Examines why curriculum planning falls short in site-based management and what can be done about it. Alternative curriculum-planning strategies include holistic planning, construction of thematic units to suit students' individual differences, and a multifaceted, cross-functional approach. Adapting corporate innovations and pursuing strategic…

A study involving two vocational-technical high schools, four high schools, and an alternative program for middle and high school students, investigated factors affecting implementation and sustainability of self-determination activities within the schools. The importance of engaging general educators in dialogue about the self-determination…

Describes the role of South Dakota's governor in initiating technology plans for schools that would promote distance education. Discusses a conclave of leaders in technology and distance education that addressed the successful implementation of the Digital Dakota Network, a statewide intranet developed to help students, empower the workforce, and…

Describes the construction and evaluation of a Web-based learning portfolio of authentic assessment. Discusses the design of the portfolio database; its implementation in a course at National Taipei University of Technology (Taiwan); and student opinions about the impact on the learning process. (Author/LRW)

Kentucky's school-based decision-making councils now function in 66% of the state's schools. Since 1991-92, these schools have learned that their councils must represent their local constituencies, gain the support of local political structures, shun legalism, concentrate on substantive education issues, and develop a democratically based…

Interviews with 15 families of young children with disabilities and 14 professionals working with them indicated that professionals have an understanding of the change in focus from child-centered to family-centered intervention; however there was some incongruence between family-centered attitudes and actual practice. Families expressed overall…

Describes how participants interpret the process of implementing flexible access library programs in elementary school settings and how these programs evolve over time. Topics include educational change and reform, communication and public relations, support, adequate resources, professional development, and school climate. (Author/LRW)

Discusses the history and purpose of the case study method used to stimulate in-class discussion. Advocates the use of the guided case study method to ensure that substantive discussions take place and provides nine steps for using the method. Includes a sample case study worksheet. (11 citations) (BCY)

Data from the Child and Adolescent Trial for Cardiovascular Health, a school-based field trial, are used to illustrate the use of process evaluation for understanding study outcomes. Teacher characteristics and fidelity to the program model had direct and independent effects on student outcomes from the program. (SLD)

Reports on the achievement of the first Waldorf public elementary school in Milwaukee (Wisconsin). Early experience indicates that Waldorf pedagogy, with its emphasis on the natural rhythms of everyday life, is an effective model for predominantly African American children in an inner city. (SLD)

A Boston principal reflects on decade-long efforts to get students and their families to read together. Initiatives ranged from reading contests and upgraded reading materials to reading contracts, literacy shows, parent/home visiting programs, pizza parties, and off-site tutors. Persistence paid off in higher reading scores. (MLH)

Outlines the evolution of environmental education in Russia, based on authors' experiences in transforming curricula in the Republic of Bashkortostan. Summarizes changes adopted in the secondary school and in three regional universities. Evaluates specific problems of introducing environmental education at the pedagogical and engineering oriented…

Based on interviews with eight administrators, teachers, parents, and community volunteers, this article reports the challenges and progress of two urban middle schools in developing comprehensive, permanent school, family, and community partnerships through the National Network of Partnership Schools. Partnership activities and their effects on…

Explores implementation and the change process in relation to "The Quiet Evolution: Changing the Face of Arts Education," which assesses the six regional institutes that receive multiyear funding from the Getty Education Institute for the Arts. Stresses that the report illustrates the importance of designing and documenting implementation…

Examines how a learner-centered Montessori school in Toronto, Ontario, defines, specifies, and implements its management decision-support system. Findings indicate a tightly integrated management system comprised of a few student-focused decision-support elements. Identifies relationships, resources, and particular organizational arrangements as…