A year ago, a small Maine high school used cutting-edge instructional methodology, aggressive public-relations strategies, and community input to place its art department at the center of school improvement. Implementation of an interdisciplinary art, business-education, and computer-science course has elevated the art department's status and…

The experience of middle-school reformers during the past 30 years has shown that administrative/organizational changes are more easily achieved than changes in people. Using teaming, block scheduling, and other middle-level approaches to personalize high schools and make them more relevant may help today's adolescents regain feelings of purpose,…

Growing student diversity, reports and government mandates, ninth-grade transition problems, and middle-school influences have produced new enthusiasm for high-school reorganization. Restructuring approaches such as block scheduling, differentiated instruction, academic teaming, house plans, career academies, heterogeneous grouping, and integrated…