This study explores whether a demonstration designed to persuade addiction treatment agencies to adopt a research-based treatment program and to evaluate the program under field conditions was a successful dissemination strategy. Results suggest that a demonstration, as one component of an ongoing dissemination plan, may be useful in persuading…

The Mukilteo (Washington) School District developed an assessment plan to provide reliable feedback on primary students' reading performance, allow documentation of student progress over time, and enlighten parents. Collaborating with the University of Washington, the district decided to employ timed oral reading fluency measures to screen all K-3…

Evaluation of an on-the-job training model used by the Dutch post office showed it was not entirely successful. Improvement in the performance of mentors and the quality of self-study materials was needed. Mentors must be convinced of the benefit of the model for successful implementation. (SK)

Discusses the rapid growth and expansion of distance education programs and provides a framework for defining, planning for, and achieving useful results from distance education programs today and in the future. Describes the Organizational Elements Model (OEM) that includes planning, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. (Contains…

Calls for focusing attention on the political obstacles to large-scale school reform rather than thinking of the problem mainly as one of disseminating information and helping individuals work through their fears about change. The natural outcome of urban politics is likely to be partial implementation of many programs rather than full-scale…

Summarizes a study of six matched year-round and traditional-calendar elementary schools in a West Coast district. After 4 years, the year-round programs produced acceptable academic growth in students, compared to controls. Gains were higher for math than reading and slowed after several years. (Contains 31 references.) (MLH)

A curriculum implementation monitoring system should be relatively inexpensive, unburdensome for faculty, and improvement oriented; produce information to guide staff development; and refrain from covertly evaluating teachers. A self-assessment checklist should report teachers' perceptions about degree of implementation, difficulty level, and…

Discusses the need for strategic planning in libraries for the use of information technology that will add value to the library and better serve the users. Explains a model for developing information technology strategic plans that includes vision statements, goals and strategies, and an implementation timeline. (LRW)

Examines the school district's role in implementing and maintaining the essential elements of a nine-year statewide improvement project called SPUR (Louisiana's Special Plan Upgrading Reading) five years after the termination of state funding and external support. Onsite visits and survey results indicate that SPUR represents a feasible…

Offers a brief overview of the process undertaken by one school district in Missouri to explore and then implement a schedule change (in particular a block program)--a process involving parents, teachers, administrators, school board members, and students. (SR)

Examines the concept of school-site health promotion for school faculty and staff, discussing its essential functions and impact and noting what school decision makers at the national, state, and school levels need to know and do to implement such programs. Examples of successful implementation are presented. (SM)

School-to-work (STW) activities were described by 1257 K-12 teachers and 22 administrators in the Oswego County (New York) school system. More school-based than work-based activities were used. Few teachers felt knowledgeable about STW; lack of training and time were barriers. Administrators consistently underestimated the extent of STW…

The effects of the School Development Program (SDP) of James Comer on a variety of student outcomes are reviewed in this summary of previous evaluations in SDP schools. Assessments of the quality of SDP implementation in schools in New York (New York), Washington (District of Columbia), and New Haven (Connecticut) are considered. (SLD)

Examines Colorado's Second Chance Pilot Program for Dropouts, designed to reduce the number of dropouts through Second Chance Centers giving students the opportunity to complete requirements for a high school diploma or equivalent certificate. Although limited in success, the program provides a model for the funding of alternative schools. (SLD)

Describes a study to determine the effects of decentralized governance and finance structures on resource allocation to and within schools. Using a common methodology and set of questions, authors analyzed data on school-based budgeting in Chicago, Fort Worth, New York, and Rochester. School-based budgeting occurs at the margins, encourages…