Findings from a study that examined the implementation of an effective schools development process are presented in this study. The study was designed to track both implementation process objectives drawn from seven correlates of instructionally effective schools and student outcomes from 1988-90 in a small-city school district in a rural state.…

Findings from a study that examined the effectiveness of schools in closing the academic achievement gap between low and middle socio-economic status (SES) students in grades K-12 are presented in this paper. The main argument is that the schools identified as "effective" did not close the gap without simultaneously lowering the average academic…

Findings of a study that explored the impact of school district context on school effectiveness are presented in this paper, with attention to the processes through which district impact occurs. The case study examined a large school district in the Pacific Northwest with an expressed commitment to student performance. Methodology involved 100…

Findings of a study that identified factors contributing to the maintenance of the collaborative action research process in public schools are presented in this paper. Specifically, the study evaluated outcomes of Project LEARN, the League of Educational Action Researchers in the Northwest, a university-sponsored school improvement initiative. The…

The philosophy known as Total Quality Management (TQM) is frequently presented as a way to change and improve public education. This issue of "Focus in Change" examines Deming's original 14 TQM points and their application to education. Myron Tribus lays out the core philosophy of the movement and discusses its possible application to…

In December 1992, the Community College Roundtable, a group of 10 two-year college practitioners, convened to identify the core indicators of community college effectiveness. This report identifies and defines a few such measures that can be put to use on community college campuses nationwide. After part I of the report explains the composition…

This newsletter contains six articles all related to the theme of education for recent legal and illegal immigrants. In "Golden Lord with Us from the Main Forest: Some Thoughts on the Education of Recent Immigrants," Aurelio M. Montemayor reflects on his experiences growing up in a bilingual, bicultural extended family of…

Noting that a better grasp of the dynamics of student development is needed if dropout prevention is to move beyond temporary and usually tardy palliative programs, this report reviews current research on the factors that determine whether or not students will complete high school. It also suggests avenues of future research in order to yield the…

This report presents research findings concerning house systems in four New York city high schools during the 1988-89 school year. Quantitative analyses compared small and large schools with both weak and strong house designs. Findings indicate that house systems with more complete designs had more positive effects on staff and students and…

Findings of a study that examined the relationship between school climate and student persistence are presented in this paper. Two surveys were administered to teachers and students at 10 Austin, Texas, high schools. Three factors of school climate were investigated--teachers as professionals, goals for student learning, and school discipline and…

This book applies quality management, an organizational theory that has been successful in business and industry, to education. Chapter 1 describes the basic elements of quality management (QM)--continuous improvement, client satisfaction, positive return on investment, and doing it right the first and every time. Ways to implement Deming's 14…

A 3-year evaluation was conducted of the New York State Community Schools Program (CSP) in New York City Public Schools. The goals of the CSP include better, more developmental, challenging, and enriched curricula and more time on task, leading to improved academic outcomes for children in Community Schools. The goals also include school-site…

This paper briefly reviews the early efforts at forming alumni associations and organizing alumni reunions, describes a number of the more recent alumni surveys used in assessment activities, and concludes with suggestions for conducting such surveys. First, pre-1980 alumni surveys that attempted to measure college outcomes are discussed. Next, a…

In October-November 1990 trustees, principals, and teachers at 239 schools and parents at 26 of these schools were surveyed. This provided a comprehensive picture of how the "Tomorrow's Schools" reforms were felt at the primary and intermediate levels. Four issues are identified. First is the provision of continuity and training for…

This paper develops further the ideas contained in two earlier reports, Effective Secondary Schools (1988) and Effective Primary Schools (1989), and recommends a systematic approach to the management of school effectiveness through using a school development plan. The purpose of the paper is twofold: to present and explain the role of the school…