"Turnaround" has become the new buzzword in education. From states and districts paying for principals to be trained as turnaround specialists to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan's call to turn around the country's 5,000 lowest-performing schools, the concept of rapid, large-scale reform in individual schools--not just incremental…

In contrast to much of this year's frightening economic news, many states are investing in initiatives to strengthen local economies. This article describes how several states are improving education and training so they match business needs and the labor pool.

In developing criterion-referenced reading tests, staff in a Skokie (Illinois) school district answered parents' concerns about accountability, participated in a valuable inservice learning experience, and achieved coordination between elementary and junior high programs. (Author/WD)

Data from four case studies of schools committed to educational reform point to four attributes characterizing school leaders who are effective change agents. Such leaders are child-centered, collaborate with multiple constituencies, process a wide variety of information, and are expert communicators. Suggestions on transforming present-day…