As school choice becomes more prevalent, competition among school districts for new students is increasing. School districts are using various sales tools, including paid advertisements, professional marketers, bookmarks, and billboards to market their schools. This article discusses divisive tactics, equity concerns, parent frustrations, and…

A study was conducted to determine whether their were significant differences in effects of outside facilities and resources of winners (n=69) versus nonwinners (n=169) in high school science fairs in the state of Mississippi. Results indicate that access to a university and resource dollars positively enhances chances of winning. (MDH)

Increasingly, colleges are offering affinity credit cards with attractive incentives as a marketing tool. Some in academe feel the trend may compromise educational objectives. Institutions may also face taxation on unrelated-business income generated through the cards. (MSE)

Emphasizes the importance of the principal's strategic thinking for school success. Clarifies the processes and factors influencing strategy determination by comparing a competitive, advantaged-based approach with a value-based approach. Uses a private French religious school to assess each approach's main contributions and relative importance and…

A survey of 344 colleges and universities investigated current practices concerning the dissemination of information, within the institution, about research funding opportunities. Results indicate that paper dominates electronic communication for such information dissemination, and selective, targeted distribution to faculty correlates positively…

In 1987, Texas created two competitive grants programs for faculty at Texas higher education institutions, designed to help diversify the state economy. The second funding cycle of the two programs (fiscal year 1990-91) is described, including the administrative infrastructure to support proposal solicitation and grant awarding. Project…

Increased pace of change and enhanced competition within British education, coupled with threatened or actual school mergers, have brought added pressures to the teaching profession. A study of 76 teachers from 5 Northern Ireland secondary schools that were threatened by merger, had merged, or had not merged revealed that those threatened by…

Explores possibilities for developing collaboration within and between schools and colleges to subvert central government pressures for greater competition between institutions. Examines the collaboration concept, issues connected with its promotion, potential links between collaboration and state schooling as a public professional service, the…

The Future Problem Solving Program involves teams of students from grades 4-12 in creative problem solving. The teams complete practice problems and competitive problems. Winning teams go on to state and international competitions. Other program components include noncompetitive problem solving for primary-level students, community problem…

Four young men who had participated in the national competition of the Future Problem Solving (FPS) Program 10 years earlier offer reflections about their FPS experience. Their coach concludes that the program equips young people with the vision and skills needed to anticipate and solve problems and build better tomorrows. (JDD)

Discusses Ohio University's (Athens) U.S. history contest for high school students. Tabulates student scores; examines them in the areas of chronology, colonial history, constitutional amendments, and knowledge of recent events. Outlines the importance of the test to determine student competence in U.S. history. (RW)

This article discusses findings by pediatric psychologists studying destructive stress responses and other psychological costs of overdriven competitiveness in gifted students. Warning signs indicative of depression or antisocial withdrawal are described, as are contributing factors such as parental expectations. Suggestions for avoiding…

Three distinct eras of higher education are seen as characterizing the 200-year history of Williams College (Massachusetts): first as a Christian college, then as a gentleman's school, and, finally, as a consumer-oriented institution as part of a general trend toward consumerism after World War II resulting from social change and decline in the…

Proposes the organization of noncompetitive science fairs to create a more positive learning experience for children in the elementary grades. Describes methods of organizing and judging the fair, and provides a list of suggested resources for science fair projects. (MDH)

Explores three contexts of librarians' professional work and their impact on the link between librarians and their work: social and cultural forces, other competing occupations, and competing organizations and commodities. Concludes that the central challenge to the profession lies in embracing various information technologies and the groups that…