The Baltimore New Compact Schools model offers schools an opportunity to cluster their resources, personnel, and funds. The Hirsch Core Knowledge Curriculum helps all three elementary schools compensate for disadvantaged students' lost learning time. The nonprofit Enterprise Foundation offers schools leadership, management, and technical support.…

Although shared decision making wasn't always Harold Boyden's first priority during his 30 years as a Vermont district leader, he always sought out his staff's ideas. Boyden believes in picking his fights, knowing when to compromise, and delegating when appropriate. He prefers to spread out budgeting ownership, responsibility, and commitment. (MLH)

Current calls for a return to basic education may seem like a rerun from the 1950s and early 1960s, but there are important differences. (Author)

Instructional materials are mediocre and inflexible because (1) education agencies leave important decisions to materials producers; (2) students, parents, and teachers lack influence; and (3) schools depend excessively on such materials. Cites research supporting this view, and suggests broad criteria and actions to improve textbooks. (MCG)

Reviews critical events in the history of relations between the United States and the Soviet Union, citing seldom-taught facts. Proposes increased emphasis on the study of the Soviet Union and U.S.-Soviet relations and suggests sources educators can use for learning more and making more information available. (PGD)

Examines the life and memoirs of Janusz Korczak (1878-1942), who attained considerable recognition as author, pediatrician, lecturer, publicist, philosopher, and educator. His greatest achievements were founding a unique, progressive child-raising method and directing an orphanage in the Warsaw Ghetto during World War II--until all were gassed by…

After conducting 10 interviews with outstanding educators for the "Educational Leadership" portrait series, the author realized his subjects had more in common than extraordinary achievement. They shared patterns constituting a leitmotif in their careers--characteristics such as vision, tenacity, recursiveness, time commitment, and dedication to…

Although South Bronx Superintendent Felton "Buddy" Johnson has cut student failure rates, budgets, and teachers' resistance to change, his school board has terminated his contract. Known as an activist administrator who refused to cut deals with a historically corrupt school board, Johnson has substantially retrained teachers and implemented the…

A third grader describes Ms. Gonzalez, his favorite teacher, who left to accept a more lucrative teaching assignment. Ms. Gonzalez' butterflies unit covered everything from songs about social butterflies to paintings of butterfly wings, anatomy studies, and student haiku poems and biographies. Students studied biology by growing popcorn plants…

Known for his work with the Coalition of Essential Schools and the Atlas Project, Sizer is a modest but brilliant administrator who is knowledgeable about education and thoughtful about what works in schools under varying circumstances. The coalition counteracts high schools'"intellectual shabbiness" and curricular superficiality by encouraging…

Formerly U.S. Commissioner of Education and Chancellor of State University of New York, Ernest Boyer is a renowned humanist. An avid Civil Rights advocate during the 1970s, Boyer believes knowledge should be channeled toward humane ends. As president of Carnegie Foundation for Advancement of Teaching, Boyer broadened the foundation agenda to…

Discusses nine major forces buffeting the California Public School System in the years 1970 through 1980: educational reform movements, declining enrollment, public dissatisfaction with education, the Serrano Decision, collective bargaining, Proposition 13, court-ordered integration, the voucher movement, and the proposed 1980 statewide spending…

As a basis for interpreting scholarly work on the Black school superintendent, the article does the following: (1) outlines African American history; (2) discusses the political context of the struggle for Black education and the importance of the Black superintendency to it; and (3) develops a framework for the future success of Black…

The article describes different types of teacher expectations and expectation effects, particularly on minority students. Evidence for the existence of expectation effects is reviewed. Descriptions of behaviors associated with teacher expectations are summarized and recommendations are made for enhancing the learning environment for all students.…