In this article, the author presents Sharon I. Byrdsong, the 2006 MetLife/NASSP National Middle Level Principal of the Year, who believes that all students can achieve and makes it happen with programs and policies that support students and teachers. When Sharon I. Byrdsong took over as the principal of Azalea Gardens Middle School in Norfolk,…

The five essays included in this document focus on the First IMPACT II Teacher Policy Institute (50 New York City Public School teachers "committed to affecting real change in educational policy in this city"). "Teachers as Researchers" (Mark Silberberg) discusses the relationship between teaching and research, particularly…

Educators and parents have begun to focus on the environment in which education takes place as well as on the nature of the education that children receive. Children learn most effectively when they feel safe and secure, and when they are free from fear. Behaviors such as bullying and sexual harassment that in the past were assumed to be part of…

This paper describes the analysis and policy development involved in formulating a University of Wisconsin-Madison teaching load policy. The paper presents a preliminary teaching load policy developed in 1991 and describes its review and integration into ongoing strategic planning and budget allocation processes. Current teaching load patterns are…

This book describes how schools of higher education can implement practices that promote educationally purposeful out-of-class activities within the context of their campus communities. The practices are intended to help develop faculty and student creativity and initiative. Chapter 1 examines the contributions of out-of-class experiences to…

This report documents a study which used naturalistic procedures and a case study approach to examine and describe four early childhood special education programs and their decision making processes. Data collection procedures included: observation of meetings, classroom activities, screening, and assessment procedures; interviews with various…

The physical, emotional, and intellectual impact of nutrition on children's ability to learn is the subject of this guide for school personnel. The guide is divided into two parts and includes two appendices. Part 1, "What We Know About the Relationship Between Nutrition and Learning," reviews research linking nutrition and academic…

This report defines and describes an advanced model of school-based management in Prince William County, a suburban district considered to be part of the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. It documents the shift from a "top-down" to a "bottom-up" school-based management approach based on input from parents, teachers,…

A 1983-84 survey of migrant directors was conducted to provide information regarding the PASS (Portable Assisted Study Sequence) Program and to solicit recommendations regarding the role of the program in the secondary education of migrant students. Survey questionnaires were received from migrant programs in California, Arizona, Oregon, Arkansas,…

Discusses the need for engineering students to develop good written and oral communication skills. Describes an effort underway in the civil engineering department at Youngstown State University (Ohio) to create a departmental policy that includes the emphasis of effective communication skills. Details some actions taken in developing the policy.…

In Highgate Public School (Toronto, Ontario), resource personnel help regular classroom teachers to facilitate learning of English-as-a-second-language (ESL) students mainstreamed into the regular classroom. One of the units successfully used at the school is described. (Author/CB)

Howard Bowen (1996) wryly observed decades ago that colleges and universities raise all the money they can, and then they spend it. His point was that institutions have more good ideas than they can fully fund. As a consequence, they are constantly making choices as to how to best use their finite resources. Where and how resources are allocated…

Examines Chicago's governance reforms as one case of corporate influence on public school policy making. Discusses the role of local political institutions and corporate organizational resources. Corporate associations were involved in both policymaking and policy implementation. (SM)

Describes how Norfolk (Virginia) Public Schools formulated, implemented, and benefited from a mandatory student uniform policy. Student benefits include enhanced self-image, improved academic indicator ratings, and increased participation. School benefits include a dramatic decline in discipline infractions, improved attendance, and an improvement…

Discovers that female high school teachers, regardless of seniority levels, experience higher levels of stress during school inspection than male teachers. Both male and female teachers felt more nervous when dealing with inspectors of a different gender. Includes statistical tables and possible explanations. (MJP)