This brief contains information on the status of laboratory schools in Florida, as well as information on laboratory schools in general. The brief is organized into five sections: (1) Introduction; (2) Historical Perspective of Laboratory Schools; (3) Status of Laboratory Schools in Florida; (4) Factors Associated with Successful Laboratory…

This manual is designed to guide the implementation of the Joining Forces Program, a comprehensive improvement process for secondary schools. Implementation of the program requires the cooperative effort of the local school district, state and local education associations, and the administration and staff of participating schools. Joining Forces…

Following a brief overview of literature on excellence in the classroom, the shortcomings of objective tests as means for evaluating classroom excellence are discussed as well as the need for evaluation alternatives. Descriptions are given of evaluation alternatives, some of which focus upon reading and writing achievement: (1) observation of…

The school effectiveness movement stresses a safe and orderly learning environment for students. Concern for students' and parents' legal rights, coupled with recent criticism of school practices regarding corporal punishment, suspension, and expulsion, has spawned research into theoretical, practical, and legal implications related to pupil…

This paper describes the purposes of educational evaluation with particular emphasis on school improvement. The evaluation process used was based upon the analytical tools developed and tested by the Educational Productivity Council (EPC) of the University of Texas. An early form of this model and reporting system was introduced to a group of 68…

The results of nearly 2 years of inquiry into the effectiveness of Catholic schools are summarized. Using a design combining field and survey research, the study included: interviews with staff, students, and parents; observations of classroom and general school life; and extensive documentation on seven Catholic schools across the nation. An…

Changing student demographics, legislation improving standards and access, and increasing community expectations are creating instability in the nation's education system. Also, public confidence in schools' effectiveness has eroded. This treatise draws on sociology, corporate studies, and effective schools research to understand how education…

Recently, state government and concerned educational agencies in California have shown much interest in adopting a more "rigorous" curriculum for all students, longer school days, and stricter high school graduation and college entrance requirements. These proposed measures are not wrong in themselves, but as standards required for every…

This document contains the proceedings of a two-day forum held in North Carolina that was designed to give individuals in education, government, and business, who would be involved in implementing the recommendations of the Carnegie Task Force, the opportunity to freely analyze and debate the teaching profession. The first address was presented by…

After recognizing the accomplishments of Paul B. Salmon and other great U.S. superintendents, this paper describes the current media image of school superintendents, reviews current research, explores essential new developments in preparation and renewal programs, and sketches a profile of the 21st century superintendent. Superintendents have an…

From observation-based effective schools research, five essential correlates have been identified: (1) purpose; (2) measurement; (3) leadership; (4) expectations; and (5) climate. This paper briefly describes all correlates and then focuses on climate and expectations as applied to improving science instruction. Although climate originally…

During the spring of 1987, the National Conference of State Legislatures awarded the Nebraska Legislature a cost-sharing award to study local school evaluation processes. Embodied in Legislative Resolution 181, which has the purpose of studying school evaluation procedures, the study attempts to provide legislators, educators, local school…

School-based management (S/B/M) pilot projects, funded by the Washington State Legislature, were established to develop and strengthen the S/B/M concept to produce meaningful change. Bringing together recent educational research and modern business management theory, S/B/M operates on the assumptions that individual schools are the largest…

This guide to developing the public's confidence in schools was issued by the Phi Delta Kappa Commission for Developing Public Confidence in Schools. After a brief introduction, chapter 2 discusses the crisis of confidence in schools. Chapter 3 contains a definition of "confidence" that guides the work of the commission. Chapter 4 is a…

The Urban Initiative of the New Jersey Department of Education commits large numbers of its staff to a variety of efforts to improve schooling in the State's urban areas. It also represents an effort to develop a programmatic response that is rooted in research to the problems of urban education. In broad outline, the initiative is a…