Operated as a pair of philanthropic funds, the Hyde Family Foundations works to improve the quality of life in Memphis. In order to counteract persistent socioeconomic and racial barriers and improve opportunities for underserved families in Memphis, the foundations have made improving the city's education system a priority of its grantmaking.…

This report, the second annual report of the Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) system's current 5-year contract, shows the progress laboratories have made in meeting regional challenges and establishing national leadership in critical areas. The report also illustrates who the labs are using research and development to gain knowledge about how…

This brochure describes the Regional Educational Laboratory Program, established in 1965, which is a program that represents a large investment in research and development by the U.S. Department of Education to help educators, policymakers, and communities improve schools. In fiscal year 2000, the network of 10 regional laboratories supplied…

Education reform and technical assistance systems have been criticized for their inability to sustain significant, long-term improvements in teaching and learning. One method that has shown success is the use of an external facilitator in comprehensive school-change efforts. In collaboration with the Virginia Department of Education, the…

Reviews political, economic, and cultural dimensions of educational reform in Poland and international assistance with curriculum development from 1990-1996. (SK)

This article focuses on the concept of external technical assistance and the practices associated with the concept. More specifically, the focus is on how those who do not work in a school on a regular basis might help the school's staff improve student performance and eliminate the achievement gap. The first part of this article challenges…

In June 2006, the State Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Steven Paine, convened the Task Force comprised of county superintendents, RESA executive directors, county school boards, county and RESA specialists in staff development, finance, and technology, staff from West Virginia Senate and House Education Committees, the State Auditor's Office, and…

This report examines the issue of teacher turnover in small schools and offers suggestions for how small schools can sustain changes in structure, instruction, and leadership, yet make room for new voices and ideas. Data was drawn from a three-year study of high school conversions in Washington State. The report also includes self-study questions…

This update reports on the activities of the Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE), which includes the implementation of the new Perkins Vocational Education Act passed by the 109th Congress and signed by President Bush on August 12, 2006. There is also significant activity in preparation for the scheduled reauthorization of the Adult…

This paper explores the concept of mutual adaptation in the process of information transfer for school improvement. The analysis is based on the experiences of technical assistance teams of the Documentation and Technical Assistance Project (Chicago, Illinois), which sought to link research and practice by helping schools to improve their problem…

Regional Educational Service Agencies (RESAs)--agencies between the state and local level--are an important resource for helping local educators cope with a variety of pressures from an increasingly complex environment. They do so by performing two functions. Political linkage provides knowledge about the impacts of mandates on specific districts…

This guide helps leaders working with parents and the community learn about promising practices in parent and community involvement in school reform. By examining the efforts of seven contrasting groups working with parents nationwide, the guide depicts the many forms that parent and community involvement in schools can take, highlighting…

Since early 1998, AEL, Inc., has been assisting state departments of education in Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia in the implementation of the federally funded Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration (CSRD) program. As part of this assistance, AEL established two types of electronic networks to link school staff at CSRD sites,…

Comparison of two initiatives to bring modern management to China, one U.S. and one European funded, found that both succeeded to an extent in establishing business-administration education. Only the European effort has left a permanent presence in what is now China's leading business school. (SK)

This article describes the approach of a five-year initiative, funded by the National Science Foundation, to improve the teaching of mathematics and science in 10 rural school districts of Missouri. Traditional challenges of improving the professional practice of teachers are addressed through a regional partnership. External project evaluation…