The North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics was established in 1980 as a resident public high school for juniors and seniors demonstrating ability and interest in science and mathematics. Outlines the admission policy, instructional program, supportive services, and the school's commitment to public service. This was the first publicly…

Describes the production of a survey investigating what kinds of magnet schools parents and teachers want. Discusses: (1) the information sought; (2) pre-survey information-gathering and public discussion; (3) the creation of a citywide parent planning council; (4) constructing, conducting, and distributing parent and teacher surveys; and (5)…

Regardless of the location, the extent of a family's involvement in a child's early childhood program affects how well the child adjusts and how much he or she learns. When families take part in their children's educational programs; children do better in school, and the quality of their education can improve. This 2-page issue of "The Early…

President George W. Bush's "No Child Left Behind" plan for educational improvement is based on four principles: accountability for results; local control and flexibility; expanded parental choice; and effective and successful programs. Improving education, however, will require more than just state officials, school boards, and school…

Magnet schools gained prominence in education in the 1970s as a tool for achieving voluntary desegregation in lieu of forced busing. The theory behind magnet schools as a desegregation tool is simple: Create a school so distinctive and appealing--so magnetic--that it will draw a diverse range of families from throughout the community eager to…

Among the features of a good public school choice plan are (1) a clear goal statement; (2) information and counseling for parents in selecting programs for their children; and (3) admissions procedures that are fair and equitable. Cites characteristics of school choice programs in Minnesota and East Harlem, New York. (MLF)

Describes a rural Illinois early-intervention program that incorporates long-term planning, interagency collaboration, and parental involvement in the transition of developmentally delayed young children to preschool programs. Compares four types of programs for disabled preschool students, and identifies factors for parents to consider in program…

Central Park East school was founded in 1974 in Harlem (NY) as an alternative elementary school within the public inner city school system. In 1984 it had expanded into three elementary alternative schools and added a fourth secondary school. It is considered a progressive school following in the tradition of New York city's private schools. (MD)

Drawing on the Los Angeles Unified School District's experiences with charter schools, this brief highlights the difficulties in balancing the twin needs of charter-school autonomy and accountability, and their implications for the way in which charter schools and districts can work together. It identifies key challenges in district-school…

This guide is intended to help public school leaders sort through the arguments that voucher proponents advance, examining who supports vouchers, what kinds of voucher proposals are surfacing, and what arguments proponents typically offer in their campaigns. The text gives public-school advocates the tools to recognize and refute the fallacies…

This sourcebook is a collection of some planning workshop ideas and tools that have been used by organizers of charter school workshops in a number of states. The purpose of the sourcebook is to help organizations assist potential charter school founders in their school planning through the application, chartering, and approval processes. The…

This report suggests that charter schools need to consider six critical questions as they develop a student accountability plan for their school. These questions are: (1) "What is our school's mission?"; (2) "What do we want our students to know and be able to do?"; (3) "How will we know whether our students are achieving or attaining the goals…

This policy brief focuses on design issues surrounding decentralization policies, drawing from the following three reports: "Working Models of Choice in Public Education," by Richard F. Elmore; "Diversity Amidst Standardization: State Differential Treatment of Districts," by Susan H. Fuhrman; and "School District Restructuring in Santa Fe, New…

President George W. Bush's "No Child Left Behind" plan for educational improvement is based on four principles: accountability for results; local control and flexibility; expanded parental choice; and effective and successful programs. The program is dedicated to lifting up all teachers so that these teachers can, in turn, lift up their…

This report discusses the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB Act), which reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). It is based on four principles that provide a framework through which families, educators, and communities can work together to improve teaching and learning. These principles are accountability for…