Leadership is key in the success of any reform, especially one as ambitious and complex as that in Philadelphia. "The case of Philadelphia is noteworthy as an exemplar of the implementation of paradigm-breaking new reforms in the governance and delivery of urban education." This report follows the first five years of the state takeover…

This report discusses the outcomes of a project that examined the acquisition of reading and writing skills in 135 children with deafness or who are hard of hearing. Eighty-three of the children attended a state-sponsored residential school and 52 attended a local school district program where students with deafness or who are hard of hearing are…

This book examines the role of the educational service agency (ESA) in the process of enabling and facilitating rural school improvement. The introductory chapter discusses the continuing significance of rural education, service to rural districts as an explicit reason for establishing ESAs, and the characteristics of several types of ESAs.…

Because school systems throughout America depend on local property taxes for much of their revenue, districts with poor property valuations, especially rural districts, are facing fiscal crises. In response to a lawsuit filed in 1991, the Ohio Supreme Court twice decided that the state's heavy reliance on local property taxes for school funding…

Three possible futures for teaching and for teacher education are projected: (1) Teacher education colleges will become the chief source of professional preparation and development; (2) Teachers will respond to the workplace primarily through collective action; and (3) The states will control ends, means, and markets. Cooperation between teachers…

Research shows that failure in adequate school performance is the rule for the poor. Courts should recognize the inequalities in educational opportunity caused by family income inequality and declare that the failure of public schools to respond to this inequality constitutes a violation of the equal protection clause. (MLF)

Challenges government assumptions regarding local government reorganization that would increase educational authorities in Scotland from 12 to 32. Proposes that the potential increase in administrative costs of smaller educational authorities would be greater than potential savings and would result in lower quality of educational service. Compares…

Data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress mathematics assessment for within-state samples of eighth graders suggest that achievement is inversely related to school and district size indexes and to state-funding share. Higher achieving states have smaller schools and districts and smaller state shares of school expenditures. (SLD)

Discusses the relationship between systemic educational reform policy instruments and their effect on changing and improving teaching practice. The author argues that the system in systemic reform is not well matched with the nature of instruction because of the lack of analysis being done on how instructional practice is constituted or how it…

This directory provides information, by state and province, on U.S. and Canadian schools and programs for preschool, elementary, secondary, and postsecondary students who are deaf or hearing impaired. A chart summarizes program types, number of students enrolled, services offered, and communication methodologies. Information on demographic…

The effectiveness of indirect incentive grants by California on school district spending was investigated by using state data to document the impact of the incentives under Senate Bill 813 (1983). Incentives appeared to be more effective in directing spending toward direct instruction than other grants. (SLD)

Describes two state-mandated programs for institutional accountability in New Jersey (i.e., Basic Skills Assessment Program and College Outcomes Evaluation Program), which function through cooperation between the state's higher education agency and its colleges and universities. Highlights research objectives, procedures, responsibilities,…

Reviews the history of Massachusetts' 15 community colleges, from the first initiative in 1958 through the present. Outlines the colleges' purposes, responsibilities, and actions, and describes their finances, accountability, and governance. Discusses labor force development for high technology occupations, asserting that the colleges' training…

Outlines the development of the New Hampshire Community Technical College System (NHCTCS), including its transfer program, noncredit continuing-education courses, and community services. States that under the current proactive leadership, NHCTCS is poised to expand and intensify its mission to provide economic and community development for all New…

Various strategies used by state policymakers to influence small school districts are discussed. Incentives can be used to help small districts survive or encourage them to reorganize or consolidate. Disincentives, or "the stick," can withhold funding from small districts or establish impossible goals, resulting in consolidation while…