This paper presents findings of a study that identified Mississippi middle school principals' perceptions of middle school functions and characteristics. Three broad functions of middle schools include: (1) to provide a program especially adapted to diverse student needs; (2) to promote continuity of education; and (3) to introduce needed…

This report provides a synthesis of the principal trends concerning access to higher education in Europe. The paper treats five themes, the first of which, higher education structures, notes that the dominant trend is towards greater institutional diversity. A discussion of enrollment finds that France, Germany and Sweden have enrollment rates…

This paper presents findings from a study that examined the relationship between school responsiveness under different choice arrangements and the processes by which families make choices about schools. The study is part of a larger, ongoing project being conducted in 16 metropolitan high schools of choice in Chicago, Illinois; Washington, D.C.;…

Findings of a study that examined teaching culture patterns in two Ontario secondary schools are presented in this paper, with attention given to the outcomes of "balkanization." In this form of the teachers' organizational culture, teachers work in smaller subgroups within the school community. The two schools were drawn from a study of…

Trends and research in nongraded schooling over the past three decades are described in this paper. The 1960s and early 70s were marked by a strong interest in the nongradedness movement and the British concept of open education, followed by a declining interest in the 1970s. A nongraded revival in the 1980s was facilitated by recognition of the…

This document discusses the shift in democratic countries toward the allocation of responsibility for the organization and control of education in the public system by decentralization from the center to the local community and beyond, to the governing bodies of individual schools, and to the parents who are represented on school councils. This…

In response to an unstable economy and diminishing resources, Lansing Community College, in Michigan, initiated a college-wide reorganization in July 1993 to improve institutional effectiveness and increase efficiency. This paper provides a description of the reorganization process and organizational structure before and after the change. First, a…

The purpose of this study was to inquire into the characteristics, regularities, relationships, behaviors, and effects of schools in relation to their role in a clinical teacher education program. The analysis of three high schools followed the inquiry perspective termed "portraiture." Sketches were drawn of the three schools which…

It is the school board alone that determines the quality of education provided within the school district. Without periodically examining its own performance, the board's capability to create a quality educational environment can be compromised. Evaluation is a control mechanism that allows the school board to make judgments about performance…

Discrepancies between actual and desirable organizational cultures, with a focus on the implications for improving administrator training, are examined in this report. The desirable characteristics of a productive school culture are determined and compared with the perceptions of Australian and U.S. staff. A mailed survey of 587 practitioners in…

This paper discusses the links among (1) schools' formal organizational structures; (2) the interactions of administrators and faculties; and (3) the patterns of thinking that grow from these interactions. These in turn have consequences for teacher-student interactions, and ultimately effect the cognitive development of students. Each of these…

Strategic planning initiated by the recently created State System of Higher Education (SSHE) in Pennsylvania is examined. Components of the strategic approach found in the literature and dimensions generally considered critical for both strategic formulation and strategic understanding are considered. Attention is directed to the multicampus…

The relationship between the congruence, strength, and type of organizational culture and organizational effectiveness was studied, based on questionnaire responses by 3,406 administrators, faculty department heads, and trustees from 334 colleges and universities. Respondents rated the extent to which certain characteristics were present at their…

This article reports on the relationship between the informal behavior of teachers and the formal organization of the school. A field study was conducted over a six month period at one high school. Research questions focused on patterns of behavior which were created by teachers to sustain individuals on the job and to promote continuation of…

In 1975 the Ontario Ministry of Education assigned major responsibilities in curriculum development to local school boards. School boards responded by establishing or expanding special units to develop local programs. At the present time, the organization of these units or program departments varies widely. The focus of the present study is to…