Governments restrict choice about what students learn within the public school system in the name of improved performance and accountability, but have simultaneously introduced choice among schools by enabling "exit" from the public system. Defenders of public education need to consider how public schools can provide citizens with…

Considers case-study data from four English further-education colleges. Responses from a total of 16 senior managers, 45 middle managers, and 288 team members were analyzed to assess key features of the middle-manager role, and to identify factors that enable or impede them. (Contains 1 table and 16 references.) (MLF)

Addresses issues in evaluating the consequences of assessment programs that are developed to hold schools accountable to state standards. Proposes a validation study to obtain consequential evidence for state assessment and accountability programs that includes a validity argument, propositions that follow from the validity argument, a definition…

This article highlights the three sets of policy issues that particularly affect students with emotional and behavioral disorders: issues related to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; continued concerns with school discipline and safety; and the focus on accountability in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. (Contains references.)…

Briefly describes the first 40 years of Title I of the Elementary Secondary Education Act. Describes significant changes in Title I under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, including school-choice options for students in failing schools, supplemental educational services for at-risk students, and the hiring of highly qualified teachers. (PKP)

Report on part of a study of 10 principals who were asked about their views toward the state's accountability measures in reference to their schools and their roles, and what, if any, effect external accountability had on internal accountability or developing the organizational capacity of their school. (Contains 19 references.) (WFA)

Discussion of library media specialists evaluation focuses on factors that compromise the utility of evaluations by the principal: increased demands on principals as instruments of accountability; the tendency to use an evaluation designed for teachers, not media specialists; and changes that have occurred in the work of library media specialists.…

Globalization challenges governments to improve the quality of and access to postsecondary education while limiting their ability to raise revenue. By stimulating savings and expanding student loans and scholarships, Canada can improve access to postsecondary education. Educational quality can be improved through more effective assessment and…

Reaffirms the six principles of special education. Suggests that problems in special education follow from the failure of schools to comply fully with the law. Further suggests that academic outcomes are too narrow of a measure and that teachers be held accountable for a broader range of outcomes. (WFA)

This article discusses the difficulties in meeting the needs of diverse student populations including those with learning and/or behavioral difficulties while meeting the demands of standards and accountability. It stresses the importance of matching the reading instructional program to the specific needs of the student and fine-tuning strategies…

This article discusses how to prepare gifted children to be well-rounded in life by teaching them life support skills, including responsibility, communication skills, and a work ethic. The benefits of vocational education and participation in sports are discussed, as are the benefits of learning with intellectual peers. (CR)

An elementary school principal describes successful Foxfire projects in his school; suggests that the Foxfire approach is a tool that teachers can use to improve preinstructional decisions, structure the learning environment, and integrate the curriculum; and discusses the principal's role in supporting effective alternative approaches to…

For enhancing student achievement, the most successful cooperative learning approaches have incorporated two key elements: group goals and individual accountability. Positive effects have been consistently found on outcomes such as self-esteem, intergroup relations, acceptance of academically handicapped students, attitudes toward school, and…

The need for library science education to facilitate the adaptation of libraries to the new work environments engendered by the information revolution is discussed in the first of two articles. The second describes library students at Brigham Young University, their mission, their curriculum, and the expectations of employers of their graduates.…

Examines the legal and ethical responsibilities of independent information professionals and describes a number of strategies to avoid being found liable for information malpractice. These include developing good client relations, contracts and disclaimers, competent performance, and insurance. A sidebar by John Rosenberg, discusses the issue of…