A major focus in Phase III of the Louisiana School Effectiveness Study is on the relationship between classroom interaction patterns and school effectiveness. Early results are discussed. (Author/MT)

Presents a design for school improvement programs particularly responsive to young adolescents. Discusses the Middle Grades Assessment Program, designed to help middle grade schools use their own resources to deal effectively with situations. Includes case studies. (JOW)

The School Improvement Project of the Institute for the Development of Educational Activities, first instituted in 1980, offers high schools a method for selecting and implementing recommended changes from among the many proposed in recent reports on high school improvement. (JBM)

This paper makes the case that value added assessment (VAA) is one potential tool for increasing the accuracy of inferences regarding school effects, even though it is far from being a panacea. The promise of VAA rests in its focus on individual growth trajectories and its perceived ability to isolate the influence of a school from other factors…

This paper describes a process and an organizational structure in which Institutional Effectiveness (IE) can thrive. When such a system is implemented, continuous quality improvement can be sustained for the long term. Key concepts and philosophies found in the literature regarding continuous quality improvement and assessment in higher education…

This report examines 46 community (charter) schools that operated during the 1999-2000 school year. Community schools tend to be smaller than their public counterparts, enroll a higher proportion of minority and poor students, and serve relatively fewer special-needs students. On average, community-school teachers have fewer years of experience…

In 1991, Huntington Beach High School scarcely had a day without a fight, a theft, or vandalism. Disrespect of staff and defiance were rampant with referrals and unserved detentions backlogged. Students felt anonymous, and authority appeared arbitrary. By 1994, the very same high school was a California Distinguished School. The single most…

For many years, most states have had strategies to support and improve low-performing schools. The recent passage of the 2001 Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA 2001) provides states with an additional opportunity to ensure all schools perform at least at a proficient level. The revised ESEA contains two main components that directly…

Scholars theorize that social contacts affect the productivity of individuals and groups. Robert Putnam claims to have found support for this theory in his studies of Italy and the United States. In each case he concludes that the presence of social capital generalized norms of trust and reciprocity is sufficient to predict progress on a variety…

School effectiveness is an issue that has preoccupied researchers and policymakers for 3 decades. To study how ineffective schools become effective and what constitutes an effective school, the Improving School Effectiveness Project was carried out in Scotland from 1995 to 1997. This project forms the basis of discussion in this book, which has 11…

This report summarizes the accomplishments of local education grants that have balanced the need for high standards, accountability, parent involvement, and flexibility. The document examines results from two funding opportunities supported by the Goals 2000 Educate America Act: the Consortia Addressing Statewide Systemic Issues (CASSI) and Local…

The amount of testing in U.S. schools is substantial. A strong testing program is seen as one of the major factors in effective schools. The authority of a testing program can be enhanced by teacher involvement, specialists' endorsement, formal adoption by a school, and promotion by a principal. (NJ)

Examines three collaborative action research projects on school effectiveness--one each in Texas, Iowa, and Florida--to show how university and secondary school personnel can cooperate to implement research findings in schools. (JW)

Presents a conceptual model for administrative promotion of school effectiveness by identifying activities, processes, and functions necessary for successful instructional leadership. (JW)

Attempts to integrate the findings of John Goodlad's "A Study of Schooling" described in another article in this issue with the findings of the effective schools movement. (JM)