The concept of school culture offers principals and other leaders a broader framework for understanding problems and relationships within the school. School culture can be defined as the historically transmitted patterns of meaning that include the norms, values, beliefs, and myths understood by members of the school community. Researchers have…

This guide for policymakers at all levels illuminates common ground between education reform and service learning and encourages the inclusion of service learning as a viable partner in education reform efforts. Leading school reform models are analyzed with a focus on their compatibility with service learning. Also included is a description of…

Noting that the most common problem reported by adults in the early childhood educational setting or in the home is getting children to behave, this booklet presents ideas for teachers and parents to help them plan for changes in behavior. The booklet is divided into three chapters. Chapter 1, "Basics of Good Behavior Guidance," provides…

The goals of this survey of the members of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) were threefold: (1) to describe the characteristics of NAEYC members; (2) to investigate NAEYC members attitudes about men working with young children; and (3) find out how often men apply for positions and the reasons why more men do…

This "toolkit" document is intended to provide a culturally appropriate set of resources to address the unique political and legal concerns of people with disabilities in American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities. It provides information on education, health, vocational rehabilitation (VR), independent living, model approaches, and…

This paper draws on demographic data on children spotlighted in the 2000 Census (called the Childrens Class of 2000) to examine how forces like poverty and family instability work to prevent equality of opportunity in school and in life. The paper describes some programs and techniques that effectively reduce the effects of these forces and…

This paper discusses three topics related to the issue of the changing environment for community colleges. It first explores the market forces impacting community colleges and how these forces affect organizational design. Second, the tensions that reside within community colleges and act as impediments to change are addressed. The internal…

Even the best schools must undertake a systematic and continuous appraisal of their current condition and future directions if they are to remain valuable and viable contributors to their community's quality of life. It is clear that schools cannot undertake that appraisal unless it is done in full partnership with the communities in which they…

In response to increasing demands for military child care and lack of comprehensive care standards, the Military Child Care Act of 1989 (MCCA) mandated improvements in military child care. Today, the Department of Defense runs a model child care system serving over 200,000 children daily at over 300 locations worldwide. Noting that most of the…

This paper analyzes various strategic management models for international programs from an Australian perspective. It presents the results of a qualitative case study of one Australian university faculty of business in the context of the relevance of chaos and complexity theories to strategic management. The case study is organized around the…

As part of its contract to develop a framework for continuous school improvement in its four-state region (Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia), Appalachia Educational Laboratory staff designed the Quest project. Based upon principles of inquiry, collaboration, and action research, Quest supports and investigates ongoing school…

As part of its contract to develop a framework for continuous school improvement in its four-state region (Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia), Appalachia Educational Laboratory staff designed the Quest project. Based upon principles of inquiry, collaboration, and action research, Quest supports and investigates ongoing school…

This guide is a combination of very up-to-date English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) standards and curricula text and a radical, community organization and action guidebook. The guide's aim is to help people learn English so that they can participate actively in American democracy and to assert their rights and extract a larger share of power and…

This action research project investigated a modified integrated curriculum for students in a multiage classroom who lacked personal and social skills. The lack of such skills in the prekindergarten through first-grade students was documented by means of teacher observations, summary reports, daily behavior reports, student portfolios, discussions…

This guide offers advice on influencing public policy and educational practice to the benefit of young children and the early childhood community. Included is information on the types of advocacy; how to work with others; the basics of federal, state, and local policy; and tips on disseminating information. Following an introduction highlighting…