This digest briefly reviews major approaches to restructuring American schools and evaluates their potential for improving student learning and their feasibility--politically, financially, and administratively. The following reasons for restructuring are discussed: (1) poor educational performance; and (2) the changing skills needed for today's…

Four critical time periods offer a sense of where the Effective Schools Movement has been, and where it appears to be headed. The period of 1966 to 1976 marked the beginning of descriptive studies of individual effective schools. During the period of 1976 to 1980 a new coalition was formed between many of the Effective Schools researchers and…

A model for a comprehensive, multi-purpose, multi-user evaluation system is presented to facilitate educational decision making and to support school improvement and renewal. The model is school district-based but oriented to meet state-, school-, and classroom-level needs as well. The model emphasizes the usefulness of common or compatible…

The purpose of this article is to demonstrate the capabilities and limitations of systems analysis as applied to the development of a program evaluation plan. A brief review of selected concepts in evaluation theory (Lee J. Cronbach; Michael Scriven; Robert Stake; Daniel Stufflebeam), a description of general systems theory, the development of a…

This chapter traces the migration from farms to cities and the later movement from cities to suburbs and discusses the impact of the resulting big city environment on the governance of big city education. The author (1) suggests how local, State, and Federal governments can improve big city education; (2) discusses ways of planning for the future…

The Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education (ED) appointed eleven members to the Appalachian Regional Advisory Committee (AP RAC) to provide advice concerning the educational needs of the region as required by the Educational Technical Assistance Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-279; 20 USC 9605). The RAC was charged with providing this advice…

The Oregon Department of Education is required by the U.S. Department of Education to establish targets for expected rates of growth for every school in order to close the achievement gap. The Oregon Department of Education will work in partnership with key partners such as ESDs, universities, community-based organizations, and professional…

Although committed to the core goals of the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) advocates that flaws remain in the law and its implementation in the areas of: (1) Accountability, Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) and Assessments; (2) Teacher Quality; (3) Paraprofessionals; (4) School Improvement and Public…

The State Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems (SECCS) Initiative represents a unique opportunity to improve the quality of life for young children and their families, and support them in reaching their full potential. Under the SECCS Initiative, state mother and child health agencies are being asked to apply MCH experience and expertise to a…

This report examines Maryland's role in setting and measuring higher standards; holding schools, districts, and students accountable for results; strengthening teaching and helping schools and districts build capacity to implement reform; and sustaining public support for standards-based reform. A review team analyzed written documents regarding…

This report presents U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige's "back to school" address to the National Press Club on September 4, 2001. Noting that little progress has been made despite $147 billion spent on federal education programs since the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, the speech discusses the principles of the…

The importance of alignment amongst standards in teacher education is vital for transforming preservice teacher education, continuing professional development, and teacher evaluation. The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) can shape and inform practice, and a dean of a school of education might face challenges in grounding…

This pamphlet for parents in English presents the components of the "No Child Left Behind" policy of the George W. Bush administration. Prefaced with remarks by President Bush and Secretary of Education Rod Paige, the pamphlet discusses the importance of high academic standards and provides guidance for parents in interpreting test…

This pamphlet for parents Spanish presents the components of the "No Child Left Behind" policy of the George W. Bush administration. Prefaced with remarks by President Bush and Secretary of Education Rod Paige, the pamphlet discusses the importance of high academic standards and provides guidance for parents in interpreting test scores.…

This literature review surveys research on academic achievement in the middle grades to answer the following questions: What is the current state of middle-grades education? What led to the reform of middle-grades education? What does the research say about educational practices that support academic achievement in the middle grades? The review…