Throughout 1998, the National Education Goals Panel conducted interviews with policymakers in the states that have made top improvement and performance on indicators of progress toward the national education goals. State officials told the story behind the data and what they consider to be the reasons for their success. Their stories are intended…

Chapter 188 of the Massachusetts Acts of 1985 established a statewide testing program that began in 1986. The Massachusetts Testing Program functions to improve curriculum and instruction in the public schools and districts, identify students needing assistance in mastering basic skills in the classroom, and make results available to the public.…

This monograph documents major events in the Cincinnati (Ohio) School District (CSD) in 1990-91 concerning the Bronson Settlement, which was the result of a racial segregation suit against the CSD (Mona Bronson, et al. v. Board of Education of the City of Cincinnati). The Bronson Settlement ordered changes in nine areas of the CSD. This report…

This paper examines the success of the Boston (Massachusetts) Compact's business and public education agreements over the years 1985 through 1987. The Compact began in 1982 as a citywide public school improvement program. Business, university, and trade union leaders agreed to establish and meet measurable admission and hiring goals to increase…

The purpose of this practicum was to increase homework productivity and reinforce basic skills in a third-grade class. Other objectives were to relieve the burden of parents who were unable to help their children with homework and to improve communication between parent, teacher, and child. Homework assignments were made daily by the teacher.…

This paper explores issues surrounding parental choice of schools. The administration of President George Bush has presented parental choice as a cornerstone of its proposed "America 2000 Excellence in Education Act." Educational advocates are concerned that emphasis on choice as a key moving force for school reform falls short of the…

This paper examines how the concepts of strategic planning, assessment, and Total Quality Management fit together and relate to one another in the field of higher education. Central to the explanation of how these topics are related is the Japanese philosophy of Kaizen, a driving force behind the quality improvement movement in that country. The…

The RAND Institute on Education and Training in consultation with the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives undertook an analysis of federal policy options to improve education in low-income areas. The analysis focuses on Chapter 1 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, drawing on a comprehensive review…

The goal of American education must be to provide more learning for more people. Accomplishing this objective will require formidable commitments of social will, educational expertise, and financial resources. Although there are many good schools in America, many others face many impediments in their efforts to educate children. Obstacles for…

The Providence Blueprint for Education study (PROBE) gathered as much information as possible about the status of Providence (Rhode Island) schools, collecting data from parents, teachers, the government, school administrators, and the public to paint a broad picture of the schools and areas for improvement. Information was collected from the…

As part of the school improvement process, the Springfield Public School (Massachusetts) has involved all constituencies in the community in implementing the Schools of Choice plan. This guidebook was prepared to assist parents and students in determining the best program and schools for their needs and desires. Parents of elementary school…

The main trends in urban education, particularly in England and the United Kingdom, are reviewed and analysed, along with descriptions of a series of projects and interventions. In particular, the paper: reviews the relevant research evidence about the current state of urban education; considers the scope for change; reports on worthwhile…

An evaluation was conducted of the Technical and Vocational Education Initiative (TVEI), a program that aims to improve the skills of young people in Scotland to enable them to be effective, enterprising, and capable at work. The evaluation looked at the extent to which TVEI had enhanced the acquisition of certain key skills (communicating,…

This book highlights several individuals and programs that have been responsible for improving the academic achievement of African-American students. The author reports on the positive results of culturally conscious education and highlights eight teachers who, though they differ in personal style and methods, share an approach to teaching that…

This report examines the second and third years of the Chelsea-Boston University (BU) partnership in which BU manages the Chelsea, Massachusetts, school system. The report summarizes the activities of the partnership (begun in 1989), examines the impact of key players and events, and evaluates BU's impact on Chelsea to date. The partnership's…