This report presents the strategic plan for Pensacola Junior College (PJC), in Florida, for the 5-year period from 1993-94 to 1997-98, describing college planning processes and goals for the period. Following a list of strategic planning committee members, PJC's philosophy and mission and the state mission for community colleges are presented and…

This book deals with changing school culture to bring about school effectiveness and to create a culture that enhances student motivation and learning. The argument is presented in terms of real world schools and in the context of a theory focusing on the child and learning that is generalizable and practical. The first part outlines a vision for…

In response to recommendations in the Illinois Board of Higher Education's November 1994 Priorities, Quality, and Productivity report, the 52 community colleges in the state began preparing annual reports of outcomes related to specific college objectives for the year. This report provides executive summaries of the colleges' reports for fiscal…

Private-school choice or voucher programs allow parents to put tax dollars toward a private education--for example, in the form of a subsidy to the chosen school. The dollar value of a voucher is usually equal to, but may be less than, the state average per-pupil expenditure, and may cover the partial or full cost of a private-school tuition. This…

The Black Country is a region comprised of four local educational agencies (LEAs) in the West Midlands, England. School-league table data for the period 1992-94 were collated to form a data matrix. Using cluster analysis, 11 types of schools were identified. An analysis of electoral ward census data yielded six types of localities. Both typologies…

The "Education for the Future Initiative" is a national, privately-funded program initially sponsored by the Telesis Foundation and recently joined by Arthur Andersen & Co. to help schools undertake continuous improvement. The Initiative has pioneered a framework for school improvement in the form of a school portfolio. This document offers a…

When the Inner London Education Authority (ILEA) was disbanded in 1990, 13 separate education authorities were created in its place. Two years after its creation, in partnership with all of its secondary schools, one of the new LEAs initiated a school-improvement project to raise standards called Schools Make A Difference (SMAD). This book…

This paper describes how a new elementary school used technology as the catalyst for school restructuring. First, the principal studied 36 schools that had been identified as successful change sites. She conducted interviews with and surveyed the teachers and principals, focusing on how the principal made a difference in facilitating school…

Thus far, research on family involvement in education has not fully explored how race, ethnicity, and cultural factors influence the expression of parental involvement in different community contexts. This paper provides a portrait of the involvement of Mexican-American parents in secondary schools located along the Texas-Mexico border. The study…

In spring 1996, Florida's Pensacola Junior College (PJC) undertook the fourth assessment of institutional effectiveness using an assessment plan developed between 1990 and 1993. Outcomes were examined for the 1995-96 academic year with respect to the 51 goals, 147 objectives, and 253 indicators of effectiveness identified by the assessment plan in…

Oregon's annual dropout rate increased from 6 percent in the 1992-93 school year to 7.4 percent in the 1994-95 school year. Some schools, however, managed to reduce their dropout rate. This report explores the strategies that worked for 15 Oregon high schools that reduced their dropout rate. Interviews were conducted with representatives of Oregon…

A study was conducted at Florida's Saint Petersburg Junior College (SPJC) to determine employers' perceptions of SPJC graduates' technical and performance skills and to identify employers who might be available to participate in college programs or provide opportunities for student training or placement. Surveys were mailed to 146 businesses…

This exploration of evaluation strategies for systemic educational reform considers whether there is a way to design an assessment and delivery system that can accomplish the goals of the total educational process. A basic question that must be addressed in systemic reform is the role of education in the socialization processes of society. Beyond…

This annual report provides evaluation of specific academic centers at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, reflecting specific goals, associated outcome measures, and attainment status relative to the goals. Twelve sections focus on the: (1) Abraham S. Fischler Center for the Advancement of Education; (2) Center for Computer…

An organization originates in order to serve consciously developed purposes. In addition, school leaders perform in contexts in which core purposes are rarely certain. This paper presents findings of a study that examined the relationship between principals' and teachers' values and the role that values play in coming to agreement. The paper…