From a British perspective, the author describes and comments on Norway's recent curricular and educational reforms: the development of the grunnskole for students ages 7-16, with emphasis on the lower secondary (ungdomsskole) 14-16 phase, and reforms in the upper secondary (videregaende skole) for ages 17-19. (Author/SJL)

The effects of streamed (ability-grouped) v tracked (heterogeneously-grouped) classes on student self-esteem, academic self-concept, sociometric choice and attitude to the school environment were studied, using sixth-grade pupils in eight Sydney, Australia primary schools. Socioeconomic variations in the results are discussed. (SJL)

Recent research shows that students at all grade levels, especially at-risk youngsters, learn more in small schools; small schools are more violence-free; and bonds created in small schools are likely to influence students' post-high-school behavior. Success is attributed to small schools' human scale, more willing students, more committed…

Reviews four areas of change (resource allocation, organizational framework, governing systems, and market structure) providing a framework for understanding dynamic schools and their leaders. Today's principals must become resource mobilizers capable of forming business and private foundation partnerships, linking with social-service agencies,…

Most schools and teachers cannot provide the kind of teaching the new standards demand because they lack know-how and organizational support. The policy challenge ahead is to develop schools' capacity to teach challenging content to diverse learners by ensuring teachers' access to knowledge they need to be effective and by developing new…

Large school size adversely affects attendance, school climate, student involvement. Dividing large schools into small units creates a learning and teaching context that is more stable, intimate, supportive, interdisciplinary. Kohn-Holweide, a comprehensive German secondary school, groups all students at a given grade level with the same teachers…

A survey of educational-administration students revealed 10 factors influencing teachers' reluctance to move into administration: nature of work responsibilities, working conditions, emotional aspects, district location, superintendent reputation, effects on home life, quality of community life, community support, salary/responsibility issues, and…

Historical data are presented to show that teachers and schools are affected by the financial incentives of the systems in which they operate. Economic pressures have forced schools in competitive markets to meet the needs of families, while centralized bureaucratic systems have been coercive and pedagogically stagnant. (Author/SLD)

Educational portfolios can happen, even within extremely incompatible organizational structures. When designed in accordance with four principles (opportunities for meaning-making, interactions with people who matter, assemblage over an extended period, and a supportive presentation context) these projects can be transformative and profoundly…

This study examined Anchorage School District (Alaska) kindergarten classes from 1987-88, 1988-89, and 1989-90; these years correspond to the last year in which there was no full-day kindergarten program in the district, and the first and second years of the district's full-day program. The study examined matriculation patterns, special education…

Prepared as background for participants in an exploratory conference, this paper examines whether school-business partnerships and other forms of business assistance are contributing to fundamental change and reform, in the education system. Five questions are investigated. (1) How are businesses currently working with public education? The four…

Chicago's city leaders, unlike other city leaders, are going after fundamental and radical restructuring of the nation's third largest school system, but have found that it is hard to achieve. This paper provides a snapshot of the growing political involvement of Chicago's business leadership with the city's troubled school system. The need for…

The differences and similarities between education and the private sector are analyzed as they both engage in efforts to fundamentally restructure their operations. To bridge the cultural gap between business and education, a workable strategy that advances direct and sustained private-sector involvement in education reform is proposed. Part 1 of…

The five correlates of effective schools are as follow: (1) strong administrative leadership; (2) high expectations for all pupils; (3) safe and orderly climate; (4) strong instructional focus; and (5) frequent monitoring of pupil progress. This paper outlines a model for implementing effective school practices. One or more of these correlates…

This report by the Governor's Commission on Excellence in Education proposes to restructure middle school education (grades 6, 7, and 8) in Virginia. The restructuring process has two components: the identification of Vanguard Schools and the development and implementation of a restructuring process in other schools. Schools that seek Vanguard…