The learning organization learns continually and has the capacity to transform itself. This article presents a model addressing three levels of interrelated learning (individual, team, and organizational) and discusses seven action imperatives. Creating continuous learning opportunities, promoting dialog and inquiry, and building teams are vital…

A nationwide study of 500 schools showed that attending an effectively organized high school is worth an extra year's achievement over the course of one's high-school career. Only student aptitude trumped school organization as an achievement influence. Productive schools stress sound planning, people and program development, and accountability.…

Before diving into a change effort, principals should involve others in surveying the landscape, assessing the school's strengths, and identifying those responsible for past successes. Principals must then adopt an attitude of increased expectations; allow for comprehensive, meaningful planning; and commit to a continuous-improvement process. (MLH)

Discusses the differences between applications of interdisciplinary philosophy to school organization and to curriculum. Details organizational and curricular arrangements, notes that the two organizational arrangements can support any of the curricular arrangements, but that the term "interdisciplinary" means one thing when it modifies school…

Three-dimensional model building can help superintendents understand and monitor alternative perceptions of the school organization. Using simple models to depict district leadership or supervision plans (using nails in a board or other simple materials) can bring tangible meaning to abstract visions. (MLH)

This paper presents the results of a two-year qualitative inquiry, carried out in Spain, on a rather neglected side of external support to schools: the personal and professional experience of external support agents when they go back to teaching. These ex-advisers are career teachers who return 'home' to school after having left it to serve for…

One of the ultimate goals of policy makers is to enable citizens to take advantage of a globalised world economy. This is leading them to focus on the improvement of education policies, ensuring the quality of service provision, a more equitable distribution of learning opportunities and stronger incentives for greater efficiency in schooling.…

School-based management (SBM) has become a very popular movement over the past decade. The World Bank Education Team's SBM work program emerged out of a need to define the concept more clearly, review the evidence, support impact assessments in various countries, and provide some initial feedback to teams preparing education projects. During the…

The purpose of this article is to summarize what is generally known about talent development and schooling by stating some propositions about the way such programs are structured. This article sets the stage for a series of stories of programs that attempt to address the challenge of talent development in diverse low-income populations. The…

This article describes a new supervision model conceived to help a school system redesign its anatomy (structures), physiology (flow of information and webs of relationships), and psychology (beliefs and values). The new paradigm (Knowledge Work Supervision) was constructed by reviewing the practices of several interrelated areas: sociotechnical…

Author surveyed how far comprehensive reorganisation has progressed in Wales. (Editor/RK)

Article provided a look at seven exemplary media and resource centers that revealed insights into decentralization of school media services. (Editor/RK)

The major purpose of this report is to present information about the organization of middle schools in the school district of Philadelphia. The report includes: (1) summary information on rostering/scheduling practices; and (2) comparisons of promotion/retention rates, average daily attendance, and suspension rates in middle schools with different…

This compilation of materials and information serves as a step-by-step how-to guide to creating and building a parent cooperative preschool. After brief sections discussing where to begin and how cooperatives originated, contents explore basic considerations in planning, planning for community meetings, and the permanent organizational structure…

Barriers to change in secondary schools discussed in this article include: an organizational framework appropriate to business, not education; the subtle effect upon teachers of being low in status vis a vis the larger society; and monies for education being a low priority among our state and national decision makers. (JH)