Describes a California project which encourages educators to follow best practices for staff development and school improvement. The project helps them evaluate their staff-development plans by examining five essential questions about staff development and its connections to student success, professional climate, standards, and assessment. The…

Examined how interdisciplinary team practices and classroom instructional practices affected student achievement in high poverty middle schools in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Found that when the combined effects of family poverty level, teaming and common planning time, and duration of teaming were considered, there was a relationship…

This paper: (1) discusses why science and mathematics education are important; (2) outlines why a comprehensive improvement program is necessary; and (3) describes how North Carolina is attempting to improve science and mathematics education as related to teacher supply and quality, student enrollment and performance, curriculum and instructional…

TWELFTH- AND SIXTH-GRADE DATA FROM A STUDY BY JAMES S. COLEMAN WERE USED TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE EQUALITY OF EDUCATION IN THE NORTH. THE MORE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS POSED WERE--(1) IS THERE AN INSTRUCTIONAL COST DIFFERENTIAL DUE TO RACE, (2) WHAT IS THE PROPORTION OF WHITES IN CLASSES COMPOSED OF BOTH NEGROES AND WHITES, AND (3) ARE THERE REAL…

The Minneapolis Accountability Project represents an effort to allow the community to evaluate existing school programs which are locally funded. The project informs the community about school problems, establishes a channel for expression of community concerns, and provides findings and proposals for educational change. This report describes the…

This study examines both the relationship between teacher evaluation by students and student performance (where students were unaware of course grades), and the role of learner perception of effective teaching styles on those evaluations. Ninty-three graduate students served as subjects for this study. Near the end of the five-week course, the…

This study, based on an examination of five improving high-poverty school districts, identified key factors to improving instruction across entire school systems. All of the participating districts had seen a rise in poverty over a decade, had experienced significant changes in ethnic and racial makeup, and had seen increases in the percentage of…

This report describes a program for administrator and lead teacher professional development based on revised standards of the National Staff Development Council. The program acted as a catalyst for improving professional development practices at school sites. The report also presents a preliminary evaluation of the process, which involved…

This reports presents interview findings with education policymakers on various aspects of educational research. The sampling contained the following groups: superintendents and other local education officials; chief state school officers; state higher education executive officers; state legislators; governors' educational policy advisors;…

The impact of the School Improvement Through Instructional Process (SITIP) program in Maryland schools was evaluated. The program encourages application of research on planned change to implement one or more of four instructional models: (1) Active Teaching--emphasis on direct instruction, review and discussion of homework, individually supervised…

Scheduled for implementation in 1985, Student Excellence through Educational Development of Staff (SEEDS) is a 3-year cooperative partnership between four rural Southwest Iowa school districts to provide comprehensive, long-term staff development that promises to heighten student achievement through increasing instructional/supervision skills of…

A joint statement by 27 scholars, educators, and policymakers focuses on the question of character development in American education, as well as the general need to sustain the momentum of reform brought about by numerous national reports on education. Following an executive summary which presents a rationale for the statement, material is divided…

Practicing teachers who took a Masters of Instruction program showed a mastery of economics comparable to regular college students taking intermediate theory courses and significantly more positive attitudes toward economics. However, the study raised serious questions concerning the effectiveness of college economics teaching and the economic…

"Viewpoints" is a multimedia package containing two audio CDs and a short, informative booklet. This volume of "Viewpoints" focuses on using scientifically based practices to improve student achievement and teacher effectiveness. The audio CDs provide the voices, or viewpoints, of various leaders from the education field who have worked closely…

In 1993, Merck & Co., Inc. began an endeavor to make a significant and visible commitment to improving science education by creating the Merck Institute for Science Education (MISE) and supported the new venture with a 10-year, $20-million financial commitment. From its inception, MISE had two goals: to raise the interest, participation, and…