The traditional home-school partnership was a communitywide, adult conspiracy to raise good, responsible children. Because of massive social and economic changes, parents and school personnel no longer necessarily share neighborhoods, economic status, language, culture, or child-rearing viewpoints. A new, mutually respectful, and enjoyable "dance"…

In an excerpt from "Horace's School: Redesigning the American High School," Theodore Sizer states that what is needed is raised expectations within the various agencies that now affect standards rather than their demotion and replacement by a more centralized system. Public policy must address the two barriers to excellence--public…

At the NASSP's Alaska Assessment Center for Principals, aspiring administrators and assistant principals consistently scored lowest in a key characteristic--the leader's strongly held values and ability to create a shared school vision. This article underlines the principal's role as author and choreographer of a shared school vision that must be…

The national commission reports confirmed the importance of instructional leadership in educational reform. Although the principal's role was initially emphasized, research indicates that superintendents use their bureaucratic positions in the formal organization to improve instruction through staff selection, principal supervision, instructional…

Concludes that the three main articles in this issue represent a significant milestone in defining rural education. Points out that measuring the effectiveness of rural schools will be more difficult and that federal policy should provide resources for the development of alternative rural school models. A defensible classification system needs to…

Examines the relationship between variables found conducive to creating effective learning environments and the education experiences of children in home schools. Many variables associated with effective learning climates are embodied in the home-school setting, which seems to provide children with learning processes emphasizing interdependence,…

Management and instructional leadership need not be construed as competing interests for the principal. A unifying view of the principal's "educational leader" role (combining salient features of both managerial and instructional leadership responsibilities) provides a much healthier model and draws a rational relationship between…

Current research supports the importance of positive school climate and the use of school-climate measures as school-effectiveness predictors. This article describes several instruments, including the Organizational Climate Index, the Organizational Climate Description Questionnaire, the Effective School Battery, the Charles F. Kettering Ltd.…

This lecture seeks to (1) discuss the nature of resistance to the notion that Britain is a multicultural society, locating this resistance in the defence of an outdated view of the British national identity; (2) present some evidence of White pupil's negative views of minorities; and (3) identify aims and characteristics of effective schools in a…

Discusses two plans for reforming urban schools: the Comer model, begun in New Haven schools in 1968, and the Chicago school reform, begun in 1989. The former emphasizes community; the latter, accountability. Both demonstrate that, when people are not alienated, they will actively participate in improvement programs. (DM)

Examines characteristics of small rural schools that contribute to school effectiveness. Discusses program implementation, school climate, teacher morale, teacher cooperation, the work ethic, parent involvement, student involvement, and relationships among teachers, administrators, parents, students, and the community. (SV)

Reviews the literature on local school management, especially the latter's potential for influencing school efficiency and effectiveness. Explores three areas: formula funding effects, resource allocation, and changing patterns of influence in school decision making. Local school management may enhance efficiency or economy without substantially…

The growth of Catholic education peaked in 1965, with 14,296 schools. By 1990, attendance had decreased by 3 million; by 1996, only 8,243 Catholic schools remained, accompanied by a sharply declining clergy and a growing lay faculty. Catholic schools have stressed student achievement, worked effectively with disadvantaged children, and maintained…

Three areas of reform have been under national scrutiny: school reform, community services reform, and health-care reform. Few have discussed how these three areas interface and can be organized toward more effective services for children and youth. Describes organizational and planning methodology that coordinates these three reform areas into a…

Studied factors accounting for elementary school achievement. Analysis of achievement test results in language arts and mathematics in Calgary (Alberta, Canada) shows that social class variables explain up to 45% of the variation, with student-body characteristics explaining 6% to 11% and school-based variables explaining a further 3% to 6%. (SLD)