A study was done of recent district-initiated reform movements by analyzing different belief systems regarding schools and reform and by applying the analysis to a study of a district widely known for its leading role in implementing reforms. Belief System I is consistent with traditional organizational theory and top-down management. Belief…

This volume offers nine chapters on focal issues in current urban education that are of a middle-range of abstraction and have long-term consequences for students. Individual chapters provide examples of possible interventions appropriate to the unique context of urban schools. The following chapters correspond to nine problems of practice, which…

This guide to leadership for college department chairs addresses three major challenges: (1) developing understanding and clarity about the motives and role of a department chair; (2) understanding the strategic planning process for creating a productive department; and (3) developing key leadership skills required for effectiveness. The first…

Criteria were developed and used to determine which of three existing computer-based instruction (CBI) lessons could be repurposed into a multimedia format. Researchers were commissioned to evaluate these three traditional linear CBI lessons by an insurance company. The lessons were updates on company policy and procedures. The repurposed CBI…

This book presents, in a question-and-answer format, a comprehensive guide to special education law, especially the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Following a table of questions and suggestions on using the book, individual chapters cover law on the following topics: (1) eligibility (e.g., under IDEA and other laws, specific…

This paper presents a case study of the initiation of a doctoral concentration in higher educational leadership at the University of Maine. The case study documents the perceptions of curricular needs defined by practitioners in the state, the resulting efforts to develop a field-sensitive curriculum, and the impact of the academic decision-making…

Described in this document is a 1-year project that developed instructional materials to be used in public schools to educate pregnant teenagers in life management skills. During the project, an advisory committee composed of a home economics teacher, personnel from existing programs for pregnant teenagers, and young mothers who are heads of…

This document presents descriptions of instructional and education-related activities of Idaho elementary and secondary school teachers and their schools. Activities include classroom practices and projects, and school programs. Descriptions are presented in five sections. The first section profiles 54 activities that encourage parent…

The global imperative is acting on the reality that people's survival, the planet's existence, and the quality of humanity requires change in the relationship between economic development and environmental redevelopment. The destructive patterns of shortsighted global economic development warrant rethinking of the link between the economy and the…

A university faculty member and a retired elementary principal developed a practicum course for preservice students entering a 1-year post-baccalaureate program. The course included on-campus and in-school experiences. The two professionals met frequently to get to know one another, examine course requirements, and determine what unique knowledge…

A university and participating school districts cooperatively developed a 15-month graduate program to certify secondary mathematics and science teachers. A study of the program's instructional model examined three areas: whether knowledge of instructional variables related to occurrence of the variables during classroom instruction by teaching…

In this book, the methodology of cooperative learning, defined as the teaching strategy that involves children's participation in small group learning activities that promote positive interaction, is applied to early childhood education. The book contains the following chapters: (1) A Rationale for Cooperative Learning with Young Children, which…

At the beginning of his tenure in 1987, the superintendent of Clear Creek School District (Colorado) found that the district had no written K-12 curriculum, no ongoing process for developing such a curriculum, and no systematic process for staff development. To provide for change based on projected student needs for the 21st century, the…

This resource guide is intended to assist local Texas school districts in the implementation of site-based decision-making and in the development of district and campus plans that will result in improved student performance. This document includes information on site-based decision-making and suggestions for developing district and campus plans.…

Seven elementary, junior high, and high schools participate in the Memphis City Deregulation Program (MCDP), a school-based decision making program in which the principle of shared leadership is a key concept. Shared leadership requires a shift from traditional roles, responsibilities, and power relationships. This study focuses on 49 teachers in…