This paper presents findings of a study that examined the perceptions of educational stakeholders in two regions of the Victorian Ministry of Education toward effective-schools issues. Data were obtained from a survey mailed to a total of 1,060 principals, school councillors, teachers, parents, and students in 100 schools--50 schools each from the…

In 1991, Howard Community College (HCC), in Maryland, implemented an institutional effectiveness plan that attempted to apply lessons from the previous 10 years of college planning. This paper focuses on the problems and issues encountered during implementation of the plan and is designed to provide general recommendations for others establishing…

This paper outlines the driving forces behind the restructuring movement in the United Kingdom and examines how quality-management approaches are being adopted by some schools as a response to this change. Key elements in the 1988 National Education Reform Act include a national curriculum, a national system of testing and assessment, formula…

A description is given of a state-wide endeavor to improve the schools in Arkansas. Five recommendations provide the framework for innovative planning for the schools: (1) educators, elected officials and community leaders should assertively market "Restructuring for Higher Order Learning" throughout the state as the logical and…

In June 1989, the Utah State Office of Education contracted with the Research and Evaluation Methodology Program at Utah State University to conduct a statewide evaluation of Utah's Productivity Projects Studies Program. This executive summary of the results of the evaluation contains: (1) a description of the program; (2) an overview of the…

The move toward teacher empowerment in elementary schools with at-risk student populations is explored in this paper. Progress in addressing the needs of all students, especially those at risk, depends upon implementing teacher empowerment through participative decision-making. Methodology is based on experiences of the Accelerated Schools Program…

It is the school board alone that determines the quality of education provided within the school district. Without periodically examining its own performance, the board's capability to create a quality educational environment can be compromised. Evaluation is a control mechanism that allows the school board to make judgments about performance…

The impact of new educational policies initiated by the Conservative Party leadership on school management in the United Kingdom is examined in this paper. The first part highlights the background of state-sector schools and their funding. Although no clear statement of intended policy exists, the second part outlines the following general policy…

Noncoercive student management practices to promote quality school work are examined in this book, which is based on the assertion that student motivation to perform quality work should not be compromised by focusing on minimal goals, such as dropout reduction and discipline problems. Replacement of the traditional coercive, divisive management…

The application of the "report card" principle to educational accountability is described in this report, which summarizes 20 report cards now issued in the 15 states of the Southern Regional Education Board area. Specific state or local school data are not included. The following areas are summarized: mandates for reporting; the kind of…

California's Partnership Academies tangibly reflect not just rhetorical involvement but meaningful direct private-sector participation in the education process. The Partnership Academies and their link to vocational education are compared with other programs like Adopt-a-School and the Boston Compact. The roots of the academy are traced to similar…

Guidelines for transforming and improving the nation's public schools are presented in this book, with a focus on the regional laboratory's program for educational change. The program is organized around "designing schools for enhanced learning" and is based on three principles--a focus on learning, a systemic approach to change, and…

To provide all children with quality education, teachers must rethink their educational philosophies, according to the president of the American Reading Council. Traditional teaching methods, including phonics, basal readers, tracking, and standardized testing appear to be the cause of school failure. The efficacy of the current models of reform…

The development of a project to assess the effectiveness of schools in a large urban school district is described in this paper, with a focus on improving the validity of school effectiveness instruments. Purposes of the project were to develop a methodology for reporting effective school strategies and to generate a broader profile of schools'…

Following a brief introduction, section II of this publication reviews the following reports on education: (1) The College Board's "Academic Preparation for College: What Students Need to Know and Be Able to Do"; (2) "Action for Excellence: A Comprehensive Plan to Improve Our Nation's Schools," by the Task Force on Education…