Nicaragua's decentralization policy shifts management and budget decisions to local school councils. Interviews with teachers, parents, and directors in 12 elementary and secondary schools examined the effects of school context, poverty, and sources of authority on implementation of school autonomy; varying meanings of "autonomy" as seen by…

A study of 140 first- and second-grade classrooms and 1,925 students in the Brazilian states of Bahia and Ceara examined teaching practices and teacher behaviors in the classroom and their effects on students' early literacy achievement, as well as the influences of student, home, teacher, and school characteristics on literacy scores. (SV)

Observation in 281 elementary and junior secondary classrooms and interview with teachers found large variation in communication behaviors of Botswana teachers, related to subject matter, presence of a textbook, and school size. Much class time was spent on choral recitation, which was positively related to expatriate staff and pupil persistence.…

A longitudinal study of academic achievement among 4,968 secondary students in Botswana found time in school to be the best predictor of achievement. Findings also suggest that supplementary reading materials, inservice training, and selected teaching practices may be boosting mean achievement and may help explain variation among pupils.…

Examines changes from 1970-1980 in indicators of primary school quality in low- and middle-income developing nations. Focuses on expenditures per pupil, pupil/teacher ratio, percentage of pupils entering grade six, and schooling required for fully qualified teachers. Analyzes the influence of contextual factors related to national wealth, size of…