Reports on a study of the transition effects of grade-level organization on student achievement as schools transitioned from self-contained to departmentalized classes. Reading, math, and social studies achievement scores of five equated rural school districts with K-4 through K-8 organization were compared. Results noted a decline in achievement…

Presents study results examining recruitment practice differences between coeducational and gender segregated secondary schools in Germany. Discusses the impact of organizational form on teacher judgments, achievement in specific subjects, school subject-related interests, and school commitment. Reports that under conditions of free school choice,…

Schools are forging linkages with noneducational organizations and agencies to address the needs of all students, particularly those who are most vulnerable to the southwest region's economic and social upheaval. This paper attempts to present an overview of the interrelationship between two elements of the community at large--business and…

The Effective Schools Program in St. Louis, Missouri, public schools expanded the concept of effective schools developed in Project SHAL (1980-1984). The following five characteristics are considered effective school factors: (1) strong administrative leadership (2) high teacher expectations; (3) positive school climate; (4) total school…

This paper examines the effects of classroom characteristics on the friendship cliques of preadolescent students. It is argued that structural and organizational features of a classroom constrain the interaction patterns of students in such a way as to affect the probability of dyadic friendship relationships and the network of social ties that…

Despite prestigious reports, most notably "A Nation at Risk," and fervent reform efforts, school performance is unlikely to be improved by measures failing to recognize that schools are institutions--complex organizations composed of interdependent parts, governed by well-established rules and norms, and adapted for stability. Effective…

Student absenteeism is a major concern for elementary and secondary school educators. This paper annotates 59 articles and reports dealing with the causes of, effects of, and solutions to student absenteeism. A brief glossary first defines l4 terms used in the literature. The author then surveys l4 publications on the causes of absenteeism,…

This report describes the New York City School Improvement Project, a program designed to help participating schools to improve their instructional effectiveness through school based planning groups that represent the schools' constituencies. The project design and procedures for determining the needs of individual schools are discussed, as are…

This report describes a study that investigated the effects of "full-credit semestering" in Ontario secondary schools. In full-credit semestering, the school year is divided in half, and students receive full credit for each course completed each semester. The study also explored the effects of trimestering, half-credit semestering, and…

According to a theoretical model, student learning can be raised through separate channels by school autonomy and parental participation. Increased school autonomy increases the rent that can be distributed among stakeholders at the school, while institutions for parental participation empower parents to command a higher share of this surplus, for…

This article synthesizes research on teacher effectiveness, school effectiveness, and organizational change and interprets what the findings imply for staff development in the schools. Nine research-based themes for staff development efforts are outlined. (PP)

The fundamental causes of poor academic performance are not the schools themselves but the institutions governing them. Bureaucracy imposed by democratic principles vitiates the most basic requirements of effective organization. State governments must create a new public education system based on the market principles of parental choice and school…

This article deals with school districts' K-8 configurations. Cincinnati, Cleveland, Milwaukee, New York, and Philadelphia are among the districts making the change, driven by a small body of research and a rising pile of anecdotes suggesting that K-8 configurations help academic performance, decrease discipline problems, enhance parent…

This study examined the relationship between transition from elementary to middle school and achievement gaps in math and science in eighth graders with (N=296) and without (N=1608) learning disabilities (LD). An abundance of research suggests that motivation and achievement decline during the early adolescent years, and that this decline is often…

This document presents the Educational Excellence Network's third annual report card on the progress of education reform in the United States. Despite much activity, the report assigns reform efforts for 1995-96 the overall grade of C, which is the same grade given for the previous year. Part 1 presents data on academic achievement in American…