In a reflection upon the characteristics of effective schools and colleges of education, descriptions are offered on the qualities of effective leaders, management teams, and organizations. The dean is characterized as the key to the effectiveness of a teacher education institution. The dean must not only have a clear mission and high…

Project SHAL in St. Louis (Missouri) involved an attempt to reproduce effective schooling elements, as identified by research, in four inner-city schools, including one middle school (Stowe) and three K-5 schools (Hempstead, Arlington, and Laclede). The pilot project required the development of a replication model to track project implementation,…

It is the role of schools and colleges to teach certain truths that can enhance the quality of one's life in society. Yet often these truths are not learned at school because many students do not accept them as truths, because they are not actually included in the curriculum, or because they are mistaught. These truths revolve around eight…

This legal anthology presents contemporary thoughts covering a broad range of topics in education and school safety from a national perspective. It covers four major areas: (1) an overview of schools in U.S. society from historical and legal perspectives; (2) an exploration of some aspects of school crime; (3) restitution, parental liability,…

The origin of effective schools research (ESR) is discussed in the context of a review of the pertinent literature. Debates over this topic have involved impacts on student achievement, methodology, the allegations of the Coleman report, and various effective school models. The Coleman Report (1966) concluded that family background was the…

This report is one in a series of publications issued on school-based management and improvement (SBI). The publication is intended to present the best and most interesting of the research involving school based approaches to educational reform, including research on effective schools. It begins with an introductory article on SBI and its link to…

Fitchburg State College's Assessment Week and Annual Development Day are described in this report. Developed in 1976 at this Massachusetts liberal arts college, Assessment Week involves a gathering of the community to discuss pressing issues and future directions. It occurs every 10 years and consists of a 4-day, in-house conference having…

This study investigated school effectiveness based on recent British and Australian advances in the understanding of student learning processes in natural settings via students' approaches to learning and their perceptions of teaching. The results were derived from a survey of 745 government school students, 380 Catholic school students, and 365…

This essay discusses impediments to student success in today's urban schools and recommends solutions for the future. The following problems are covered: (1) overcrowded classrooms; (2) student behavioral problems; (3) lack of instructional materials; (4) outdated facilities; (5) inadequate school library collections; (6) low teacher salaries; (7)…

South Carolina's comprehensive Education Improvement Act of 1984 includes provisions for the development and implementation of statewide incentive pay programs for teachers, principals, and schools. The provision affecting teachers mandates the development and field testing of up to three programs between 1984 and 1986 and the implementation of…

The responsiveness of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst to its adult undergraduates is measured as part of an examination of the American higher education system's response to this type of student. One purpose of the study is to adapt to this university the Commission on Higher Education and the Adult Learner's "Postsecondary…

This monograph is a summary of the ideas and thoughts from participants in a conference that honored and recognized the accomplishments of outstanding teachers and principals in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, and Puerto Rico. The primary focus of the conference was to highlight the importance of classroom teachers…

This report from the Ben Hill Elementary School in Atlanta (Georgia) provides information on student achievement for the 1986-87 school year. The narrative presents 11 findings concerning enrollment, attendance, reading achievement and math achievement. Conclusions and recommendations generated from these findings are the following: (1) on most…

In April 1984, 26 schools were selected as pilot sites for the Minnesota School Effectiveness Program (MSEP). A leadership team composed of four teachers, the building principal, and a district office representative from each site participated in a week-long training session sponsored by the Minnesota Department of Education. In August 1984,…

To address the problem of increasing professional isolation of building administrators, the Principals' Inservice Project helps establish principals' collegial support groups across the nation. The groups are typically composed of 6 to 10 principals who meet at least once each month over a 2-year period. One collegial support group of seven…