In this report, four secondary schools with programs varying from innovative to traditional are studied to evaluate the impact of innovation on the learning experience of students. Questionnaires were administered to students and staff, and interviews were conducted with smaller groups. Teacher marks were employed to evaluate student achievement.…

Presenting both narrative and tabular data, this document emphasizes recent (1973-75) improvements in Poland's educational programs, policies, and legislation. Specifically, this paper addresses: (1) educational development during the 30 years of the Polish People's Republic (an historical comparison emphasizing post-war educational opportunities…

This report first details how American Samoa's public schools are organized. The public school system consists of early childhood education (ECE), elementary education, secondary education, and special education. In the 1975-76 school year, ECE operated 145 village centers. In addition to these centers, five year-old children from village and home…

Decentralized decision-making is an important characteristic of effective schools. Effective decentralization requires that teachers, parents, students, and the community be involved, despite the various problems they face. The creation of school improvement councils is one step towards implementing the massive structural change needed to improve…

Reviews the implications of James Coleman's report, "Public and Private High Schools" for education reform and Catholic schools, focusing on issues related to free choice between public and private schools, school organization, parent involvement, and values. (DMM)

This presentation addresses three topics: (1) the assessment of professional learning communities in schools; (2) the design and development of professional learning communities in schools; and (3) the effects of professional learning communities in schools. The purpose of this brief document is to share descriptions, processes, and materials…

The research methodology of this study included both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Samples consisted of school counselors from 66 Victorian, 33 ACT, and 71 NSW schools in Australia. Findings show that building genuine partnerships between school and external communities requires lots of effort, commitment, and time. Effectiveness of a…

Community schools were created in Ohio to provide additional educational options for children in low-performing schools and to develop innovative teaching and management techniques that may be transferable to traditional public schools. In 1997 the Ohio General Assembly required the Legislative Office of Education Oversight (LOEO) to evaluate the…

This paper discusses practices, issues, and trends in Japanese middle school education that have bearing on U.S. education, grouping them into four categories. Section 1, "School Reform," discusses central control of education, opportunities for student creativity, improved teacher education, and the examination system. Section 2,…

During March of 1920, by resolution of the Board of Education of Wilmington, Delaware, a committee of 30 citizens of the city was appointed to make a survey of the public schools and of the system of education of the city. The executive committee was directed to prepare a plan or program to be followed in making the investigation and survey and to…

The author recommends that teachers receive a strong liberal education followed by a two-year postbaccalaureate training program. In addition, the schools must be reorganized to include hierarchically structured teams of teachers headed by those with even further professional training and higher pay. (Author/JM)

Discusses the effects of societal changes on child development at home and at school and its relationship to academic learning, with particular emphasis on minority children and their families. Describes a model for improving school organization and management. (FMW)

Analysis of a state-wide survey and in-depth interviews with 15 home school families in Oregon reveals that the impetus for home schooling may be tied to the effects of contemporary culture on personal belief. Characteristics of religious and New Age home school families are discussed. (BJV)

Examines the ways in which school-level policies and procedures influence students' probabilities of being placed in the accelerated track in mathematics in middle school and high school. Data from interviews with 52 school administrators show that substantial variations exist among districts in student opportunities for the accelerated…

Describes the work of Mary Hunt and the Scientific Temperance movement to mandate teaching about the nature of alcohol and narcotics in the public schools. Examines the struggle over organization and planning within the public school system. Discusses organization in the Scientific Temperance movement's response to public school administration and…