Three myths eroding the foundations of public confidence and support for the public school system upon which the climate and performance of the schools depend are discussed: (1) the students are no good--they aren't learning as much as they used to; (2) the schools are no good--they don't help students learn anything anymore; and (3) the teachers…

Since 1983, Arkansas schools have undergone vast changes to improve the quality of education in the state. The Arkansas State Supreme Court had ruled that the state school aid distribution formula was unconstitutional and needed to be rewritten. A standards committee examined the curriculum offerings of 382 secondary schools in 365 districts and…

During the 1980s in the province of Saskatchewan there have been many initiatives from government, trustee and teacher organizations, universities, and school systems to respond to dramatic changes in rural school communities. Between 1979 and 1987 rural schools experienced a decline in student enrollment of 12%. To deal with the changing profiles…

Aimed at both practicing administrators and university education professors, this book discriminates among certain "E-words" ("effective,""efficient,""excellent," and "empowerment") in the educational reform lexicon. According to the introductory chapter, levels of effectiveness, efficiency, and…

This white paper on educational accountability was written in response to a request from the Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE). Of major concern in this study of accountability are the distinctions between system-level and institutional-level obligations. The concept of accountability is developed and related to other important…

THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THIS DOCUMENT: Effective schools have effective leaders. Much of what the school does to promote achievement is within the principal's power to influence and control. Specifically, there are six leadership behaviors that have been consistently associated with schools that are well managed and whose students…

This paper examines the reading scores at Cleveland City elementary and secondary schools in 1985-86 to determine whether parity of black and white students' academic achievement had been achieved. Parity is accomplished when the proportion of black students achieving at or above the 33rd percentile on a reading comprehension test is substantially…

A questionnaire responded to by 34 randomly selected Illinois school districts with high school enrollments under 500 provided information contradicting an Illinois State Board of Education report that cast doubt on the educational effectiveness of smaller schools. The questionnaire's first section sought information about each district's…

Work being conducted by the Wisconsin Center for Education Research on the topic of effective secondary schools is described. The first section of this paper contains a summary of planning activities. A 5-year proposal for the Center on Effective Secondary Schools is described as well as an evaluation of that proposal. The second section presents…

This document presents an overview of the design and implementation stages of the Spencerport (New York) More Effective Schools/Teaching Project. The first section lists nine reasons for the uniqueness of the Spencerport project, including district size, its racial and economic components, participant satisfaction, a set of clearly defined goals,…

Success may be conceptualized within five major domains: academic, aesthetic, social, physical, and moral. The five domains may be further considered either within an individual or a societal dimension, depending on which party principally benefits. Finally, success can be further subdivided into two models; one being competitive, which is termed…

The purpose of this hearing was to present testimony on the concept of effective schools and to discuss the Effective Schools Development in Education Act of 1985, H.R. 747. This report includes statements from: (1) Dr. Robert N. Fortenberry, superintendent of the Jackson (Mississippi) Municipal Separate School District; (2) Dr. Eric Cooper,…

Research indicates that the characteristics of schools can affect student performance. School improvement reforms depend on the involvement of individual teachers and administrators, but research also suggests that individuals are more likely to commit themselves to change when a positive, supportive change environment pervades the entire…

Conceived by the Minnesota State Legislature, the Minnesota Educational Effectiveness Program is a school improvement and staff development program. Its participants perceive the program as a method for identifying areas of concern and for providing staff with the processes to effect change. As of September 1987, 328 Minnesota schools are in…

School and classroom climate is often cited in effective schools research as being important for student achievement. This consumer guide is intended to help educators evaluate their own educational climate by providing reviews and descriptions of the major tests and surveys used to assess climate. Section 2 presents reasons for examining school…