Generally, secondary schools experience more difficulties than elementary schools in meeting the demands of inclusive education practices. Article draws on teacher interview data from a study of two Nova Scotia junior high schools attempting to accommodate handicapped students in regular classrooms. Although teachers were fearful and frustrated by…

Through Michael's eyes, this article illustrates personal disconnections between a good, "invisible" kid and his overworked teachers. Anonymity is the curse of the overloaded, specialized American comprehensive high school. Few teachers can be fully effective when teaching five dozen students. Reallocating instructional resources is…

Performance-driven high schools have organizational, management, and governance structures that communicate high expectations. Such schools create a results-oriented culture, strongly support staff development, build community services and "outside" supports for students, help parents support their children's academic progress, and…

Analyzed the Accelerated Schools Program (ASP) in two schools in New Orleans (Louisiana). ASP believes schools should pursue simultaneous, interactive changes in curricula, instruction, and organization for the changes to have lasting effects. Racial, social, and ideological conflicts must be resolved for change to take root in inner-city schools.…

Studied an overseas high school to gain a better understanding of how cultural elements affect school organization. The high school's culture cuts across adult and student groups in the areas of academics and school spirit. These commonalities, or reinforcing elements, fit the organization's purposes. The authoritarian principal was a catalyst who…

Considers derivation of the strategy concept and its deployment as a managerial planning technique. Examines the related growth of school development planning, exploring ways it might be considered strategic. Using strategy in organizations is no longer either possible or appropriate. Proposes an alternative planning basis derived from marginal…

Reports on a distance-independent class taught at the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and examines the challenges this course posed to existing academic culture. Topics include logistical issues, including scheduling, workload, and credit hours; changing personnel and roles; and changes in power and…

An administrator of an Indiana alternative high school constantly battles negative public attitudes toward alternative schools. Schools or programs seeking to serve the variety of youths and families in today's society should not be separated out as "alternatives." Ensuring that all individuals have opportunities to succeed is a necessity, not an…

Evaluates the UK government's performance-management initiative for teachers. This measure, which aims to modernize the teaching profession, raise standards, and provide financial rewards for individuals, teams, and whole-school performance, has been soundly criticized. However, the initiative is flawed, as it neglects some important school…

Describes size, contents, organization, and social psychological function of teachers' rooms in Japanese junior high schools, which serve as centers of daily educational activities and interactions among teachers, between teachers and students, and among students themselves. (PKP)

As suggested by standard indicators--truancy, dropout rates, graffiti, vandalism, violence--youngsters in small schools rarely display the anger at the institution and its inhabitants that typifies Columbine and many other comprehensive high schools. Educators must cultivate learning communities and qualities (like empathy and compassion)…

Researchers say transition programs need to last longer than just the first few days of a new school year. Most transition programs consider only one thing helping students adjust to their new school. Schools need to go through a transition process of their own, paying serious attention to the research on transition, adjusting to the students, and…

Explores the relationship between (Ontario) secondary-school organizational structures and implementation of legislated change initiatives. Examines the role of individuals responsible for implementing two legislated curriculum innovations: curriculum integration and performance-based assessment. Implementing whole-school or subject-based…

Almost 25 years ago, Bourdieu and Passeron (1977) explained how educational systems foster a "misrecognition" of the part that schools play in social reproduction. They noted that it is to the advantage of the dominant elements of society and educators themselves to perpetuate a strong belief in the legitimacy of schools as institutions that…

What does the future hold for educators and facilities professionals when it comes to planning, building, funding, and operating school facilities? No one can absolutely know beforehand. However, there are many, many indicators of where public education in the United States may well be destined. These indicators take the form of already occurring…