Recently, the National Center for Educational Leadership surveyed 35 Kentucky superintendents about changing roles since passage of the 1990 Kentucky Education Reform Act. Results showed that superintendents were learning to lead from the background, enhancing all stakeholders' participation, and working hard to manage reform requirements. Many…

Studied the concerns of six elementary school principals in a district in transition from a historically bureaucratic to a decentralized system. Findings suggest the importance of good communication about the changes and an understanding of school culture to help gain the commitment of principals and school constituencies. (SLD)

"Short Route to Chaos" criticizes the Goals 2000 program, related educational reforms, and the agenda of the Religious Right from the viewpoint of the secular Left. Arons supports school choice, school and teacher independence from government regulation of instructional content, publicly funded schools, and equity in funding. (SLD)

Typically, subject department heads perform a middle-management role in secondary schools that is unquestioned. A Canadian study examined effects on school culture and educational practice when structure and roles are open to revision. The restructuring initiative is fostering cultural change in all eight district schools. (34 references) (MLH)

A study using survey data from a sample of 1,818 teachers and 6,490 students at a large Canadian school district replicated a study of transformational leadership's effects on selected organizational conditions and student engagement with school. Such leadership strongly affected organizational conditions and moderately influenced student…

Describes the ways in which block scheduling can decrease school-day interruptions, reduce discipline problems, and help students who need more time and a slower pace. Also describes block schedules' effects on students and teachers. Sidebars offer guidelines for block scheduling and selected references. (LMI)

Discusses challenges and problems facing Russian educators in the transformation from the Soviet system to a market economy. Cites the rise of private vocational schools since 1992 as a promising development. (SK)

Summarizes a study of two principals' efforts to restructure schools serving predominantly Native American populations as learning communities. Presents an empirically based conceptualization of community for cross-cultural settings and identifies implications for school leaders. Although consensus can't always be achieved, learning communities…

Restructuring programs and reallocating resources (to smaller classes, teacher planning, professional development, and tutors for struggling students) constitute a complex, large-scale change process. Steps include recognizing the need for change, evaluating strategies, and creating a new educational strategy for all organizational levels. (MLH)

Describes the planning and initial implementation of the restructuring of Oswego Middle School, New York, toward full inclusion for students with mild, moderate, and severe disabilities. Includes lists of Inclusive Education Committee activities, and a three-year building-based planning process for implementing inclusion. (JPB)

Comprehensive school-reform models like the Accelerated Schools Project stress professional development and give educators specific, research-based strategies to address essential requirements for enhancing academic achievement. The federal Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration initiative provides necessary funding. Information sources and…

To embed ongoing learning opportunities in routine school practices, superintendents must help schools create the collaborative cultures that enable teachers to work together, engage in collective inquiry, and learn from each others' experience. Suggestions for fostering quality staff development, clarifying priorities, and improving capacity are…

Investigated changes in teachers' assessment practices after implementing New American Schools (NAS) restructuring models. Questionnaires and teacher focus groups indicated significant increases in the frequency with which teachers used alternative assessment and in the level of processing demanded by their assessments. There were no changes in…

Examines school reform efforts through a "reculturing," rather than a restructuring, lens, based on a sample of schools engaged with five reform models (Accelerated Schools, Coalition of Essential Schools, Comer's School Development Program, Effective Schools, and Success for All). A newly developed instrument enhances understanding of…

Examines the flexibility and accountability standards of the North Carolina charter school laws compared with the charter school legislation of Arizona and California. North Carolina's charter school legislation seems to have the flexibility charter school advocates would wish, with the necessary accountability requirements. (SLD)