Reports on the 1985 convention of the National Education Association noting changes in the group's politics and its efforts to present a more moderate image. One event during the convention was a march on the South African Embassy protesting apartheid. (MD)

It's up to school board members to communicate they want schools to improve academic scores and standards while increasing their holding power. Outlines ways superintendents can act to reinforce such policy. (MD)

Describes how three Colorado school systems joined together and set up a dropout prevention commission that used a seven-step approach to work at reducing student dropout rates. (MD)

In Austin, Texas, an urban district where more than half the students come from low-income families, the annual dropout rate has gone down, and the scores on statewide standardized tests have gone up. A key element in the turnaround is state-mandated, site-based management, a system that decentralizes decision making and involves strong leadership…

Reports on nationwide school improvement trends shown by the following indicators: (1) S.A.T. and A.C.T. scores, (2) school dropout rates, (3) preprimary enrollment rates, (4) increased numbers of required courses, and (5) the 1985 Gallup Poll of the Public's Attitude Toward the Public Schools. Six charts are included. (IW)

The annual report on the state of education notes that after the shock of September 11, came a renewed sense of patriotism among young people. Charts and graphs display test results of the civic knowledge of U.S. 9th graders, scores from 4th-grade reading tests, 4th-, 8th-, and 12th grade math tests, and SAT scores Other items include…