Organization Development deserves the attention of school media personnel. It offers a new and promising approach to the whole problem of staff development and evaluation for school media programs. Its strengths lie in its constructive, open approach to both individual and program actuation. (Author)

Describes nine steps that enable a school psychologist to determine the real agenda of a school system. The "real" agenda of a school is defined as those behaviors that are encouraged and discouraged by each school's culture on a daily basis, and is not necessarily equated with official school statements. (Author)

Proposes a conceptual framework for viewing alternative schools. Identifies four educational ideologies and explores how they may influence school goals, program, formal structure, environment, and informal processes and norms. Develops propositions related to (1) the relationship between alternative schools and the external environment and (2)…

Looks at the reasons why the West Oxfordshire Center of Advanced Education has failed. The Center was an example of cooperation between sixth form work and adult education colleges. (Editor/RK)

Leadership style is the key to successful communication and decision-making. A methodology is proposed to help school districts determine who should be considered management. (Author/MLF)

Considers the moral/philosophical issue of integrating Catholic schools, the impact of such a decision on parish life, the administrative, technical, and educational concerns. Also presents four ways to integrate the schools with an evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of each model. (RK)

Defines and clarifies the role of educational public relations in relation to student achievement. This communications process, which improves organizational understanding and climate through broad community involvement, should be given top priority by educators and citizens. (CJH)

Using Durkheim's distinction between mechanical and organic social systems, examines the antecedents of conflict in 111 public schools. Division of labor is indirectly but ultimately related to disputes through direct correlations with goal disagreement and enhanced control. Disputes increase when rules dominate the control structure. (Author/BJV)

The American Federation of Teachers' (AFT) annual meeting stressed school restructuring, schools within schools, in which groups of teachers work within the system to change the system. The delegates passed a number of resolutions that called for extending current services or initiating new ones. (MLF)

Describes the background of schemes to rationalize earth science departments in the United Kingdom. Discusses the rationale of these schemes and the controversy they have caused in the academic community. (CW)

The first Center for Research on Elementary and Middle Schools (CREM) report describes the structures and practices currently used at all school levels for staffing, grouping, and scheduling. The report assesses the effects of departmentalization, tracking, ability grouping, and grade spans on student learning and development. (MLH)

Summary findings from a meta-analysis of 133 research studies of adults comparing the relative effectiveness of cooperative, competitive, and individualistic efforts show that cooperation among adults promotes achievement, positive interpersonal relationships, social support, and self-esteem. (MLF)

For a school to have a community of leaders, teachers must have opportunities to assume more responsibility, more decision-making power, and more accountability for the results. Teacher leadership can help build collegiality and break down communication barriers. Shared leadership models will persevere only if they are used to reorganize the work…

This research examined 1,213 elementary school teachers' perceptions of the school organizational conditions that provide the greatest opportunities for professional development. Ten workplace conditions were analyzed. Results are presented. (Author/MT)