The differences and similarities between education and the private sector are analyzed as they both engage in efforts to fundamentally restructure their operations. To bridge the cultural gap between business and education, a workable strategy that advances direct and sustained private-sector involvement in education reform is proposed. Part 1 of…

The growing proclivity of business leaders in some urban communities to become more deeply involved in the complex and politically volatile issue of school governance is assessed in this paper. The troubles facing Detroit public schools include a high dropout rate, illiteracy of graduates, and bad management of money and resources. In 1988,…

Georgia's business leadership is concerned about that state's public education system which has consistently ranked near the bottom of the educational ladder. In 1986, the Quality Basic Education (QBE) Act became law, and its provisions are described in this document. The Georgia Alliance for Public Education (the Alliance) was mobilized to…

In South Carolina, reform through the Educational Improvement Act (1984) and business-education partnerships are paying dividends in school improvements and gains in student performance. One key factor is the continued involvement of business leaders and business organizations in monitoring and supporting full implementation of reforms. Four…

This paper, written from the perspective of the child advocacy community, acknowledges the importance of the business community in the political process. The paper profiles the contrast between two New Jerseys, one of prosperity, the other struggling under excruciating poverty. The economic boom of the 1980s broadened the gap between wealthy…

Issues in the definition and evaluation of "educational adequacy" as a forerunner to establishing a financially equitable Illinois school system are examined in this paper. A list of 30 potential indicators of educational adequacy was developed for three categories: outcomes, resources, and context. A mailed survey to determine which…

Seven reform programs that were developed to change the quality of public school education in Utah are highlighted in this publication. The history, current status, and future directions of each of the following reform programs are described: the Career Ladder Program; the Incentives for Excellence in Public Schools Program; the Outcome-Based…

The urgent need to improve big city schools has been a powerful incentive to adopt accountability systems. The following types of accountability systems may exist alongside each other: (1) political; (2) legal; (3) bureaucratic; (4) professional; and (5) market. Bureaucratic accountability is a "top down" system that holds teachers…

In a question-and-answer format, this pamphlet offers a rationale for having students with dyslexia attend a junior boarding school. The information focuses on: criteria for determining appropriateness of a specialized boarding program; most appropriate age for referral; helping parents deal with their anxiety; benefits of a boarding school over…

A historical overview of political events in Illinois that led to the establishment and implementation of a performance accountability system, school report cards, is presented in this report. The discussion shows that although statewide events influenced policymakers, local conditions and ethos also affected the result. The educational…

This report provides a transcription of the speeches and written statements presented at a Senate hearing concerning the state of crisis within American education. The hearing examines whether the nation is meeting its education goals and reviews proposals to reauthorize the Higher Education Act. It focuses on problems and reforms in elementary…

To further test Charles Tiebout's suggestion that households reveal their preferences for public goods through their decisions to relocate, questionnaires were sent to the 2,290 people who bought homes in Charlotte (North Carolina) during 1977 and who were still living in the same house during the summer of 1981. Each of the 1,176 respondents…

This essay formulates some recommendations for educational administrator preparation programs and predicts the course of their future development. While the case of medical practice as a paradigm for the practice of educational administration is found only generally useful, the clinical analogy yields the suggestion that educational leader…

This document examines various ways for school districts to inform taxpayers about positive educational programs in order to convince them that a particular public school system is worth the investment. A school district needs to create good public relations in order to "sell" taxpayers on an educational program. Thus educators must show that they…

This seminar marked the beginning of the formal sharing and analysis of National Institute of Education sponsored research and development in effective schooling and dissemination processes. All laboratories and centers were represented, and their materials were shared. The participants were those responsible for establishing and supporting the…