Since the passage of the "No Child Left Behind Act of 2001" (NCLB), the evidence that it is working has continued to grow. Because of this law, teachers and parents are getting the information and help they need to help every child reach his or her best in school--and as a result, student achievement is rising across America. While…

For two and one-half days in November 1990, members of the Lehigh University School Study Council met in retreat to explore the idea of restructuring and to reflect on its relevance for their schools. Participants included superintendents, principals, teachers, and faculty from institutions of higher education. This resource guide was developed by…

Designed to aid school personnel considering school choice as a possible desegregation method, this booklet explains the principles of controlled choice, presents an overall plan and flow chart, and reviews the types of organizations that might be developed. Controlled choice is a desegregation method that is voluntary, empowers parents and school…

Reviews current efforts in the movement for providing parents and students school selection choices. Benefits resulting from school choice include: dropout reduction, increased achievement, more parental involvement, racial integration, and improved morale. Outlines the features of a desirable choice plan and the prospects for development of…

Proposes that states promote the preparation of mathematically and scientifically talented high school students through the establishment of special residential high schools. (MD)

Recruitment efforts to achieve desegregation are detailed, based on the successes of scores of Massachusetts public schools. Distinction is made between the steps which the school system should take and those which should be planned and initiated at the school level with system support. (RDN)

A planned search/selection process can help locate the best possible learning situation for a child needing early intervention services. Parents are offered a detailed checklist for evaluating programs, and are encouraged to consider goals for the coming years, to make site visits to potential programs, and to ask questions. (JDD)

Discusses several market-driven school-choice programs: intradistrict choice, interdistrict choice, privatization, and vouchers. Because of the limited and often contradictory research on the effect of alternative choice programs on student achievement, more research is needed to determine their long-term effect. (PKP)

Magnet schools have developed strong national and local constituencies among parents and educators, who see them as vehicles for bringing equity and academic excellence to all students. Typically, these schools offer innovative programs through a specialized focus or theme. They may emphasize subjects like science or the arts, or they may adopt…

Research shows that parents play an important role in their children's education. Outlines six reasons why parents should play a wider role in the educational programs of their children. (MD)

Lists 15 World Wide Web sites that are either completely devoted to charter-school content or have a high percentage of charter-school content. Contains a brief overview of how the Web operates and a short list of basic Web terms. (LMI)

Discusses Milwaukee's (Wisconsin) use of public tax dollars to finance private education and what the implications are for public schools. Examines how the controversial concept got started, its support in the courts, and the pros and cons of its implementation on public schools relative to the school-choice debate. (GR)

This report is a general guide for people planning a charter school. In September 1995 the Program on Reinventing Public Education, a collaborative effort of the University of Washington's Institute for Public Policy and Management and the RAND Institute for Education and Training, sponsored a workshop on charter school startup. This report…

This guide is intended to help current and prospective charter school leaders decide whether and how to work with pre-existing "whole school designs." Such school designs range from those that cover one core element of school operations to designs covering almost every aspect of school operations. The guide contains initial information…

This guide, first in a series of four volumes, is designed to give information to parents and other decision makers on costs and benefits of different kinds of choices of schools that children might attend. Four sections present digests of information based on research and evaluation studies. Section 1 introduces the format and purpose of the…