Why established institutional forms of schooling have been so stable and why most challenges do not succeed is studied through case studies of reform that include the Dalton Plan; the Eight-Year Study, a secondary school reform plan; and the new model flexible high school of the 1960s. (SLD)

The cooperative elementary school model uses cooperation, particularly cooperative learning, as a philosophy for educational change. A 2-year study of the cooperative elementary school model in 2 treatment and 3 comparison schools involving 1,012 students demonstrates positive effects on academic achievement and social relations. (SLD)

Using data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 with hierarchical linear modeling, this study identified individual-level and school-level variables influencing the decision to drop out of middle school. At the individual level, grade retention is the single most powerful predictor. (SLD)

Hierarchical linear modeling was used to examine relationships between students' sense of community, poverty level, and student attitudes, motives, beliefs, and behavior among a diverse sample of 24 elementary schools. Within schools, the sense of community of individual students was significantly associated with student outcome measures. (SLD)

Processes and outcomes associated with Reading Recovery and Success for All reading instruction programs were studied for first graders in 3 schools (n=184). Reading Recovery strongly benefited tutored students, but Success for All was more beneficial for special education students and untutored students. (SLD)

Compared two different guided questioning strategies and unguided questioning and assessed the knowledge construction of 48 fourth and fifth graders in the questioning conditions. Results support the conclusion that questions designed to access prior knowledge and experience are more effective in enhancing learning than questions simply designed…