This executive summary of a report of a Texas task force on the education of students with disabilities has been published in separate English and Spanish versions, both provided here. The report outlines a policy for educating students with disabilities, the foundation for the policy, and recommendations for implementing the policy goals. The…

This paper provides an overview of educational, legal, and philosophical aspects of integration of Massachusetts students with disabilities. It discusses effective practices based on current research, the experience of parents and practitioners, and model programs. Introductory sections consider the importance of the integration concept and offer…

High school educators and students appear to have struck an implicit "bargain" that results in a deemphassis on academic learning. This book analyzes current proposals to enhance educational standards in light of the influence of this bargaining in classrooms. In so doing, it explores recent scholarship bearing on personal relations and…

Sociologist Willard Waller, writing more than 50 years ago, framed many of the key ideas found in contemporary literature on school organization. This paper is both an appreciation and criticism of Waller's seminal case studies of social interaction in schools. The paper is divided into four sections. The first two explore Waller's thought and its…

Public education is facing a crisis of major proportions, but the things that are basically wrong with schools are not those being emphasized in current proposals for change. This paper identifies two basic defects in the American system of public education: (1) there is too little attention to individual differences; and (2) there is too much…

Observations of and interviews with teachers and administrators in three elementary and three secondary schools provided support for the hypothesis that the social organization of the school as a workplace affects the fruitfulness of staff development efforts and the effectiveness of the school as a whole. This report reviews the relevant…

Based on the assumption that a positive environment is an important component of a well-run school, this monograph offers techniques to school principals for evaluating and improving school climate. Topics covered include assessing school climate, planning for climate development, providing leadership for climate improvement, improving classroom…

Factors influencing the social and educational environment of junior high schools are discussed, and recommendations for the improvement of the school environment through increased cooperation among students, teachers, and administrators are given. The needs of early adolescents are identified, and the degree to which the junior high school can…

The characteristics of private elementary and secondary education briefly described include enrollment patterns, school organization, the status of boards of education in private schools, the financing structure, and the population they service. Areas of collaboration between public and private education exist in shared time arrangements,…

Four broad questions are addressed in this consideration of foreign language study in the total school setting. The first part deals with the broad perspective that is needed in order to integrate the educational enterprise and to form a community of educators each with a special contribution to make. Some considerations relevant to this question…

Discusses the benefits of teachers acting as student advocates as opposed to mere functionaries of the educational system. Describes the qualities of a good teacher while showing how educational organization and administration make it difficult for such to exist. Suggests alternatives that would maintain the necessary organization while promoting…

Advocates applying the theories of Anton S. Makarenko, an early influential Soviet educator, to the practice of school administration in the Soviet Union. Reviews Makarenko's theories, focusing on the establishment of a unified labor collective school, responsible for students' political socialization and character development. Stresses the…

In the 21st century learning should be continuously available. This book traces the evolution of year-round school schedules from 1840-1980 in the United States and documents the many innovative educational programs of the past. It also describes the status, philosophy, calendars, and strategies of the 1990s and offers forecasts for continuous…

An overview is presented of research studies that reflect the realities that exist in elementary and secondary public education. Explorations of school culture cite behavioral and programmatic regularities that make up the school culture and the importance of school principals' roles. Focusing on the teachers and the ways things actually get done…

This paper describes a student centered, integrated curriculum that was developed at an English comprehensive school for 14- to 18-year-old students and shows how English was taught within this curriculum. Sections of the paper discuss (1) the historical roots of the problem of curriculum organization that the school faced; (2) the organizational…