This document explains how community groups can use the Labor Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) process to ensure that skills taught in school are those sought by employers. Chapter 1 explains how the SCANS process works. Chapter 2 is titled "What SCANS Means to You." Chapter 3 explains how to build coalitions,…

This research study used a system of microcomputers interconnected with electronic meeting system software as a possible means of overcoming the grading and participation disparity problems associated with group work sessions conducted in face-to-face meetings. The purpose of the study of 20 undergraduate business students at the University of…

Drawing from experiences at Delaware Technical and Community College (DTCC), these papers discuss the institution's entrepreneurial approach to two aspects of college administration: developing relationships with business and industry, and management planning. Entrepreneurship is defined as the ability to find and evaluate opportunities, locate…

It is possible to give a concrete meaning to the usually vague concept of decentralization by examining four core components. First, at the crux of decentralization is a downward shift in decision-making power. Administrative decentralization entails shifts internal to the institution. Political decentralization shifts authority to external forces…

This report describes the Career Ladder Program at Ganado Unified School District 20, which serves approximately 2,000 students in grades K-12 in the Navajo Nation in rural northeastern Arizona. A committee of teachers and principals developed a model that influenced the evolution of the district and school system from conventional management to a…

This paper describes a project implemented in one first grade classroom to incorporate learning strategies in the process of group development of curriculum planning and development of instructional activities. The teacher used dialogue, coaching, modeling, questioning, and reinforcement with the students to make prominent the language and…

This document for school-council members in Kentucky provides guidelines for school-based decision making (SBDM). In 1990, the Kentucky State legislature passed the Education Reform Act (KERA), which mandated SBDM in Kentucky schools and recommended the formation of school councils composed of the principal, three teachers, and two parents. The…

A survey of National Education Association (NEA) higher education members examined opinions about governance issues, factors that affect quality education, and attitudes about the "new unionism." Characteristics of respondents are summarized and illustrated by characteristics such as median faculty income, length of time in higher…

This paper reviews the literature and findings of a prior study (Dixon 1997) that described and categorized contrasting elements of different conceptions of democracy: liberal democracy, participatory democracy, and community democracy. A table in the appendix also presents this comparison. These contrasting conceptions of democracy were then used…

This paper describes the use of site-based management in one Maryland (Frederick) high school. A partnership was established between a college teacher and the high school in order to conduct teacher training for implementing a Clinical Supervision Teacher Growth Program. High school faculty became supervisors and supervisees in a peer coaching…

This study presents a report on parents' participation in a leadership-development project in which parents constructed their own leadership roles for improving children's educational opportunities and outcomes. The text focuses on parents working in collaboration with other parents, school administrators, and university faculty and staff. The…

Since 1990, a long-term study has been following the implementation of the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) in 21 schools in 4 rural school districts. This publication summarizes study findings through 1995. Findings across KERA strands suggest that reform would have been unlikely without KERA's extra funding, used to increase teacher…

This paper discusses how the formation of coalitions and partnerships in Illinois has helped to impact public policy, sharing recommendations for forming coalitions that will help ensure educational excellence and equity in the 21st century through a shared decision-making process. After discussing the importance of forming coalitions, the paper…

After acknowledging the complexity and importance of curriculum change, this document offers suggestions for involving students, parents, board members, and graduates in curriculum review. Information on empowering teachers, promoting growth in all adults, and encouraging collaboration is provided as well as necessary steps in curriculum review.…

The purpose of the study reported in this paper was to assess resident student satisfaction with the facilities, services, communications, staff, and programs offered by the Office of Housing and Residence Life of Auburn University (Alabama.) Campus ecology theory and A. Maslow's hierarchy of needs were used to interpret findings. A systematic…