This paper presents findings of a study that identified factors that facilitate or inhibit change, examined the effects of the change process on the school/community population, and provided recommendations to school and community personnel who may face change in the future. A three-tier research design included a review of the literature, a…

Is the work of democracy too hard for schools to implement? This paper presents findings of a study that examined the dialectical relationship between the espoused values of democracy in schools and the actual practice of equity and inclusion in site-based decision making. Specifically, it examines the lived experience of the people inside schools…

This paper analyzes the empirical evidence available to date concerning the evolving role of the principal. First, it briefly describes the effects of fundamental reform measures on the work environment of school principals, with a focus on work overload and role ambiguity. The second section unpacks the available body of empirical research to…

Since 1988, the governance and organization of education in England and Wales have moved decisively in the direction of decentralization and site-based management. Under the Education Reform Act of 1988 and the Education Act of 1993, local education agencies (LEAs) have acquired new responsibilities via local management of schools (LMS) and…

This paper examines the proposition that administrative policy has the properties of a myth, with myth defined as a grand narrative of explanation and justification. It illustrates the proposition with an example of radical restructuring in a large education system, the Department of Education in New South Wales, Australia. It reviews the…

A common way to control curriculum at the state level has been to implement changes in high school graduation requirements. This paper documents the variation in responses across five diverse high schools in Maryland, as the schools implemented new high school graduation requirements mandated by the State Board of Education. In 1985, the board…

The New American Schools Development Corporation (NASDC) was established in 1991 to fund the development of organizations that would create designs for innovative schools and help schools implement those designs. The plan deliberately develops expert organizations to help whole schools transform themselves. This handbook summarizes RAND's…

American public education has gradually evolved from a focus on the "disciplined mind" attainable by only a few to a focus on observable outcomes, purportedly attainable by all. This book offers a historical study of assessment, standards, outcomes, and criticism in U.S. public schools. Chapter 1 provides a selective history of education, focusing…

The Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) is the most comprehensive reform legislation nationally, bringing substantial change to all levels of the educational system. A group of researchers who have spent time in schools in Kentucky and policy analysts knowledgeable about Kentucky and other state education reform efforts convened in October 1992…

What does comprehensive or systemic restructuring look like, and how does it affect the students and staff of a high school that undertakes such an effort? This guidebook describes a model for comprehensive high school restructuring, discusses how 10 high schools undergoing restructuring are addressing the 7 critical elements of the restructuring…

The Education Commission of the States has found that urban school districts face enormous problems. This document looks at a variety of ideas about how to re-engineer the urban school district. These essays encourage educators and the public to think about the nation's urban school systems and how they might better meet the needs of children. The…

The RAND study of change agent programs, explored the innovative process in local school systems. Specifically, it sought to identify the impact of these federal programs on local educational systems: the Elementary Secondary Education Act, Title III; Vocational Education; ESEA Title VII (Bilingual Projects); and the Right to Read Program. This…

In the spirit of educational reform efforts, this digest examines the concept of teacher-as-researcher, a concept rooted in action research. Action research is designed, conducted, and implemented by teachers themselves to improve teaching in the classroom. The research is often a collaborative activity promoting reflective teaching, critical…

Site-based management has become a popular school reform strategy. However, conflicts can arise when school districts with collective bargaining try to implement site-based management. Site-based management depends on collaboration and cooperation among educators, both of which conflict with collective bargaining's adversarial nature. There is…

During the 1980s, Massachusetts' public commitment to increase educational funding was not carried through. To determine state educational funding for the decade, the Senate Committee on Post Audit and Oversight compared Massachusetts with nine other comparable states in expenditures per pupil, expenditures per capita, and expenditures per $1,000…