For the past several years, the University of Connecticut has been carrying out an ambitious plan in pursuit of what the Association of American Colleges and Universities calls "inclusive excellence." The idea is that true excellence should be measured by how well campus systems, structures and processes meet the needs of "all"…

Evolutionary paths for faculty are no longer sacred routes to chief academic officer (CAO) roles. Instead, CAOs are being drawn from a variety of other arenas. This being the case, college and university officials must address the following areas: (1) alternative career paths to academic affairs; (2) how to identify future leaders from other…

In this article, the author introduces the new superintendent of Memphis City Schools, Dr. Carol R. Johnson's slogan "Relationships, Responsibility, and Results," which summed up what she learned from years of experience in public schools. "Respect" was later added to the slogan in order to support the new district-wide behavior initiative ending…

In this article, the authors talk about the Paideia program of the Asheville Middle School (AMS). Paideia is a Greek word that expresses the idea of nurturing the whole child. The Paideia Program is a systemic school transformation project based on the work of philosopher Mortimer Adler. The authors discuss the principles of the Paideia Program.…

This paper examines management reaction to strategic change in organizations based on the findings from a study of management responses to environmental change in further education. The paper sets out a number of propositions about the key factors required for successful strategic change in a public sector organization based on a national survey…

In this article, the author discusses how England refines its accountability reforms. When the Conservative government crafted the Education Reform Act of 1988, which mandates a national curriculum for England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, as well as national-curriculum tests at ages 7, 11, and 14, schools in England were permitted to secede from…

A Texas district shows what can be done when school-based staff developers work with teachers dedicated to improvement--student achievement improves in just one year. The author points out the factors that helped make it work and offers tips for traps to avoid. (Contains 10 charts.)

The history of educational reform and innovation is replete with good ideas or policies that fail to get implemented or that are successful in one situation but not in another. A missing ingredient in most failed cases is appreciation and use of what is called change knowledge: understanding and insight about the process of change and the key…

Students crave problem-solving strategies that promise increased achievement on tests. Student ambitions seem to align with teacher goals, yet students resist using these strategies for various reasons. We seek to establish a pedagogy modifying student behavior so they are more likely to use any strategy a teacher deems useful. (Contains 1 figure…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) "Educating Our Children": "Forbes" Taps Leaders in Business, Government, and Education for New…

One of the best ways to avoid being poor as an adult is to obtain a good education. Individuals with higher academic achievement and more years of schooling earn more than those with lower levels of human capital. This is not surprising given that we believe that schooling makes people more productive, allowing them to command higher wages in the…

Five sister reports published by the Friedman Foundation over the past two years have ignored the relevant research literature in asserting that private-school voucher programs can reduce the social costs of dropping out while increasing graduation rates. The reports are state-specific, targeting five different states. But each report follows a…

As the United States stands on the brink of a new era in American history with new leaders, fresh ideas, and a strong feeling of optimism for the future, everyone has an important opportunity to get the nation's education policy right. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) recommends that as policymakers reshape the…

The full-purpose partnership (FPP) schoolwide model primarily focuses on prevention and early intervention. This model brings the tenets of service coordination directly into the school and focuses efforts to involve families from a strengths perspective before behavioral issues become significant. A preliminary evaluation has shown that this…

On June 16, 2006, a panel of experts briefed members of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights on affirmative action in American law schools. The panel convened to debate the empirical strength of the research on the effects of racial preferences in law school admissions and the legal and policy implications of the American Bar Association's…