One of the assumptions of the debate over parental choice is that private schools are more effective than public ones. This paper reviews the available evidence that religious schools in Europe are more effective. Available studies compare outcomes of public and religious schools in Flemish Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, and…

This report by Delaware's Governor and Secretary of Education, in consultation with the State Board of Education, sets forth a plan to improve professional standards and accountability in the Delaware school system. The report focuses on how Delaware can assure the quality of educators for its students, and thus raise student achievement. The…

This paper describes the development and implementation of the Practice-Based Professional Improvement Project, a teacher-led high school improvement project that has improved academic success at several inner-city high schools in Nashville, Tennessee. The project believes that: teachers are key to school improvement; most teachers sincerely want…

Examined the potential of teacher-researcher collaboration for enhancing the effectiveness of early learning experiences of 4-year-olds in England. Found that, during fieldwork, child engagement and teachers' stimulation, sensitivity, engagement, and autonomy increased. Teacher and student engagement were related. Suggests that teachers who strive…

Discusses how staff development is different in standards-based systems, describing ways to ensure that systems have the capacity for growth and development based on the standards, explaining configuration maps, and presenting six components of building capacity for standards-based reform: covenants; staff and community involvement; curriculum,…

Noting that students' failure to master the basic skills by third grade places them at high academic and social risk, this report provides a synthesis of the findings from a meeting that drew 30 of the nation's leading experts on early childhood education and school reform to discuss the plight of primary education. The meeting was designed to…

The mutual accountability model is a vehicle for equitable evaluation, with staff and instructional improvement as the goal. The model's basic assumption is that responsibility for student achievement rests not solely on the teacher but is shared by the school principal, other school personnel, and parents. The model's plan is comprised of three…

The primary objective of the Stallings Classroom Management Staff Development Model is to help teachers change so that they can manage their classrooms more effectively. In this model, classroom observations and specific recommendations for teaching behaviors are made for each teacher, and a series of teacher training sessions helps them to change…

Guidelines for effectively teaching minority students, Grades K-6, are presented in this manual, which is divided into six sections. Each section presents a different teaching principle, explains the rationale behind it, and provides a list of suggestions and/or comments from teachers. The six principles are: (1) Every child can learn if you have…

In an effort to discover relationships between acculturation, achievement, and teacher expectations as sources of alienation of Spanish American students, a sample of 477 6th grade students in 16 schools in Northern New Mexico was studied. The teacher sample found that: (1) no significant relationship existed between composite achievement and…

The collection and analysis of data concerning teacher effectiveness will continue to be of very limited use to teachers and administrators until our models of the educational process become much more sophisticated. Teacher performance indicators appear more relevant for judging teacher effectiveness than certification, education, and experience.…

The Kentucky Education Reform Act of 1990 mandates radical changes in curriculum, finances, and governance for all Kentucky schools and requires that all schools implement school-based decision making (SBDM). SBDM involves a cooperative problem solving approach to operational decisions. New York's Johnson City school district developed an…

This paper describes conditions and processes involved in implementing school-based decision making (SBDM), examining an outcomes-driven developmental model (ODDM) and describing the training components within Springfield, Missouri's and Kentucky's strategic plans. The Springfield Board of Education approved a plan to guide a schoolwide community…

This book offers new practices for raising student achievement as it advocates for responsible changes in the policies, structures, and operations of schools, providing a perspective to help educators face the challenges of professional learning on a personal level. Its 11 sections focus on: (1) "Introduction: Essential Questions about…

Research shows that teacher quality affects student achievement more greatly than any other school-based variable. The No Child Left Behind Act requires a "highly qualified" teacher in every classroom by the 2005-2006 school year and achievement gains by all students over time. These realities give policymakers a strong incentive to focus on…