How one public school used its diversity to foster community, while protecting itself from exclusivity, was studied. This study challenges the assumption that a community-like ethos is impossible in an urban neighborhood public school that has no special admissions requirements. Case study methodology, with almost 250 hours of observation of…

The Austin Independent School District (AISD) (Texas) has been involved in year-round education for 5 years. In 1995-96, 11 elementary schools and 1 middle school had adopted the year-round plan. In all schools, the plan is a single-track plan, so that all students and all teachers have the same schedule, in which students are in school for…

Offering a degree in advance of the traditional B.A. will "exalt the liberal arts curriculum" and better serve new students. The curriculum should be expanded to accommodate the less-qualified undergraduates and full service should be offered to the public, six days a week, year round. (MLW)

Drawing on 14 case studies, this article examines reforms and innovative strategies affecting quantity and quality of time usage, and the potential of nonschool educators to complement and expand youngsters' learning opportunities. Many successful programs offer students less classroom time. Some residential programs for dropouts and poor minority…

The independent Citizens' Commission on Planning for Enrollment Growth for New York City has concluded that the school system is experiencing explosive enrollment growth, and that current strategies are incapable of dealing with this growth. The only way to forestall a crisis is to increase classroom space significantly. Given current demographic…

Projecting the future for California community colleges involves projecting the future for the state and for the nation in general. According to population projections, the absolute number of 18-year-olds in the U.S. will rise to 4 million in 2004 up from 3.3 million in 1992. The tuition differential between California's community colleges and the…

Intended to provide background information and preliminary policy options for the California Community Colleges' Commission on Innovation, this document explores the advantages and costs of shifting to year-round operations to increase college capacity and reduce the need for new facilities. Following introductory materials detailing the…

This survey, the eighth in a series of biannual surveys of demographic information related to Texas public school teachers, had 361 respondents. Data indicate that the average teacher in Texas is a 43-year-old female, making a $30,395 salary, is married with a working spouse, has a bachelor's degree, is not the breadwinner, teaches elementary…

Since the implementation of educational reform in California in 1981, the Oxnard School District's efforts to improve student achievement have included the following areas of staff development: curriculum revision; proficiency testing for reading, math, and composition; grade promotion and retention standards; and intersession remediation…

The purpose of this book is to provide information about year-round schools (YRS) to those thinking about YRS as an educational option for their communities. The book includes a concise history of YRS and case studies of communities that have ventured to change their school calendars. The authors discuss some of the issues that a change to YRS…

A three-year trial of a voluntary quinmester plan for extending the school year began in June 1974 in five Knox County, Tennessee, schools. Curriculum revision, K-12, was the principal thrust of the ESY (Extended School Year) project, but administrators also hoped to relieve overcrowding in the schools and to effect more efficient use of…

The Pennsylvania Legislature funded a two-year program to enable interested local schools to conduct exploratory programs on all-year scheduling. Funds were allocated by contract on the basis of the local school's need and readiness to conduct some type of all-year school program or to study the feasibility of such a program. Findings indicate…

A comprehensive report that provides detailed descriptions of the study structure, the 12 areas investigated, the findings, and the recommendations of a 6-month project to determine the feasibility of operating the Long Branch, New Jersey, High School on a quinmester calendar. The study team covered administrative implementation, athletics and…

This report identifies strategies and practices that school districts might employ as they seek ways to cope with increased enrollments and rapidly rising costs. Among the practices discussed are (1) intensive space utilization, (2) community classrooms, (3) "Schomes" -- schools in homes or apartment buildings, (4) rented classroom space, (5)…

In August 1993 the Des Moines (Iowa) community created a new type of neighborhood school by placing an elementary school close to where the parents work, rather than where they live. This school, the Downtown School, serves a diverse community of students, emphasizes parental involvement, and implements current research in education. This report…