No Child Left Behind and the Every Student Succeeds Act have made accountability central to conversations about education policy. But neither statute articulates a clear vision of what constitutes "quality" or "equity" in education, nor do they include a mechanism to ensure that schools have sufficient resources to pursue that…

When researchers are focused on improving teaching-and-learning domains that match the school district's strategic plan, not only focusing on their own research agenda, they yield powerful results that can be useful for guiding processes of improving student learning.

Summarizes 2 state initiatives to address the achievement gap: North Carolina's report by the Advisory Commission on Raising Achievement and Closing Gaps, containing an 11-point strategy, and Kentucky's legislation putting in place 10 specific processes. The North Carolina report is available at www.dpi.state.nc.us.closingthegap; Kentucky's…

Vocational education students have a more negative self-image and a more negative attitude toward learning than do nonvocational or academic students. Alternatives to present vocational training must be considered. (Author/IRT)

Discusses basis for Kentucky appellate court decision that state's no-pass, no-drive statute did not violate due-process and equal-protection clauses of the Kentucky and federal constitutions, but did violate the federal Family Education Rights and Privacy Act, but nevertheless did not invalidate the statute. Explains why the decision is…

Although it is too early to tell whether recent Kentucky and Chicago developments are harbingers of the future, it is possible to evaluate the effectiveness of three types of reform proposals: pseudo-reform, incremental reform, and reform by restructuring. School restructuring is the most challenging approach. Includes 14 references. (MLH)

Describes the statewide Kentucky Educational Foundation developed in 1984 to coordinate partnerships between business, community groups, and public schools. (MD)

Since 1989, supreme courts in 12 states have declared their education finance systems unconstitutional. Numerous states are involved in litigation. State courts are presently attempting to close the gap between the best- and worst-financed education systems, focus on disparities in substantive education content, and achieve equity and adequacy…

Two years into five-year study of school-based decision making under Kentucky Education Reform Act, preliminary findings offer guidance and warnings considering decentralization. Across state, number of parents running for school councils and voting in elections is small. Most councils consist of six people with little teamwork or representative…

Plenty of state policies have been noteworthy in 2004, but one that had major impact went into effect in Illinois, where the governance of education was significantly restructured. S.B. 3000 (the Education Reform and Accountability Act of 2004) gives the governor greater influence over education through his or her control of the state board of…