The Kentucky Education Reform Act of 1990 mandates radical changes in curriculum, finances, and governance for all Kentucky schools and requires that all schools implement school-based decision making (SBDM). SBDM involves a cooperative problem solving approach to operational decisions. New York's Johnson City school district developed an…

This paper describes conditions and processes involved in implementing school-based decision making (SBDM), examining an outcomes-driven developmental model (ODDM) and describing the training components within Springfield, Missouri's and Kentucky's strategic plans. The Springfield Board of Education approved a plan to guide a schoolwide community…

This report describes a project at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (New York) to develop a curriculum that focuses on the social construction and use of science and technology in diverse cultural contexts. The program consists of both a minor and a three-course concentration on cross-cultural studies of science and technology. Courses covered…

This final report describes activities and accomplishments of a 3-year project at Central Missouri State University to develop and pilot test a Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) model as a replacement for the course-credit completion paradigm in 15 academic departments. The pilot CPI project was phase 4 of a 5-phase Decade of Transformation…

National trends in teacher education are presented, based on 1990 to 1993 data from 497 institutions with teacher education units. Graphs illustrate the number of teacher education institutions by region; changes in enrollment, faculty, resources, and professional development from 1990 to 1993; and changes in each of these areas in each geographic…

The system whereby teacher education faculty demonstrate their professional rectitude in most colleges and universities is a record of achievement more properly called a dossier (a collection of material and evidence) rather than a portfolio (the developmental record of a career). The scholarship of teaching (one of four overlapping functions of…

Australian society in the 1990s has been marked by the gradual disenfranchisement of rural communities due to the urban bias of political and economic decision-makers. In Victoria, curriculum changes based on strategic centralism, consumer capture, and educational accountability were accompanied by a more controlled, urban-biased approach to…

This report presents the recommendations of a New York State task force that addressed ways to enhance access to higher education for individuals with disabilities. Individual focus groups developed strategies in five areas: (1) preparation and readiness for college-level study, (2) funding streams, (3) faculty education and instruction, (4)…

The use of positive behavior supports (PBS) based on functional behavioral assessment (FBA) has produced dramatic improvements in problem behaviors of challenging students. This approach is a long-term strategy to reduce inappropriate behavior, teach more appropriate behavior, and provide contextual supports necessary for successful outcomes. Yet…

The Japan Association for Language Teaching (JALT) is a professional organization dedicated to the improvement of language learning and teaching in Japan, and this monthly magazine, containing articles and announcements, is a vehicle for promoting the exchange of new ideas and techniques in the field of language teaching. In addition to articles…

This book offers new practices for raising student achievement as it advocates for responsible changes in the policies, structures, and operations of schools, providing a perspective to help educators face the challenges of professional learning on a personal level. Its 11 sections focus on: (1) "Introduction: Essential Questions about…

This guide presents a collection of personal essays written by educators who describe how multicultural education has transformed their teaching. It also includes resources such as multicultural organizations, publications, videos, and Web sites. Chapter 1, "Multicultural Education: Voices and Visions," includes "Ethiopia at the Bar…

This study surveyed 227 teachers of English Language Learners (ELLs) in New York City public schools about the adequacy of the school and classroom services provided to ELLs to help them meet the challenges of New York City's updated promotion and graduation standards. In addition to the teachers' surveys, the report compiles data from the New…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes of the teachers' teaching practices through a collaborative action research project. The researcher and eight elementary science teachers established a collaborative relationship. The Constructivist Rationale and Teaching Model was introduced to the participant elementary science teachers.…

This study reviewed literature on Professional Development Schools (PDSs) relevant to outcomes for teacher education programs and the students they serve. It also examined the philosophy and defined common objectives of PDSs. The study consulted education databases and analyzed papers collected at national meetings. Data analysis indicates that…