Instructional materials are mediocre and inflexible because (1) education agencies leave important decisions to materials producers; (2) students, parents, and teachers lack influence; and (3) schools depend excessively on such materials. Cites research supporting this view, and suggests broad criteria and actions to improve textbooks. (MCG)

A review of the contributions of the 1931 Rollins College conference on progressivism in higher education finds that it made active rather than passive education possible and thus diminished the possibility of a common, shared education. (MSE)

Offers educational practitioners direction for the development of a master plan for the implementation and application of computer-based educational technology by briefly examining computers in education, discussing organizational change from a theoretical perspective, and presenting an overview of the planning strategy known as the planning and…

Considers reasons for new college-community cooperation and forces within and external to community colleges that will be supportive of or resistant to the approach. (DMM)

Behavior modification techniques were used in an attempt to raise secondary school students' performance in creative writing. Incentives involved points, appropriate levels of teacher comments, and promise of a letter to parents. Results showed a considerable increase in essay scores on all variables considered (fluency, elaboration, and…

The process of comprehensive school planning is divided into seven stages: setting goals, analyzing strengths and weaknesses, brainstorming, focusing on limited goals, narrowing issues, choosing a plan of action, and evaluating progress. (JW)

Reports of social conflict and failure within organizational planned change are few. This study, based on 15 months of participant observation, historical analyses, and informal interviews, depicts a three-year intervention into a commercial enterprise. The state of the organization and the strategies by which change was introduced are analyzed.…

Tips to the media person on how to promote ITV use in his/her school. (Author)

Examines the closing of the Massachusetts public training schools, using it as a successful example of public policy termination. Describes how the barriers to policy termination were overcome and the replacement policy was consolidated, and evaluates the termination tactics and the new policy. Available from Elsevier Scientific Publishing…

In an effort to address child welfare service problems, the state of Kansas shifted responsibility to private contractors in 1996. Despite a considerable investment of new resources and significant improvements, serious problems remain. This report explores what is needed to "level the playing field" for the roughly 6,700 children in…

Professional development for teachers is at a crucial period. In order to help students meet demanding new standards, teachers must have greater success than ever before. The concept of "teacher as learner" must be explored more deeply by educators. At the core of this concept is the idea that many reforms undertaken in the name of greater student…

This paper analyzes data on elementary schools in Memphis, Tennessee, that had reorganized 4 years prior to the study. The Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS) was used to provide performance scores showing students' year-to-year gains, whereas data analyzed for this paper were derived from scores on the TerraNova, the state-mandated…

In efforts to address child care provider concerns about the staffing crisis, many Smart Start counties in North Carolina are seeking to implement substitute programs to promote release time for child caregivers to return to school or to cover staff illness and leave time. This type of substitute program involves the use of regularly employed,…

Communities that have good schools and better educated residents are safer, more stable communities where businesses and families thrive. This pamphlet describes ways religious organizations can support family involvement in education. The pamphlet provides a statement of common purpose among religious communities supporting family involvement in…

Recognizing that past efforts to promote healthy child development and to support families with young children have not been linked with efforts to promote family economic security in low-income communities, this exploratory project examined how community development corporations (CDCs) promote the well-being of low-income families with young…