Describes qualities of a good preschool child-development program: Competent staff, parent partnerships, administrative support, and school board support. Provides list of online resources. (PKP)

Presents findings of a comprehensive 1999 survey of advisers and administrators, which showed that the high-school student press is not free, is controlled mostly by advisers, but also by principals, and views editing of the newspaper by its faculty adviser as the norm. Notes that only 27% of the principals and advisers say their papers are not…

In this interview, Dr. Marilyn Friend discusses why collaboration is important in schools, what it takes to make collaboration work effectively in schools, what teachers need to learn about working with others, the biggest challenges that collaborators face, how school leaders can facilitate collaboration, and resources on teacher collaboration.…

If conditions conducive to successful college planning are not present in the institution at the outset of the planning process, little can be done to compensate for the weaknesses. Conditions for successful strategic planning include: creation of consensus for change; focus on institutional needs; a planning strategy that fits with the…

Describes two successful fund-raising campaigns conducted by the new Dean of the College of Communication at the University of Texas, Austin. Describes strategies used as a novice fund-raiser with no help from a development officer. Suggests that the Aristotelian principles will serve anyone well if he or she is willing to give it the time and…

States that, based on several studies, sports programs at any level of education have no more potential to develop character than any other school activity. Asserts that Catholic schools are committed to character development in every aspect of the curriculum, and that they must emphasize the potential for sports participation to foster moral…

Presents a crisis plan for schools to enact in emergencies, from the first 30 minutes after the incident to several weeks afterward. Includes: (1) recruiting the entire school staff in the plan's conception; (2) appointing a leader and a group of people responsible for carrying out specific tasks; (3) conducting a full-facility review to address…

Students at a St. Louis middle school experimenting with hands-on learning methods have scored consistently higher on the Stanford Achievement Tests than those in other district schools. A hands-on learning environment requires a thematic, integrated curriculum; creative, self-motivated teachers; and a supportive, facilitative principal. (MLH)

College deans serve as both extensions of the presidency (through the provost) and extensions of the faculty. This puts them in situations confounded by ambiguity and role conflict. A discussion of the impact of this role conflict and ambiguity on deans, particularly the resulting high turnover and low productivity, suggests policy implications…

Based on experience in two different university-based social research centers (SRCs), the author discusses factors influencing support for university-based SRCs, the difficulty of transferring research findings from the SRC to the outside world, and how the social context influences the role research administrators play in this type of research…

Are England's Education Action Zones an innovative approach to combating educational underachievement in disadvantaged areas? An examination of the EAZ director's role and functions shows it is possible for zones to pursue a more broadly based, innovative, and longer-term strategy for delivering government-mandated improvements. (MLH)

Discusses the role of school administrators in supporting school library programs and suggests ways that teacher librarians can encourage them. Topics include leadership from the principal; shared vision; professional development programs; planning opportunities; adequate support staff; school reforms; community and district advocacy; and raising…

Delineates the decentralization of power in Swedish education, describing the National Headteacher Training Program, which was designed to ensure that school leaders have the competence to lead the development of educational activities and to promote respect for the rights of students and parents. The main goal is to create school leaders who are…

Student affairs professionals are faced with the challenge of focusing on student learning. Through the implementation of a co-curricular activities program (CAP) model, described in this article, universities can develop a structured approach to programming that is based on students' developmental needs. This formalized co-curricular model…

This article describes what is known about ways in which middle and secondary school educators have improved curricula, instruction, and assessment practices and reorganized to achieve increased collaboration and responsiveness for all students' needs. It describes seven prominently used instructional strategies and four reorganization strategies…