This article attempts to verify some assumptions evident in the scenario planning literature through the application of quantitative measures. The Dimensions of the Learning Organization Questionnaire is used to measure participant perceptions of the learning organization characteristics pre- and post-scenario planning intervention. Results are…

How can a school become a place where all members of the staff are learning, growing, and working to increase student achievement? The answer lies in systems thinking and a focus on continuous improvement, two concepts that can transform staff development from something that people merely tolerate to something that they actively pursue to create…

The Field Guide for Change Facilitators Working With Low-Performing Schools was written to assist those working with schools in the improvement process, especially low-performing ones. As a primer for change facilitators, this research-based guide is arranged in sections so that the user can easily find needed information on specific topics.…

This study examined issues faced during implementation of school-based management (SBM) in New Jersey's special needs or Abbott districts, using a literature review, surveys of K-12 schools, and focus groups with central office administrators. The study examined forms of SBM, team operations, local autonomy versus state power, skills required to…

In recent years, the mental health community has made great strides in understanding more about the delivery of mental health services, improving efficiency and quality in services, and also about how to build strengths and resilience in the face of lifes stresses. This volume adds to the knowledge base so that the important task of system change…

This paper suggests that supported employment programs should view themselves as learning organizations for whom people with severe or profound disabilities are a prized resource, since they encourage the organization to invent new ways to develop jobs, foster administrative flexibility, review assumptions about potential, and take responsibility…

As educators embark on the crucial mission of education reform, examining and learning from the shortcomings of past reform efforts can be the critical element that determines the success or failure of future efforts. This guide provides a unique insider's look into the various causes for ineffectual efforts, shedding new light on the obstacles to…

For about two years the Rochester City School District has eliminated much of the teachers' mandatory staff development time. In years past students would be released almost an hour early once a week to create time for staff development. Due to such issues as low test scores, numerous retirements, and many newly adopted reform programs the city…

This book illuminates efforts of the National Coalition for Equality in Learning to help educators tackle compelling equity problems that persist in public education. The demographically diverse members of the National Coalition, located in eight communities across the country, form a national laboratory for important experiments in school…

Effective managers and professionals in all walks of life have to become skilled in the art of "reading" the situations they are attempting to organize or manage. Ways in which individuals can develop the art of reading and understanding organizational life are presented in this book. It focuses on the premise that all theories of…

This report outlines the history and implementation of a voucher program in Cleveland, Ohio. It describes the difficulty educational reformers encounter when trying to place any public initiative on the ballot, and the importance of using the legislative process to implement a voucher system. The text describes the opposition to vouchers and how…

Noting that during the teenage years, adolescents may be faced with life-changing decisions and challenges, this book guides adolescent readers to a better understanding of themselves, their strengths, and their desires, while helping them to devise and achieve plans for realizing their visions. The book bridges the gap between education and the…

This paper presents an overview of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) program in India, discusses the context of Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Nepal, analyzes the best practices of the ICDS, and draws some policy implications for improving ECE in Nepal. The ICDS program is an integrated child development program with the…

This guidebook provides a framework for planning schoolwide improvements. It is intended to help educators redesign schools, move beyond piecemeal reforms, and reconfigure entire academic programs to help every student meet challenging standards. The guidebook describes the context of comprehensive school reform and offers a process for conducting…

This handbook suggests that public schools should be reformed in fundamental ways. It outlines the structure of public schools, focusing on administrative units, school boards, administrators, the "mini-laws" that govern the school society, and the three R's of the student: responsibility, respect, and reward. The book emphasizes the importance of…