This is a quantitative phenomenological study of the perceptions of principals of public secondary schools in rural Appalachian Ohio. The purpose of the study is to understand the experiences of the principals as online charter schools become feasible for students in their school district. A random sample of ten principals was obtained from the…

Charter schools represent an increasingly important form of school choice in the United States. Charter schools are public schools, with a difference. Compared to traditional public schools, they are exempted from some of the state laws and regulations that govern traditional public schools. In this way, parents come to have a greater number of…

Districts throughout the nation are engaged in comprehensive transformation to "turn around" low performing schools. Standardized test scores are used to gauge student achievement; however, academic gains may lag behind leading indicators such as improved school climate and effective leadership. This study examines 16 underperforming…

The purpose of this study was to investigate fifth-grade student achievement in Ohio public charter schools as compared to student achievement in traditional public schools, and to determine whether the performance of charter schools changed over time. Research questions asked 1) how does student achievement in Ohio's public charters compare to…

In the era of No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top, school districts are under increasing pressure from policymakers to hold all students to high performance standards. In response, a growing number of schools are embracing the principles of student-centered learning (SCL). SCL is a contemporary approach that combines progressive and…

This study investigates the effectiveness of the Ohio High School Transformation Initiative using several years of state data on attendance, graduation, dropout rates, and performance index scores. Results indicate differences between small schools or small learning communities, and traditional schools that have similar school profiles to small…

From 1998 to 2001, the number of community schools in Ohio increased from 15 to 92, and the number of students attending them increased tenfold. This preliminary evaluative report is limited to the first 15 community schools that opened during the 1998-99 school year. Findings are that these schools generally did not meet the Ohio Proficiency Test…

This report presents the results of a 1999 survey of 336 elementary schools in Ohio. It examines progressive and traditional practices in public, Catholic, and independent schools and offers an overview of the different kinds of schools. Rather than asking principals to characterize their schools as progressive or traditional, principals were…

In a study to determine the relationship between teacher effectiveness and variables related to the organization and value patterns of different schools, teacher interns rated by principals as high or low could be distinguished on the basis of their instructional decision making within the different school contexts. (JMD)

Findings from this Fordham-sponsored survey--the fourth survey of Dayton, Ohio parent/community attitudes toward education since 1988--present a fascinating array of opinions about today's schools (and those who are responsible for them) and the changes that could be made tomorrow. Over 70 percent of Dayton-area parents support the idea of…