Describes planning backwards, the Coalition of Essential Schools' educational policymaking strategy for high schools. The article discusses five possible dilemmas in planning backwards: outcomes or exhibitions, local or remote authority, rigid or flexible standards, apartness or authenticity in assessment, and curriculum scaffolds built of courses…

Provides a legislative view of the development of the Wisconsin Parental Choice Plan mandated for the city of Milwaukee, placing this initiative in the context of the educational needs of African American children. Argues that legislators must target the complex needs of poor and ethnic minority students in urban schools. (AF)

Using public school reform efforts in Chicago (Illinois), this essay attempts to provide a theoretical framework for understanding how the educational governance system responds to political and social value conflicts and discusses how opposing interests have periodically compromised rather than resolved these conflicts. (SLD)

This paper describes Florida Uniting Students with Exceptionalities, a public school/university collaboration to implement inclusion strategies for meeting needs of students with mild disabilities in a district engaged in general education restructuring. The paper reviews the philosophical, political, policy, and logistical challenges encountered;…

Discusses a study of 11 high school physical educators, their teaching, and their programs, drawing conclusions about their work based on the findings of similar research. The article includes implications for high school physical education, staff development, and physical education teacher education. (SM)

School based management councils have been adopted voluntarily at several locations nationwide and has been legislated in 1988 for the Chicago (Illinois) Public School System. These councils aim to increase school productivity and community participation. Councils across the country share common features and all hope to improve school…

In the wake of the Chicago (Illinois) School Reform Act, Tilden High School (Chicago) hired a new principal and began self-evaluation in preparation for an accreditation association visitation. These events brought about curriculum development, staff development initiatives, changes in budget management, and, ultimately, an increase in student…

Discusses the difficulties of educational reform in what was formerly East Germany. Describes the educational system in East Germany as uniform and military in nature. Criticizes the one-sidedness of socialist education and its politicalization. Compares classroom atmospheres before and after the Germanies were united. (DK)

Reviews Booker T. Washington's philosophies on vocational and African-American education. Describes his considerable influence during his time, his holistic approach to vocational and applied technology, and his moral force. Offers six recommendations for current education based on Washington's thought, and describes briefly the work of programs…

Effects of variations in a schoolwide restructuring program, Success for All, in Baltimore (Maryland) on student reading achievement and other outcomes in elementary schools with large numbers of disadvantaged children are presented. Strong positive effects of the intervention are recognized, and program replication is discussed. (SLD)

Examines ways to encourage and implement public education for excellence. Reviews current trends and social problems and the history of public education, government mandates, volunteer efforts, and mixed initiatives such as privatizing all or part of a school system and cooperative arrangements among public agencies that serve children. (JB)

Intent of "A Nation at Risk" was to call attention to erosion of students' family lives, not to excoriate teachers. Reforms affecting only six hours of children's daily lives cannot succeed. Schools must reach out to help parents, and child-care workers become skilled at incidental (informal) teaching. Other concerns include technology,…

Higher education has related asynchronously to recent cycles in social movements affecting school reform. Current efforts in Oregon illustrate this pattern in public colleges. Although higher education is not likely to overcome its skepticism of reform dynamics, there is both reason and potential for promising alliances with schools. (Author/MSE)

Presents an overview of libraries in Swedish schools. Topics addressed include restructuring Swedish education motivated by new principles for governing schools, economic recession, and a government proposal for a new national curriculum; cooperation with public libraries; district coordination; school libraries as change agents; information…

Reports on a study of the impact of attending restructured schools on the achievement and engagement of 8,845 eighth graders from public, Catholic, and independent schools. Finds modest, but consistently positive, effects on both achievement and engagement. Also finds that students attending smaller schools demonstrated more academic achievement.…