The supportiveness of the principal was found to be significantly related to the organizational and theoretical dimensions of school-based curriculum development. When school staff saw the principal as supportive, there was higher perceived intimacy among staff, higher perceived curriculum satisfaction, more perceived group decision-making, and…

Predictive equations from Marchant's research on participative management and job satisfaction were tested using same data collection procedures and instruments that had been used to study 22 major U.S. academic libraries in 1970. Management style was again found to be best predictor of librarian satisfaction in academic setting. (17 references)…

Analyzes findings of a 1984 teacher attitude survey (from Dade County, Florida) showing declining job satisfaction and extrinsic rewards for a more experienced, better-educated work force than 20 years ago. Examines factors damaging teacher status, including outmoded administrative structures limiting teacher participation. Suggests sharing and…

Examines schoolwide improvement programs initiated by four states. Describes successful endeavors of California, Ohio, and Colorado schools to improve curricula and student achievement and the Connecticut schools' strategy to improve principal-teacher communication. Attributes the success of these reform programs to solid leadership skills,…

Self-interested political, corporate, and education leaders have undermined recent West Virginia court decisions mandating educational reform. Three implications are: (1) principals, teachers, parents, and students must be equal partners in the educaiton reform process; (2) a constituency for rural children is needed; and (3) rural educators must…

This review of recent research on minimum competency testing requirements focuses on the impact of such requirements on school curricula and on the processes of selecting which competencies are to be tested, determining cutoff scores, and ensuring test validity and reliability. (JBM)

Turning Points schools create a new culture built around the collaboration of all members of the school community. This collaborative culture requires structures that empower teachers and administrators to work together to make the most important decisions regarding the educational experiences of their students. The two primary components of this…

This publication presents highlights from the 2001 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) National Board Certified Teacher Leadership survey, which involved 2,186 questionnaires from National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs). The survey examined the leadership activities of NBCTs and how National Board Certification impacted…

In 1997, AEL, a regional educational laboratory, invited more than 100 people from 18 primarily rural school communities in Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia to join the QUEST network, a 3-year program dedicated to building quality learning communities that support high levels of student and adult performance. School stories from…

This study analyses the impact of democratic decentralisation on the chances of socially excluded groups to participate in newly created local governance institutions--Panchayati Raj Institutions--in three Indian states. This institutional reform included a quota for the disadvantaged--women and lower castes--to ensure their effective…

This paper addresses educational reform centering on teacher participation and leadership. Although schools have developed new mission statements and implemented strategic planning and site-based management in recent years, most schools are not set up to accept teachers in leadership roles. The literature suggests that our "new" schools…

This paper is designed as a guide to the study of empowerment in the neighborhood movement for historic preservation in New Orleans' French Quarter. For this case study, whose initial focus in on a relatively affluent sector of the population, culture and identity become prominent. However, the review adopts a broader focus to ensure its…

This book examines concepts of institutional mission in the context of British further and higher education (F/HE), especially in incorporated further education and "mixed economy" F/HE establishments previously under local education authority control. It urges adoption of participative methods of mission establishment, procedures for…

This report to the President and Congress addresses issues affecting people with disabilities from diverse racial and cultural backgrounds, based on a series of meetings which identified remaining barriers to full participation and developed recommendations for improving federal policies and programs. The main barriers which emerged were: (1)…

This report addresses university outreach efforts at Michigan State University (MSU) and sets out strategic directions for strengthening such efforts. The report focuses on three messages: (1) that faculty, staff, and students are engaged in a significant amount of outreach, although these activities may not always be so labeled; (2) that outreach…