Explores lessons that urban schools can learn from Catholic schools. Focuses on Cathedral High School in South Boston, Massachusetts which serves a population of mostly poor, minority students, of whom nearly one-half are not Catholic. Catholic schools have the reputation for efficient school management practices, disciplined college-bound…

In Singapore, national survival necessitated an early fundamental restructuring of the educational system, followed by a period of fine tuning, or repair. By the early 1980s, Singapore had developed a highly efficient education system that met the needs of a rapidly industrializing economy. Since the mid-1980s' recession, Singapore has redefined…

Describes the characteristics of one successful inner city elementary school. Interviews with teachers, the former principal, and an educational consultant who helped teachers in the writing process in past years indicated that nine factors significantly impacted the school's success: strong instructional leadership by the principal and teacher…

This research asked deans of schools of library and information science with American Library Association (ALA) accredited programs to rate typical effectiveness indicators one might use to evaluate a school. Results are compared with a previous study that examined opinions of the ALA accreditation committee, other administrators, alumni, and…

Argues that Americanization has not been a successful goal for educational programs in the United States that contain culturally and linguistically diverse students. Explains that there is a need to go beyond multiculturalism, developing forms of education that allow all children to participate in meaning making. Discusses educational equity and…

Describes the development of Oregon's community colleges, which were strongly supported by their local communities. Discusses the major focus of each college, from transfer programs to distance education, and the commitment of Oregon's community colleges to educational reform, workforce preparation, and institutional effectiveness. Examines the…

Examines the efforts of an elementary school in Iowa to combine Basic School and multi-age instruction. Quotes from teachers to describe how (trying not just to educate children but to teach them how to manage their own education) the school's curriculum is structured around big ideas and broad concepts that provide multiple entry points for the…

In 97 Ohio school districts, 484 teachers and administrators rated their school's standardized testing practices as average or above, compared to school performance in other areas. Highest rated testing practices were related to test quality, pupil records, and understandable scores and reports; lowest rated practice was use of test results to…

Discusses School Effectiveness Research (SER) as a method of determining the learning effectiveness of individual schools and school systems. Determines that SER data offer valuable information for the advice, supervision, and further education of teachers, but lacks enough empirical evidence to make generalized decisions for individual school…

Reports on study visits to 15 international leadership centers in 7 countries to identify examples of transferable high-quality practice validated by schools and school leaders. Recommends the establishment of an international network of leadership centers. (Contains 31 references.) (MLF)

Summarizes major findings and implications from research on the characteristics of effective classrooms and on characteristics that distinguish schools that have unusually high student achievement from those that enroll similar groups of students with much lower achievement. Discusses how these findings relate to improving achievement in city…

Discusses the book "Politics, Markets, and America's Schools," by John Chubb and Terry Moe. They claim the school reform movement has not worked, and a massive, deadening bureaucracy is ruining American education. They suggest a new system for effective schooling based on good organization and parental choice. (SM)

Surveys of outstanding secondary school principals in the United States and Japan examined career paths, career goals, roles and responsibilities, and attitudes about qualities of educational leadership and the principal's role in producing an effective school. Japanese and U.S. principals had remarkably similar values. Contains 44 references. (SV)

Major factors beyond a teacher's control that can influence teacher effectiveness are identified as sources of invalidity related to the inference of teacher effectiveness from students' achievement gains. These factors include: (1) student characteristics; (2) school characteristics; (3) test validity; and (4) pretest-posttest design…

Disagrees with the current educational reform premise that John Dewey's theories dominate education. Claims the absence of theory is responsible for current problems, rather than adherence to formalistic theory. Attacks the common content thesis and claims that providing vague background knowledge is the problem. Explores the future of the social…