The practical usefulness of H. S. Bhola's models for planned change is questioned through speculations on problems that would have arisen if the models had been applied in arranging an Inter-American Development Bank technical assistance project in Barbados. (PP)

Reviews the impact of federal education reform measures, particularly Goals 2000, on Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) schools. The Office of Indian Education Programs organized a school support team process to assist BIA-responsible schools with the development of consolidated school reform plans, curriculum content standards, opportunity-to-learn…

Highlights the importance of increasing student and staff aspirations as a component of effective schools and describes a rural school improvement project developed at the University of Maine. The Aspirations Project involves university school partnerships with four rural Maine school systems. (KS)

Major differences between European and Latin American universities are examined, and resulting differences in motivations and restrictions regarding cooperative programs are discussed. It is concluded that, although Latin American institutions stand to gain from educational and technical assistance of European institutions, they be prepared to be…

Given that education is a highly politicized institution whose benefits are shared inequitably among its supporters, it should be evident that educational reforms fail (or succeed) more often for political reasons than because of technical or programmatic differences. To illustrate, this article examines a large international assistance project,…

This research reveals the type of support that is imperative for principals working with external agents in low-performing urban schools as required by federal and state legislation. Nine principals, in four urban districts, two aided by one external agency and seven aided by another, were followed in year-long case studies. Mixed methods for data…

The implementation of standards-based reform has been a goal of state policy makers for the last 10 years. States have also restructured their governance systems with the intention of distributing more authority to local decision-makers. However, even the high standards of this type of reform, and the strong incentives to encourage the change, are…

Explores the link between the management of fiscal retrenchment and the need for more effective schools. Describes school improvement strategies based on the school effectiveness research and on past experience with educational change programs. A final section discusses the potential role of these strategies in the larger context of educational…

The Connecticut Academy for Education implemented the School Improvement Support Team (SIST) in the Waterbury, Connecticut, Public Schools during the 1998-99 school year. The main goal of the SIST is to provide a comprehensive and cohesive set of programs and activities for improving student performance in the Waterbury Public Schools. The…

A survey of recipients of 51 technical assistance projects addressing needs of children with sensory impairments in 18 states and territories resulted in identification of desired individual, programmatic, and systemwide changes in provision of technical assistance services. (Author/DB)

A network of Best Practice Centers located throughout Virginia provides convenient resources, support, technical assistance, and professional development for schools working to achieve higher standards. The most common needs for assistance were in curriculum alignment, test data use to improve instruction, content-area teaching strategies, and…

The instructional improvement model Data on Enacted Curriculum was tested with an experimental design using randomized place-based trials. The improvement model is based on using data on instructional practices and achievement to guide professional development and decisions to refocus on instruction. The model was tested in 50 U.S. middle schools…

In fall 1997, Congress approved funding to implement Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration (CSRD) programs, primarily in Title I schools in high-poverty areas. This digest explains CSRD and what it might mean to rural schools. Since 1965, Title I has provided resources to at-risk children in lower-income schools. Changes in 1988 and 1994…

A key assumption of the Concerns Based Adoption Model (CBAM) is that change is a process, rather than an event. The Procedures for Adopting Educational Innovations Project is working to identify and verify diagnostic dimensions of CBAM, and to develop tools to measure the developmental status of users and non-users; these concepts will help change…