Describes corporate-derived teaching strategy called lesson study wherein teachers work to develop lessons, observe each other teaching lessons to see how they work, and then suggest lesson refinements. Provides examples of corporate change efforts (one successful, one not) and implications thereof for education. Evaluates two lesson-study…

Indiana school district saw need to improve elementary students' achievement test scores and made commitment to change culture to ensure that all students learn well. Staff, parents, community, and students were introduced to school improvement effort based on effective schools research. Efforts show significant academic improvements in Indiana…

Explores the role of the urban school superintendent with regard to each of the six National Education Goals of 1990. Superintendents must mobilize their forces to fulfill the reforms outlined in the goals and must focus on specific needs of urban children. (SLD)

The success of transitional bilingual programs depends on program support at all levels of the school hierarchy and on the level of knowledge of bilingual education as evidenced through curriculum and instructional activities. Negative impacts and challenges of three types of inappropriate transitional bilingual programs are outlined along with…

Like so many other states, Iowa faces the acute challenge of improving teacher quality. To address this problem, the state has been conducting and procuring a system over the last two years that will move Iowa into compliance with No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) requirements in the areas of teacher quality and the core subjects of reading,…

The requirements of (NCLB) and the 2004 reauthorized Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) emphasize higher standards and achievement of all students. Fundamental changes are being implemented in organizing for instruction, staffing, and differentiating instruction. Leaders recognize the wall must come down between general and special education…

This paper focuses on the role of the school leader as motivator. In particular, attention is given to what those in school leadership roles can do to enhance the personal investment of students in learning. A conceptual model is outlined which suggests that school leaders affect not only the degree, but also the quality of student motivation by…

Results of a questionnaire on instructional leadership administered to elementary school principals and teachers in California confirmed literature findings that instructional leadership behavior significantly influences student achievement. The study sought to determine (1) the 29 most important instructional leadership behaviors through…

This paper presents summaries of selected articles and research reports that address the role of the principal in areas of instructional leadership, teacher evaluation, and student achievement. Research concludes that the single most important factor in determining the success of a school is the ability of the principal to coordinate, organize,…

Two major concerns should be considered as the federal effort to collect educational data is redesigned. The concerns involve the roles performed by school personnel and the effect of student characteristics on achievement. Obtaining accurate measures of school district personnel--how many, what type, and what they do--is difficult. However,…

This book identifies 26 essential traits and behaviors of effective principals to show how they achieve success as instructional leaders. The contents and conclusions are based on 81 key research articles from the last 20 years. The book also reviews differences in instructional leadership between elementary and secondary principals; male and…

This first annual report details North Carolina's performance and progress in five areas of its First in America goals: high student performance (every student in school and making strong progress, every graduate ready for college and work, and every school accountable for student learning); every child ready to learn (every child with access to…

This book demonstrates how high achievement can exist in high-poverty, high-minority schools. By drawing on the best practices of 13 exemplary schools, the book highlights the specific means by which ethnically diverse (namely, African American and Latino) students can attain educational success. The book offers seven strategies for principals to…

Educational reform poses problems for administrators in rural areas who have limited time and resources. This guide offers a process that can be used by rural administrators to engage the community in activities that will enhance children's success in the classroom and in their adult lives. Section 1 discusses the importance of community…

This paper reports on an examination of the effects of leadership practices on student achievement. It includes a meta-analysis of nearly every available study since the 1970s, including doctoral dissertations, that indicated it examined the effects of leadership on student achievement. From a total of more than 5,000 studies, 70 met the…