When schools, families, and communities collaborate and share responsibility for students' education, more students succeed in school. Based on 30 years of research and fieldwork, the fourth edition of the bestseller "School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Your Handbook for Action," presents tools and guidelines to help develop more…

This much-needed guide shows how to implement positive behavior support (PBS) strategies in secondary settings, using a three-tiered approach. The authors adapt the core ideas of PBS to the developmental context of adolescence and the organizational structures of middle schools and junior and senior high schools. With an emphasis on data-based…

High school improvement initiatives often focus on specific intervention strategies, programs, or priority topics (e.g., dropout intervention). However, research shows that systemic and sustainable improvement can only be achieved when initiatives are implemented with consideration for the broader education contexts in which they operate. The…

Interdisciplinary high schools are characterized by the decentralization of specialized areas and organization of space into modules that reinforce student communication as well as flexibility. Starting with an interdisciplinary cluster approach and then overlaying the departments aids the process. (MLF)

Higher order thinking can be defined as interpreting, analyzing, and manipulating information to solve a challenging problem. This definition does not restrict higher order thinking to any level of cognitive ability or any class of people; it includes thinking involving both nonacademic and academic topics; and it is not limited to any particular…

Proposes that the organizational transition period of a school's restructuring requires special attention and that major responsibility for transition management should rest with teachers. Illustrates the dilemmas and frustrations of the transition period with a fictional case. Discusses special demands on the organization, teacher leadership for…

This checklist is designed to help states at various stages develop their system of support to reach struggling high schools. The checklist can be used to assess where your state is in terms of the elements of using existing support and guidance mechanisms, and reconfiguring and/or creating new structures to leverage system change for high school…

A learning team comprises two or more teachers of any two or more subject areas who seek to create a small, cohesive learning community. Interdisciplinary learning teams are vehicles that can empower school community members. This first part of this handbook introduces the learning team concept, discusses issues to consider in implementing…

Block scheduling and intensive or extended-time scheduling have been appearing in high schools across the United States. This guidebook is designed to help each school find the best route to achieve this organizational change. The book's premise is that structural change in schools is not sufficient to create meaningful educational improvement.…

This book provides guidelines for leaders who seek fundamental and lasting school restructuring. Following the introduction, chapter 2 presents an explanation of the core concepts of school restructuring and explains the significance of those disabling habits of mind and practice that dominate most traditionally organized high schools and inhibit…

The idea of organizing secondary schools into smaller units has gained support in the last decade. This guidebook is designed to support efforts to develop an effective small-unit plan for high schools. The first two sections highlight the benefits of small-unit organizations and identify the institutional barriers to implementation. Proponents of…

The conversion of large urban high schools into small, focused learning centers is gaining currency as an education reform strategy. This publication provides guidelines, along with guiding questions, for those considering such a conversion. The first section explores the structural, organizational, and political challenges involved in converting…

This book is addressed to high school principals, teachers, curriculum specialists, counselors, and other educators interested in creating sound change at the building level. The theme of constructivism and constructivist thought pervades the text. Part 1 introduces the reader to constructivism and offers comparisons of a high school based on…

This book presents detailed descriptions of alternative types of block schedules and discusses their effects on teachers and students. The book shows administrators how to organize their schools so that time enhances instruction and fosters learning. Chapter 1 discusses problems with the traditional high school schedule and chapter 2 provides…

This handbook is the result of more than 2 years' deliberations by The Commission on the Restructuring of the American High School. The Commission emerged from a partnership of the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The report focuses on revitalizing education…