Incarcerated youth should be afforded the opportunity to develop the advanced academic and vocational skills needed to be competitive in today's labor market. Correctional facility administrators regard education as the most important component of the rehabilitation process. Correctional facilities must therefore make education and training high…

This work examines ways central and regional education ministries can influence practices at the school level. Chapter 1, "Changing What Happens in Schools: Central-Level Initiatives to Improve School Practice," reviews common themes, concerns, problems, and emphases. Chapter 2, "Knowledge Utilization and the Process of Policy…

To determine the factors that have contributed to persistence in successful Native American students, this study investigated student expectations, life experiences on campus, perceptions of support and lack of support for cultural identity, difficulties encountered, perceptions of how the Native American's college experience differs from that of…

This is a compilation of presentations delivered at the National School Boards Association Council of School Attorneys' Annual School Law Seminar: "From Vouchers to One Nation Under God: A Review of Recent Decisions Affecting the Separation of Church and State in the Context of Public Education" (Jay Worona); "ACLJ Memorandum:…

A study by the Texas Education Agency examined the variables contributing to the academic success of economically disadvantaged and language minority students. Data were collected from seven high-achieving elementary schools with high poverty rates and high percentages of limited English proficient (LEP) students via teacher questionnaires;…

A team of four high school juniors conducted a field study to determine the value that college admissions directors place on school-to-work (STW) experiences, which were defined not as traditional vocational education but rather as field study designed to give students an appreciation for and practice in exercising the skills and competencies…

This paper is based on a cross-sectional survey comparison of preparation experiences and outcomes using a sample of principals who completed one of five innovative leadership preparation programs between 2000-2005 and a national comparison sample of principals. The primary questions are: (1) How do innovatively-prepared principals and other…

Using National Educational Longitudinal Study data for 1988, 1990, and 1992, this study assessed the effects of six effective schools variables on student achievement level. Regression analysis of the data indicated that the most important effective schools characteristics are an achievement-oriented school culture, principal's autonomy in hiring…

The premises of this 2-year study are: first, what teachers know and can do is the most important influence on what students learn; second, recruiting, preparing, and retaining good teachers is the central strategy for improving our schools; and third, school reform cannot succeed unless it focuses on creating conditions in which teachers can…

This study examined elements of the climate of middle-grades schools that are associated with schools' effectiveness in terms of the engagement and achievement of their students, with special emphasis on gender equity. Drawn from the National Educational Longitudinal Study of 1988, data on 9,020 eighth graders from 377 middle-grades schools were…

The Lethbridge School District Number 51 Project attempted to develop a more effective model for system, school, and program evaluation in the Lethbridge, Alberta (Canada) schools. A literature review suggested that a collaborative model would be effective and would result in empowerment of school-based personnel through active involvement. The…

This book argues that limited faculty productivity is the major reason why the quality of undergraduate teaching has declined while university tuition has been rising substantially faster than the inflation rate. It stresses that inefficiency and fiscal waste are produced by the competing aims of research and teaching and attacks the academic…

This bulletin examines some questions that arise when children are not ready for promotion: Should they be retained? Who decides? Are there alternatives to retention? What is the effect of retention on the student? Despite research limitations, those who examine the studies on grade repetition say they show that grade retention does not have a…

This paper analyzes prevalent methods of comparing schools' performance and recommends alternative measures more helpful toward understanding how schools might be improved. The influence of two factors--resource availability and financial need--on the level of school programming is explained in light of Michigan's system of educational finance.…

To motivate teachers toward quality performance, administrators must follow effective organizational practices and methods for professional development. This report describes how Hampshire County, West Virginia, schools implement ideas that increase productivity. Among ideas used were those of James Lewis, Jr., whose book, Excellent Organizations,…