring between a teacher preparation program and P-12 schools. Reasons for restructuring can be classified into three categories: changes…

This paper discusses distinguishing features of site-based management, theories supporting site-based management, examples of current practices, and special education implications. Part I presents issues concerning the implementation of site-based management as a restructuring process, including obstacles in implementing site-based management,…

This videotape and viewing guide present an emerging learner-centered paradigm of teaching and learning and answer questions of why and how a staff changes its practices. The viewing guide describes the elementary school in the videotape, noting the full inclusion of 50 students identified as disabled, the team approach in which teachers are…