An evaluation was done of the participation of the core planning team members (CPTs) of 28 Phase II schools in Chicago (Illinois) in total site training provided by the Creating a New Approach to Learning Project (Project CANAL) for their schools from October 15, 1990 through January 30, 1991. The training's purpose was to assist schools to…

This essay posits a problem of "fit" between five streams of reform (subject matter teaching, diverse student populations, uses of student assessment, social organization of schooling, and professionalization of teaching), and prevailing configurations of teachers' professional development. It argues that the dominant…

This monograph is written to be used by school personnel and is a compilation of many ideas. The first chapter discusses the two key ingredients that school districts must consider to promote restructuring: leadership and teacher participation. Eight steps in the process and planning of restructuring are listed. As schools begin the process of…

As a result of state legislators' conviction that Chapter 1 fund mismanagement by the Chicago Public Schools had led to yearly increases in administration size to the detriment of students' real needs, the Chicago School Reform Act of 1988 placed a cap on noninstructional expenses and a progressive cessation on state aid to the poverty impaction…

In 11 chapters, this book objectively looks at school restructuring on the basis of prominent reports on education; materials submitted by local schools and school systems; results from the AASA (American Association of School Administrators) survey; and interviews with local school leaders, prominent reformers, as well as several state and…

The proceedings are presented of the hearing before the Congressional Subcommittee on Education, Arts and the Humanities of the Committee on Labor and Human Resources. They reveal both the strengths and limitations of the proposed Educational Excellence Act of 1989. The proposed act would promote excellence in American education by: recognizing…

Prospective research on the politics of school finance is linked to current major policy issues in this paper. Two main sections discuss the politics of revenue raising and distribution within school districts. New developments include a combination of qualitative and quantitative methodologies, and of policy instrument research with financial…

An overview of an international conference held on the campus of the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) to take stock of the development and use of educational quality indicator systems at the local, state, national, and international levels is provided. Major implications and findings of the education summit held at the University of…

A results-based educational approach focuses on the outcomes of processes and inputs into the educational system and stresses results, such as student achievement, rather than process. The results-based educational reform initiatives undertaken in Alberta from 1982-1990 are described in this paper, with a focus on interrelated results-oriented…

Issues related to the authority structures governing local public school districts are presented in this volume, which includes a paper and three discussant comments. The thesis of the main paper is that school organization affects the outcomes of public schools. The relationship between features of the formal authority structure to central reform…

To thrive in the 21st century economy, all young people will need some education beyond high school. Whether in two- or four-year colleges or in programs granting credentials for employment in family-sustaining careers, obtaining postsecondary education and training has become imperative---all the more so in an era when employers now require the…

This report examines the efficacy of the Boston Pilot Schools, a model of urban schools created in 1994 to promote innovation and increased choice options within the Boston Public Schools (BPS). Unlike most urban public schools, the Boston Pilot Schools have control over budget, staffing, curriculum, governance, and time, all critical conditions…

Research shows that small schools and schools within schools can yield positive outcomes for students and improved satisfaction and effectiveness among school staff. Small schools can be less costly than larger ones if judged by expenditure per graduate instead of cost per pupil enrolled. Examination of the policy environments of urban schools in…

In 1993, the Ministry of Education and Training in Ontario (Canada) issued a curriculum policy document that defined educational outcomes and recommended that many of the outcomes could be achieved through an integrated approach to learning. This study considers the third year after the mandated changes began. Other changes, including a new…

The essays provided in this book shed light on and initiate debates about important policy issues associated with education reform and improvement. The authors do this by linking conceptual frameworks to past research, analyzing these challenges, and speculating about the contours of future research and school practice. Part 1, Educational…