While the administrator, parent, community, school board, and others must be held accountable to some degree for a student's education, the primary responsibility is shared by the student and the teacher. Fully achieving educational accountability involves going beyond minimum requirements to do the best job possible. (PGD)

This first part of a two-part article (concluded next issue) reviews the major research both supporting and denying the notion that teachers can significantly affect student learning. Notes six important reasons why the research has been inconclusive, primarily related to disagreement over definitions of relevant variables and desired outcomes.…

A national survey of 156 randomly selected school superintendents revealed that teacher shortages currently exist in special education, mathematics, science, and industrial arts and vocational studies. Reasons for the failure of certified teacher education graduates to enter the profession are noted. (PGD)

Reviews the causes of reduction in force and notes the varying interests of affected parties. Suggests four ways to gain control over situations requiring reductions: understand the facts, formulate a fair and understandable plan, adopt methods reducing the impact of reductions, and make use of regional accrediting agencies. (PGD)

Lists seven steps for principals to take when terminating teachers: follow good evaluation processes, build a documented case, recommend the termination, notify the teacher, prepare carefully for the hearing, follow guidelines for testifying effectively, and accept the outcome. Expands on evaluation process characteristics, preparing for hearings,…

Suggests ways for ensuring that teacher evaluation methods used by principals when dismissing teachers will stand up to the challenges posed by hearings: Did the principal try to help the teacher improve? Were evaluation criteria relevant? Was the decision to terminate arbitrary or capricious? Was the evaluation process confidential? (PGD)

A survey of 461 Mississippi employers revealed that they were particularly interested in good work attitudes among potential employees, along with oral and written communications and problem-solving skills. The employers also indicated that high schools should place more emphasis on developing these attitudes and skills. (PGD)

Describes a program for acquainting high school seniors with the resources available in university libraries and the means for using them. Also notes the observations of librarians regarding incoming students' common attitude toward academic libraries, an attitude characterized by the term "research shock." (PGD)

Presents a checklist for determining the presence in individual schools of the characteristics determined by research to be typical of effective schools. Suggests ways of improving schools by using the checklist, which covers administrator and teacher behaviors and instructional program characteristics. (PGD)

Schools seeking to sharpen their academic skills programs should consider defining their academic goals; organizing the school's resources and modifying the schedule, curricula, and instructional techniques to meet the goals; and developing an evaluation program that effectively measures progress toward the goals. (PGD)

Presents a form designed to help administrators easily identify positive and negative characteristics of candidates for teaching positions. These characteristics, in the areas of educational philosophy, instructional skills, professional interests, and suitability to the school's working climate, can then be matched with the school's needs. (PGD)

Describes 20 ways in which secondary schools can enhance their learning climates, using time and effort in a more businesslike, productive way to increase orderliness and predictability; improve recognition of the value of time; emphasize excellence; and create a sense of purpose, openness, and optimism regarding learning and living. (Author/PGD)

Describes in sequence the key considerations involved in planning an effective program for communications among a school's staff members. Covers program goals, communications needs analysis, responsibility, credibility, communications rights of employees, necessary attitudes, planning steps, appropriate channels and network patterns,…

Local districts can assess public opinion concerning the schools by adapting the questions asked and the data analysis methods used in national Gallup polls for use in local surveys. A comparison of national poll results with results of polls in four Arizona cities illustrates the value of this concept. (PGD)

Since the brain operates best on multimodal, nonlogical, real-world problems, it may be counterproductive to teach students sequential, logical techniques for solving artificially defined problems. Giving students time to consider and propose solutions for real problems may be a more effective means of helping them learn to think. (PGD)