THIS FOLLOWUP STUDY EXAMINES THE PROGRESS OF THE LOS ANGELES CITY AND COUNTY SCHOOLS IN IMPLEMENTING THE EDUCATIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE REPORT OF THE MCCONE COMMISSION, THE GOVERNOR'S COMMISSION ON THE LOS ANGELES RIOTS. IT PRESENTS DATA, SUPPLIED BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, ON DOUBLE SESSIONS AND UNUSED CLASSROOMS,…

This booklet offers answers to basic questions frequently asked by ESEA Title I Council Members and school officials. Suggestions are also given about possible Title I Council activities. In addition, there is a section on the regulation requiring parent participation in Title I, as well as a list of people to contact for assistance in…

The No Child Left Behind Act (P.L. 107-110) called for the U.S. Department of Education to carry out a national study of the effectiveness of educational technology. With computers becoming ubiquitous in American schools, and purchases of hardware and software now substantial expenses for school districts, whether funding is supporting effective…

In the positive theory of public bureaucracy, the prevailing view is that the structure of public agencies is designed from the top down by political superiors. Faced with bureaucrats who may disagree with them on policy and who are advantaged by private information, superiors choose rules and procedures to try to ensure that agencies do what they…

Presents a case study of the impact of school-based development planning on a small, disadvantaged rural elementary school in New South Wales. Although this collaborative approach increased parent participation and ownership in the school, more demands were placed on staff, particularly the teaching principal. Additional resources are essential…

The National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality (NCCTQ) was launched in 2005 as part of a comprehensive system of content-based technical assistance to support states in implementing the priorities of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. NCCTQ's mission is to support Regional Comprehensive Centers (RCCs), states, and other education…

A study of West Virginia elementary schools examined why similar types of elementary students differ greatly in academic achievement. In the first phase of the study, a comparison of 33 high- and 33 low-achieving elementary schools in West Virginia found that low-achieving schools had 2.5 times more low-income students than high-achieving schools,…

Authorized in 1994, schoolwide programs are intended to enable high-poverty Title I schools to improve curriculum and instruction for all students without restricting services to only some students. Also part of Title I, the Migrant Education Program (MEP) supports supplemental instruction and support services for qualifying migrant children. In…

This case study of a central office school improvement initiative in an urban school system examines instructional leadership practices of two junior high school principals. The school-based research focuses on correlates of school effectiveness in "low achieving" settings and the principals' capacity to "reflect-in-action," an ability to make…

A review of the community-controlled school on the Jackhead Indian Reserve evaluated the existing educational program for preschool through grade nine and set guidelines for the community to follow in improving the school. The study found not one of the 82 students achieving at grade level; 80% average attendance; 47% of the students had failed…

Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act is similar to the Disadvantaged Schools Program of Australia in some ways and distinctively different in others. This comparison of the two programs by an Australian educator points out the similarities and differences in program purpose, regulation, funding targets, and local control. Both…

A survey of current research on disadvantaged students (defined as children of unassimilated lowest class Negroes, Puerto Ricans, American Indians, Mexican Americans, and Caucasians) provides classroom teachers with concise and up-to-date summaries of educational research findings and their implications for teaching. Discussions presented cover…

Data in this report reveals that collectively bargaining agreements are not the source of the teacher quality problem in urban school districts. The data shows that collective bargaining agreements are associated with reduced teacher transfer activity, especially in high-poverty schools, and less reliance on first-year teachers to staff…

Researchers at Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL) recently completed a study of "beat-the-odds" schools--high-needs schools that demonstrated atypically high student achievement. This policy brief draws from the report of the study's findings, "High-Needs Schools--What Does It Take to Beat the Odds?"…

San Francisco teachers and principals in low-performing schools receive one chance to repair things and are removed if they fail. Many closed schools have reopened with new staff. The paper describes school takeovers, discussing advantages and disadvantages of the method and opinions of various school officials and teachers. (SM)