There is now remarkable agreement on religion's proper constitutional and educational place in public education. A 1995 statement issued by 24 religious and educational groups reaffirms Americans' commitment to First Amendment principles, envisioning civil public schools that neither inculcate nor inhibit religion. Sidebars list resources for…

Would-be reformers often overlook the importance of collegial working relationships. Site administrators have little training in the human dynamics required to relate well to teachers while providing constructive feedback on their performance. Fear of repercussion thwarts the evaluation and improvement process. Constructive communication practices…

High-stakes testing's goals are to improve student learning of worthwhile academic content and narrow achievement gaps between advantaged and disadvantaged populations. Students are supposed to work harder and teachers are supposed to work more efficiently and effectively. Curriculum design and target-setting are key elements. (MLH)

Results from a 1985 survey show female superintendents in only 2.4 percent of United States public school districts. A summary of interviews with women superintendents gives reasons for this underrepresentation, describes external barriers and internal constraints facing women superintendents, and offers advice to other women aspiring to the…

Calls on school administrators to protect education from further damage from federal legislation by being in closer touch with federal policymaking. Describes a Congressional shift away from instructional issues toward issues affecting noninstructional operations and a corresponding shift in lobbying effectiveness from a Washington-based emphasis…

Conflicting policy decisions, scaling difficulties, teacher resistance, and mediocre results are slowing adoption of authentic student-evaluation measures. With more conservative state leadership, California and Arizona rejected performance assessment, and other states have followed. Despite various setbacks, new assessments are becoming the norm.…

Japanese school management should consider more broad-based, active participation in school board policymaking and should democratize school board-school relationships by adopting the lay-control principle. Both U.S. and Japanese schools should improve the exercise of appropriate administrator leadership. Japanese schools are evaluated on a…

Like county governments, hospitals, and municipalities, superintendents must develop policies and protocols for requesting proposals, administering contracts, and ensuring desired results of private-sector services. Administrators should consider performance criteria, legal issues, cost and efficiency analysis, contractor evaluation criteria, and…

Hudson, Massachusetts, an industry-based, socioeconomically diverse community with 2,800 students in six schools, developed a comprehensive preK-12 service-learning program. Parent support, ongoing professional development, curriculum planning time, administrative support, and sustained funding have helped the program achieve districtwide…

Technology will not save us from scarce resource problems by creating "virtual schools." Technology is an expensive investment, adding value more than reducing costs. Social capital is the collateral necessary for human capital development. Our education system must consider its academic and cultural roles, not just provide foot soldiers…

Early 21st-century jobs will be predominantly in the service area; only 20% will require high-level cognitive skills. Curriculum goals and standards should not serve the job market, but should foster humanistic ends and involve students in compelling social, political, environmental, and artistic issues. Higher standards are unattainable without…

Certain that students' average standardized test scores did not reflect their faculty's teaching effectiveness, Department of Defense dependent schools in Wuerzburg, Germany, mounted a districtwide experiment involving performance tests and rubrics in writing and science. Teachers documented gains in students' high-level writing and science skill…

Weary of fighting with other districts for the best teachers, Fairfax (Virginia) County Schools adopted a more cooperative approach. The district is pursuing professional-development school agreements with four area universities. Similar recruitment partnerships are under way in Cleveland, Ohio; Tolleson, Arizona; and Olathe, Kansas. (MLH)

After-school programming is expanding widely, but some question its merits. Milwaukee's deputy school superintendent says giving students opportunities to participate in engaging activities can provide a strong incentive to stay in school. Critics cite flawed research, arguing that kids' lives are already overstructured. Programs in three cities…

An interim principal can buy a school district time to land a permanent successor. Also lists where to find an interim principal; the interim's steadying influence; Bob Wallace's wild ride as an interim principal in post-retirement; and Roger Prosise's rationale for turning to an interim appointment. (MLF)