This study explores the principal driven collaborative planning (PDCP) phenomenon occurring at SUN Elementary School. SUN Elementary is located near the border of Washington, DC. Exploring this new phenomenon requires a close look at the relationships among teachers, and the relationship between the teachers and the principal. This study…

This mixed methods study examines what makes Bluffview Elementary School a success as measured by the ISAT, the mandated state test of Illinois. Despite national reports of achievement gaps and low test scores, Bluffview Elementary has shown sustained success in educating children. This paper reviews how Bluffview Elementary students are achieving…

School restructuring is a process of reform that attempts to reconcile idealistic aspirations of educators with the realities of large public schools. While most educators have high expectations for their students, the impersonal structure of public schools is an obstacle to achieving these goals. In order to be effective, teachers must know the…

This paper presents the portion of the collaborative project which discusses: (1) the vehicle which was developed for gathering data and the method of implementation; (2) an overview of the general perceptions held by students before beginning the collaborative project; (3) the shifts indicated by the descriptive data; and (4) observations based…

The Toledo Partnership Committee for Teaching, created to improve teaching and preservice teacher education, includes representatives from Bowling Green State University, the University of Toledo, the Toledo Federation of Teachers, the Toledo Association of Administrative Personnel, the Toledo Public Schools, and the Toledo Catholic Schools…

Education reform and technical assistance systems have been criticized for their inability to sustain significant, long-term improvements in teaching and learning. One method that has shown success is the use of an external facilitator in comprehensive school-change efforts. In collaboration with the Virginia Department of Education, the…

This paper presents findings of a study that examined the perceptions of a first-year principal and faculty as they responded to implementation efforts to develop a collaborative climate in their rural Louisiana elementary school. Data were obtained from interviews with the principal and 31 teachers, a principal survey and a teacher survey, and…

Survey of 125 educational professionals working with culturally and linguistically diverse and exceptional (CLDE) students in the Washington D.C. area found that most had the training and skills to work with CLDE students. However, respondents did not know the roles, responsibilities, and practices of other professionals working with CLDE students…

This report presents the results of a collaborative study undertaken by five rural, unit school districts in Illinois to provide data to be used in planning for school improvement. Information was gathered from on-site visits by teams of constituents from other districts and through a survey of perceptions of local community persons regarding…

This paper reviews 11 studies dealing with collaborative organizational arrangements and investigates 26 projects involving such arrangements. The 11 studies identified as relevant to the work of conceptualizing a regional grants program include patterns of information useful for planning in the areas of organizational communication, definition of…

This report presents the evaluations of 20 rural school/community collaborative projects supported by the Center for School Change between 1997 and 2000. The report is divided into four sections: an overview, a description of the shape of school/community collaborations, a discussion of the outcomes of school/community collaboration, and a…

How might independent schools play an effective role in educational reform through public-private collaborations? This study, a project of the Klingenstein Fellowship, surveys the types of partnerships, explores varying degrees of collaboration, and examines the impact of collaborations on schools and communities. Portraits of five collaborative…

To help New York City public schools reduce the fragmentation of student services and design comprehensive instructional plans, researchers gathered examples of cohesive programs that unify classroom instruction with special compensatory educational services funded by outside sources. Chapter one reviews the problems caused by fragmented…

Friendly House was created in 1920 to promote literacy among new families entering the United States. An analysis of the afterschool and the summer-school programs offered by Friendly House is offered here. The study includes information on these programs, as well as the policies, practices, and procedures used in providing for the needs of…

In summer 1987, South Central Community College (SCCC), in Connecticut, entered into partnership agreements with four school districts in its service region to permit high school juniors and seniors with a B average or higher to enroll in and obtain high school and college credit for any regularly scheduled credit courses, at no charge to the…