Included in calls for change during the school reform of the 1980s were demands that teachers be given more control over education in the classroom. Such calls have led to the propagation of changes in the schools that allow teachers to take the lead in education, with school management being left to administrators. These changes create legal…

Shared decision making (SDM) as an element of educational reform promises enhanced quality outcomes and appeals to educators who see virtue in the idea of people coming together to plan what is best for themselves and their students. Analyses have shown, however, that school councils implementing SDM rarely tackle operational classroom decisions…

This publication examines some of the skills that informed observers see as most critical for principals who seek to be effective leaders in restructuring schools. It also highlights some principal-preparation programs, both preservice programs at colleges and universities and inservice programs for practicing principals. The document examines…

The Oregon Report Card is an annual portrait of the state's public schools. The first five sections describe statewide progress toward implementing Oregon's Educational Act for the 21st Century, some of the state's exemplary school-improvement programs, and the clear relationship between Oregon's program and national education goals. The remaining…

This paper utilizes the concepts of power and change as a framework for describing and analyzing efforts made by an individual teacher to change instructional-grouping and teacher-assignment practices in one Georgia school system. Data were collected through interviews with the individual teacher, administrators, educators, and federal and state…

The history of reform movements in education has culminated in the current work of Theodore Sizer and John Goodlad. This paper discusses and describes the application of Sizer's and Goodlad's research to educational administration programs at the university level. The commonalities between each researcher's perspective, as applied to school…

A conceptual model is developed that presents leadership as process and participation by followers in urban schools in which decentralization efforts are underway. The model advances the work of urban school administrators as they deal with constituencies from diverse perspectives and predilections. Applications of the model involve behaviors that…

This paper explores the degree to which the public education funds in selected districts have become players at the policy table and examines the factors that permit funds to have a credible voice in the turbulent political world of urban districts without seriously jeopardizing their working "inside" relationships with these systems. The analysis…

This issue brief discusses the process of identifying a broadly defined set of desired outcomes for children and youth. It looks at the experiences of four states making progress in this area--Oregon, Texas, Kentucky, and Kansas--in order to illustrate the implications for state education agency policy and practice. It presents principles for…

The Alberta Minster of Education recently announced a major education restructuring plan. Two components of the plan have a significant impact on the roles and responsibilities of various members of the education community--school-based management and school councils. This document contains position statements concerning the roles and…

This paper presents findings of a study that investigated factors that contribute to the engagement of students. Based on the theoretical model of Newmann, Wehlage, and Lamborn (1992), the study examined the effect of instructional approaches of teachers, contextual features of classrooms, and attributes of student experience on students'…

Many schools and states have moved in recent years to more "authentic" ways of assessing student learning. However, most assessments are essentially summative, one-shot measurement of outcomes. This book is based on the work of Designing Schools for Enhanced Learning, a group of schools and educators that have worked with the Regional…

The recommendations of the National Association of State Boards of Education's Study Group on Special Education focus on: (1) creation of a new belief system and vision that includes all students; (2) encouragement of collaboration between general and special educators to better serve the diverse student population; and (3) breaking the link…

This report summarizes input from a communication panel of four State Directors of Special Education and one state staff member who helped develop an instrument for determining to what extent administrative, discretionary, and flow-through funds of Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act were being used to support school reform…

Descriptive information on open enrollment/choice programs in a variety of states is provided in this report. Following an introduction, key program components are discussed, which include transportation, information, and funding issues; state guidelines for student acceptance; and athletic recruiting. Private school issues are examined in the…