To obtain practitioner input on the research agenda for adult basic education (ABE), practitioner leaders from the Practitioner Dissemination and Research Network (PRDN) conducted nine focus groups with ABE practitioners in their states. The focus groups examined three topics: issues that concern practitioners in ABE; ways practitioners see their…

This document examines the implications that emerging restructuring movements hold for the changing roles and training needs of administrators. Restructuring is examined as it differs from traditional approaches to school improvement and as it affects: (1) programs and services for students; (2) roles and relationships; (3) rules and regularities;…

Teacher Assistance Teams (TAT) can support the collaboration and empowerment of teachers, address student and schoolwide problems, provide preventive intervention for at-risk students, and identify appropriate referrals to special education. This paper describes the implementation of TAT throughout the state of Arkansas over a 3-year period.…

This paper describes an intervention model used by speech language pathologists (SLP) in rural schools. The model involves whole-class instruction for children with communication disorders. Whole-class instruction uses the curriculum content and expectations of children's regular classrooms for the content of speech language therapy. The SLPs…

Reviewing the history of rural education reform, this paper argues for a policy of improving rural schools on their strengths, rather than a policy of consolidation. Since the late 1970's, rural school reform has placed greater emphasis on developing policies and educational strategies that allow rural schools to be different from urban schools…

In 1987, Congress directed each of the regional educational laboratories to develop a "rural initiative." Beginning in 1991, the U.S. Department of Education directed that the laboratories devote 25% of their effort to helping rural schools by fostering innovative rural education programs that promise to improve instruction, and by…

This paper considers trends in the relationship between English institutions of higher education and those who participate in them. It is suggested that a move from a client-professional toward a customer-provider relationship has occurred. A drawback of the client-professional model is the creation of unequal power relationships; the…

Information on school/community partnerships in Virginia is provided in this resource guide, which is divided into five sections. The first section, "Building Community/Classroom Partnerships Through Coalitions," by Jane Asche, discusses recent findings that point to the need for coalitions to improve public education. Successful…

Recommendations for a national educational agenda that is based on tolerance for cultural diversity and real collaboration are presented in this paper with emphasis on the W. E. Deming model of Total Quality Management, or "Demingism." Two problems in American education are academic performance and the failure of disadvantaged schools. Ten…

Over 50 delegates from 32 states and 2 Canadian provinces attended this conference, during which 5 intensive working group sessions discussed, debated, and achieved agreement on a number of relevant issues concerning the role of educational telecomputing in school reform and restructuring. The conference proceedings begins with an overview of the…

This paper describes the mission, history, current activities, and accomplishments of the Kansas City Metropolitan Council on Child Care. Created in 1989, the council represents a collaborative effort among representatives from local, state, and federal governments; business, labor, and community interests; and early childhood workers from public…

This guidebook contains information to help business leaders and others interested in developing and supporting effective programs to improve American educational quality. Chapter 1 presents an overview of the business/school relationship, which sets the context for corporate involvement in school reform activities at the local, state, and federal…

Findings of a case study that examined the evolution of a mentoring relationship in an elementary school are presented in this paper. The collaboration to implement a school improvement project developed between a new female elementary school principal and a male external change agent/school researcher. Data were derived through participant…

Third-year outcomes of Re:Learning, a national collaborative effort to redesign the total school system, are presented in this report. The introduction describes the rationale underlying the preparation of the status report and describes the project. The next section describes the 1990-91 activities of Pennsylvania's nine Re:Learning development…

For inclusion of students with disabilities to work successfully in schools, a sense of community among faculty and students, a shared mission, and the ability to successfully collaborate with others are essential. Activities to promote collegial relationships among faculty should be a part of each inclusion team's plan for implementing inclusion…