Although telecommunications technology is transforming almost every sector of American society, education still reflects the industrial age. We are approaching a time when a publicly financed and managed satellite-based communications network dedicated to educational purposes is in the nation's best interest. Key national educators must join the…

"Turning Points," Carnegie's report on young adolescents, rejects small-scale, incremental school reform in favor of sweeping transformation. The report takes aim at twin targets: junior high schools that have not grappled with developmental appropriateness issues and middle schools that have developmentally appropriate forms, but have weakened…

Only when the organizational structure and staff are aligned with the school vision can productive and exciting change happen. Change is thwarted when the school vision is uninspiring, developed incorrectly, not used immediately, or misaligned with staff or organization. Values, missions, outcomes, and visions have a short shelf-life; they must…

Explores whether primary schoolchildren's success in reading and writing depends on managing of literacy teaching at different levels, not simply the underlying pedagogic principles. Communication breakdowns in England's Catch Up Project illustrate how increasingly complex variables become in a top-down approach. (Contains 38 references.) (MLH)

Based on current empirical data, school-based management is failing to produce radical changes in school practice. SBM, which holds untapped potential for democratizing the workplace and equitably addressing students' needs, can be analyzed in terms of formal and informal dimensions characterizing a site's scope of authority, involvement, and…

Most means of differentiating higher education institutions emphasize their structural characteristics: faculty size; highest and kind of degree granted; level of external support; size of endowment; number of students; average board scores; admissions selectivity; tuition; and so on. In this article, the author offers a view of differentiating…

In this paper the authors extend an earlier study that developed images of what schools are like as social entities. That study found that elementary schools correspond to the rational bureaucratic image, whereas secondary schools are more loosely coupled systems. The study was limited by a small sample. In this paper the research was extended to…

As part of its school restructuring work with states, the National Governors' Association commissioned the Center for Policy Research on Education to conduct case studies of several local school districts experimenting with new structural arrangements. This case study is based on visits to four such districts: Jefferson County Schools (Louisville,…

Defines and clarifies the role of educational public relations in relation to student achievement. This communications process, which improves organizational understanding and climate through broad community involvement, should be given top priority by educators and citizens. (CJH)

Explored the implementation of middle level reform components in both high- and low-performing middle schools, seeking to identify factors linked to student achievement. Found that organizational health, which includes academic focus, teacher affiliation, and resource support, more directly influences student performance than simple implementation…

To help establish clear, comprehensive communication channels with the school community, principals must recognize the primary dangers to good communication and periodically conduct teacher polls or surveys depicting the human realities of the school organization. Such surveys will not explain or improve low morale, but can serve as a springboard…

School systems might know the words to the "middle school reform rag" (preadolescent's unique learning needs), but haven't put the words to music. A Johns Hopkins study recently found that innovative programs are scarce and that middle schoolers typically receive either a warmed-over elementary education or a pseudo-high school education. (MLH)

Identifies five building blocks of school restructuring forming the foundation for comprehensive educational change. Identifies four overarching restructuring issues, including administrative and teacher leadership, the dilemma of process versus content, balancing student and teacher needs, and achieving a balance between action and reflection.…

W. Edwards Deming's concepts offer an integrated approach to quality schooling. Three barriers must be overcome: fear of industrial models, poor knowledge of workers and work processes, and unquestioned beliefs. Instead, educators must develop community understanding and commitment, establish business-education partnerships, and manage schools as…

The development of the paper-and-pencil instrument called the Organizational Culture Assessment Inventory (OCAI) is based on the theory of organizational culture. Recent literature and organizational analysis are combined with Schein's model of organizational culture to provide the background for metaphorical analysis of organizational culture…