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This is an interpretive summary of information from a multiple case study of 11 school districts in California, Arizona, and Nevada conducted in the spring and fall of 1992 as part of a larger set of strategies to work on solutions to the challenges facing schools in metropolitan areas of the Pacific Southwest. Rather than presenting a set of empirical findings, this paper constructs a hypothetical district as a composite ideal, the "high-performance district." The high-performance district has a distinctive pattern of organization attributed to: (1) the school board, the superintendent and other administration, (2) the structure of authority and incentives, and (3) school programs and support facilities. Its programs are the logical outcomes of its history, and characteristically include innovation, a multicultural focus, high standards, and flexible organizational designs. The teachers are regraded as competent, treated as professionals, and provided with inservice educational programs. Community relations are characterized by respect for the cultural integrity of diverse households and opportunities for parent and family involvement. Four tables and three figures present information from the case studies. (Contains 12 references.) (SLD)

The Bridging Cultures Project is a collaboration among several researchers and teachers (n=8) to design professional development activities on the topic of cross-cultural understanding. During the fall of 1996, participating teachers will be given a pre-assessment and post-assessment. The assessments are designed to give some information on how teachers construe cross-culture conflicts before and after they participate in the program's professional development activities. Teachers read and comment upon brief scenarios depicting a problem situation that would likely be resolved differently, depending on the person's culture-based value system. Then, teachers are asked to imagine how a typical parent from a specific ethnic group might resolve the problem. Teachers' responses before and after the workshops will give insights into the effectiveness of the workshops and into the ways that attitudes, perceptions, and knowledge can be influenced. At the end of the pre-assessment session, teachers will complete a questionnaire that gives essential information about their education, teaching experience, and language background and the ethnic composition of their classrooms. This will be helpful in understanding the perspectives they bring to analyzing the scenarios on the pre- and post-assessments. The appendixes contain the Bridging Cultures pre-assessment, post-assessment, and participant questionnaire. (SM)

Site-based management is designed to bring decision making to the school level and involve all stakeholders in a process that will result ultimately in improved student outcomes. Enacted into law in June 1989, Hawaii's School/Community-Based Management Initiative (SCBM) is part of a national trend toward decentralizing decision making and increasing school autonomy that arose during the 1980s. A voluntary program, SCBM offers schools flexibility, autonomy, and a small amount of resources in exchange for school-community commitment and plans for improving educational outcomes. This document presents findings of an evaluation of the first nine schools that participated in SCBM. Data were derived from individual and focus-group interviews with each of the six role groups and SCBM council members; onsite observation; surveys of teachers, support staff, SCBM council members, administrators, and parents; and document analysis. The evaluation shows that SCBM participation has brought greater voice to many groups, fostered new ways of collaboration, and (in a few cases) led to the development of a school culture that supports significant improvement in the learning environment. In short, SCBM rarely has caused school improvement but has provided the framework and vehicle for improvement. The following recommendations are offered: (1) All levels need to consider ways to continue building group decision making and communication skills; (2) schools need to determine and clarify the roles and responsibilities of the council from the start; (3) participants at all levels, but especially in schools, need to develop better procedures for orienting new SCBM council members--particularly staff and parents--to SCBM and the school's vision; (4) the state needs to streamline and clarify the waiver and exception process; (5) schools and the state should consider adopting accountability systems capable of meeting both school and state needs; (6) all levels should consider streamlining school-improvement goals, designing staff-development plans, and instituting a comprehensive planning process; and (7) greater cooperation, coordination of effort, and creative use of resources are needed to provide SCBM schools with support in this time of diminishing resources. (LMI)

Hawaii's School/Community-Based Management Initiative (SCBM), which was enacted into law in 1989, is part of a national trend toward decentralizing decision making and increasing school autonomy that arose during the 1980s. A voluntary program, SCBM offers schools flexibility, autonomy, and a small amount of resources in exchange for school-community commitment and plans for improving educational outcomes. This document presents findings of an evaluation of the first nine schools that participated in SCBM. Data were derived from individual and focus-group interviews with each of the six role groups and SCBM council members; observation; surveys of teachers, support staff, SCBM council members, administrators, and parents; and document analysis. The evaluation shows that SCBM participation has brought greater voice to many groups, fostered new ways of collaboration, and (in a few cases) led to the development of a school culture that supports significant improvement in the learning environment. In short, SCBM rarely has caused school improvement but has provided the framework and vehicle for improvement. The following recommendations are offered: (1) All levels need to consider ways to continue building group decision making and communication skills; (2) schools need to determine and clarify the roles and responsibilities of the council from the start; (3) participants at all levels, but especially in schools, need to develop better procedures for orienting new SCBM council members--particularly staff and parents--to SCBM and the school's vision; (4) the state needs to streamline and clarify the waiver and exception process; (5) schools and the state should consider adopting accountability systems capable of meeting both school and state needs; (6) all levels should consider streamlining school-improvement goals, designing staff-development plans, and instituting a comprehensive planning process; and (7) greater cooperation, coordination of effort, and creative use of resources are needed to provide SCBM schools with support in this time of diminishing resources. Six figures and 13 tables are included. (Contains 21 references.) (LMI)

This report documents the development and progress of Marin City Families First (MCFF), a project undertaken in Marin City (California) in 1993 by the Far West Laboratory's (FWL) Center for Child and Family Studies. Its goal was to develop a model comprehensive child and family support system for low-income communities. In pursuing its objective of establishing an advocacy and case management system for Marin City residents and young children and establishing decision-making links among community agencies and networks, the intervention followed principles and collaboration strategies developed by the FWL in its previous work. FWL researchers encountered a unique mix of elements in Marin City that exerted a strong influence on the intervention. The case study communicates the MCFF researchers' experience as a community change agent in the complex Marin City environment and explores the variables that limit the impact of the intervention strategy. It recommends approaches to several key community and agency issues, including shifting funding sources, dysfunction among social service agencies, and training for staff working in a severely impoverished community with fundamental social problems. Appendix A is a chart of Families First services, and Appendix B is a lengthy table of evaluation results. (Contains 30 references.) (Author/SLD)

In March 1993, the National Goals Panel Technical Planning Subgroup on Core Data Elements was convened to focus on the issue of identifying information that could be obtained from local student data systems for use in monitoring local and state progress toward the National Education Goals. This panel's report identified recommended data elements, but did not investigate their availability or their local utility. In 1994-95, the Far West Laboratory collected 250,000 student records as part of a demonstration project for the California Student Information System. This Automated Information Retrieval System Demonstration Project (AIRS) explicitly addressed data processing and data quality issues to determine the degree to which local student information systems contain the information needed to support data aggregation and to identify weaknesses and ways to overcome them. AIRS findings indicate that the set of data elements recommended by the National Education Goals Panel is far outside the scope of existing information systems and would require massive data collection of little practical value for local educators. In addition, the prescription to keep a longitudinal, cumulative record to each student is incompatible with student information update procedures and the need for current information. Appendix A defines the recommended core data elements, and Appendix B displays AIRS functions and requirements and file layout. Appendix C contains data coding specifications. (Contains 11 figures.) (SLD)

This final report presents the evaluation procedures and data pertaining to the California Telemation Project, a statewide effort which began in 1993 to equip K-12 educators and administrators with the skills and knowledge necessary to successfully use telecommunications technology in support of teaching and learning. The report consists of three parts: (1) Project Overview and Evaluation Plan; (2) Evaluation Findings and Analysis; and (3) Implications for Future Planning. The evaluation questions focused on five major areas of inquiry: organizational structures, participants, and partners; implementation and follow-up resource assessment; training and support assessment; impact on teachers, students, and the school; and overall reactions to the telemation program. Major findings include: (1) the recruiting process for telementors yielded highly motivated and competent telecommunications resource staff; (2) there was some inconsistency and confusion regarding the role to be played by regional partners; (3) the degree of participation in the project by administrators was fairly low; and (4) local sites' follow-through on the commitment to provide telementors with the necessary access to equipment and resources was inconsistent. Extensive recommendations are given. Appendices include assessment and evaluation instruments; state telementor curriculum plans; telementor application and recruitment materials; and list of partners and telementors. (AEF)

The charter-schools movement provides the opportunity to observe whether granting schools freedom from most state regulations actually produces more freedom for school administrators and teachers, and whether this autonomy produces other distinctive outcomes. This report summarizes findings of Southwest Regional Laboratory's (SWRL's) statewide survey of California charter schools. During 1994-95, 54 administrators and 230 teachers returned questionnaires that had been mailed to the 66 charter schools operating in California at the time. Survey responses were also received from 46 principals of noncharter (comparison) schools in California and 63 charter schools across the United States. Data are presented on school characteristics, institutional autonomy, educational innovation, teacher characteristics and effectiveness, and access to education. High-autonomy schools more often reported greater freedom and less cooperative relationships with unions; fewer purchasing restrictions and more money for instruction; more parent participation; and more at-risk students. Compared to their counterparts in regular schools, charter-school teachers reported that they had more influence but heavier workloads. Teachers in new charters were the least secure about their jobs but were among the most satisfied with their jobs. The most common innovations were related to instructional strategies, site-based governance, and parental participation. The data indicate that, as a group, charter schools do not select the most able, privileged students, nor do they exclude those who have been traditionally underserved. However, some evidence suggests that, in comparison to other schools, charter schools tend to skim students who come from low-income families, have below-average test scores; and qualify for special education, and/or they tend to select students from privileged families. Certain types of charter schools are less accessible than others to underserved, at-risk children. A total of 43 figures and 15 tables are included. (Contains 45 references.) (LMI)

Utah's Southeastern Education Service Center has devised a five-phase vision plan for improving the educational technology infrastructure in the southeastern region of the state. The fourth phase involves the creation of the Southeastern Utah Regional Wide Area Network (SURWAN), which will link all K-12 schools to the Internet by 1996. This document describes a survey given to teachers, administrators, superintendents, and local college personnel to help Far West Laboratory evaluate SURWAN. Background information on the respondents (n=419) is provided, including their professional role, their years of experience, age and gender, highest level of education, and county of residence. These respondents were asked about the awareness of SURWAN, their mode of access to it, barriers to its use, time spent online, the amount and quality of information found there, whether or not they are actually producing information for SURWAN, and whether or not they view it as valuable to the community. Results indicate, among other things, that: (1) most respondents and their students have access to more communications technologies at work than at home; (2) between 6% and 10% of respondents are aware of and use SURWAN; (3) respondents rate high-tech media as reliable as print media but rarely use them; and (4) although respondents agree that technology is the wave of the future, their attitudes toward their future benefits remain neutral. A copy of the vision plan and the survey are appended, along with survey results grouped by county and by grade level. (Contains 71 tables.) (BEW)

The multimedia workstation described here serves as an information resource center for teachers and others who are responsible for the education of children from ethnically and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The changing nature of student populations requires that all teachers become knowledgeable about the diverse cultural backgrounds of their students and develop the necessary instructional skills and knowledge that promote students' continuing academic progress at the same time they are acquiring English as a new language. Using a technology-based workstation to accomplish this goal is promising because it allows individual teachers to structure their inquiries and training to fit their existing levels of instructional expertness. In addition, information and training about linguistically and culturally diverse student populations can be made accessible throughout wide geographic areas. The purpose of this paper is to delineate potential professional development areas that can be included in the workstation database. To assist in this process, interviews were conducted with teacher development personnel at universities and intermediate and local education agencies where technology-supported teacher development efforts are underway. These uses were mapped with the requirements for effective instruction of diverse student populations as reported in the literature and applied in California's (Bilingual) Cross-cultural, Language, and Academic Development (CLAD/BCLAD) credentials. Interview findings and a preliminary schema for design of the workstation database are included in this report. (Contains 13 references.) (Author/ND)

This paper argues that operations with negative numbers should be taught using a curriculum that is grounded in algebraic geometry. This position is supported by the results from a study that compared the conceptual understanding of grade 9 students who received the Algebra Project transition curriculum to a control group of grade 6 gifted students who received a traditional introductory algebra course. The overall scores on an open-ended examination showed that the Algebra Project students, who performed lower than the traditional students at the beginning of the year, had surpassed the traditional group by the end of the year. Further examination of the students' problem-solving strategies revealed that the Algebra Project students had developed an understanding of integer addition and subtraction, based on vector operations, while the traditional group of students still exhibited confusion from the use of the conventional sign rules. The study results show how all operations with integers can be made more intuitive to students by providing them with physical experiences that correspond to vector operations in space/time coordinates. These results not only reinforce the view that all students should have the opportunity to learn the important ideas of mathematics, but that all students need to learn the traditionally "higher-order mathematics" that provide geometrical grounding for abstract algebraic concepts. (Contains 19 references.) (Author)

This paper examines how technology was used to enhance instruction in schools that are viewed as "promising" in their technology use by individuals in state education agencies. Four elementary, three middle and two high schools from Arizona, California and Nevada were examined. Extensive document review and telephone interviews were conducted in preparation for two-person 1- to 2-day site visits. Four schools reported that teachers actively used technology in instructional delivery; minimal equipment included a computer, Video Cassette Recorder (VCR) and large video monitor in each classroom for multimedia presentations. A few teachers incorporated online telecommunications into their curriculum and instruction. Students used computers for learning keyboarding or practicing word processing and graphics; students at schools with Internet capacity used it for doing research for class projects. Five schools offered video production opportunities for students. In terms of technology integration, three trends were consistent: (1) using technology in project-based curriculum, (2) concerns with articulation issues between grade levels, and (3) an increased legitimation of "technology as curriculum" at upper-grade levels. Staff training and support depended on technology types, schools' equipment and availability of training personnel, the purposes and manner for which technology was going to be used, and the breadth and level of technology skills already held by the teachers. Schools used two additional strategies to provide support for technology use: access to a variety of technologies and use of technology beyond the school. Contains ten references. (AEF)

This paper reports on how technology is currently used in nine schools that educators view as "promising" exemplars of technology use. Four elementary, three middle and two high schools from Arizona, California and Nevada (three schools from each state) were examined. Extensive document review and telephone interviews were conducted in preparation for two-person 1- to 2-day site visits. The schools implemented three types of technology: voice (internal/external telephone system with voice mail and electronic access to engage other technologies), video (within and between classes) and data (computers with electronic mail). The video category includes video cameras and computers for editing video productions, as well as television monitors, video cassette recorders (VCRs), and cable; the data category includes computers with Compact Disk-Read Only Memory (CD-ROM) and laser disc capability, scanners and Internet access. Access to computer equipment was an issue at all schools. All but one school had at least one computer in every classroom; special education classrooms typically had computers for each student. Staff training and support depended on technology types, schools' equipment and availability of training personnel, the purposes and manner for which technology was going to be used, and the breadth and level of technology skills already held by the teachers. In terms of program development, four issues were encountered by the sites: community support, finances, facilities, and educational philosophies. Each issue was encountered during different steps of program development: planning, implementation, maintenance and expansion. All of the schools are striving to keep up with technology. Unfortunately, needs and demands for technology are outpacing the funding potential. Contains seven references. (AEF)

This document is the first volume of two that jointly report on schools engaged in systemic reform. "Volume I: Lessons Learned" provides an indepth analysis of restructuring efforts across 10 schools participating in the Every Student Succeeds (ESS) and other state-reform initiatives. Based on a 3-year study, the volume synthesizes the major findings around several themes central to the current national systemic-reform agenda and derives implications and recommendations for schools, districts, and state and federal policymakers. The ESS initiative created a network of schools to promote change efforts aimed at improving learning for at-risk students. The first phase of the study looked broadly at school restructuring, and the second phase focused in more detail on issues related to systemic reform and serving diverse student populations. Data were gathered through site visits to 23 of the 41 ESS schools, individual and focus-group interviews with key groups, classroom observations, document analysis, and followup telephone interviews with principals. Findings underscore the two primary goals of ESS: providing access to a high-level curriculum for all students through interactive learning; and setting high standards for all students and measuring the impact of educational strategies. Schools relied upon three major strategies to provide all students with a genuine opportunity to learn. These strategies sought to: (1) create more equitable and responsive student-teacher configurations to meet the learning needs of all students; (2) enrich the curriculum and tailor instruction for all students; and (3) build the knowledge, skills, and capacity of school staff. The schools' organizational strategies, tensions and solutions, and assessment-development processes are also described. One figure and four tables are included. (Contains 21 references.) (LMI)

This document, the second of two volumes, contains individual profiles of 10 schools that participated in California's Every Student Succeeds (ESS) reform initiative. The ESS initiative created a network of schools to promote change efforts aimed at improving learning for at-risk students. The first phase of the study looked broadly at school restructuring, and the second phase focused in more detail on issues related to systemic reform and serving diverse student populations. The progress of the 10 schools was followed over a 3-year period. Data were obtained from individual and focus-group interviews with key groups: principals/administrators; regular classroom and special-population teachers and aides; student-support staff; and district staff. Other methods included classroom observations and followup telephone interviews with principals. Each school profile describes the efforts undertaken and challenges faced while restructuring to ensure success for every student. The volume highlights each school's key features, district and community contexts, major restructuring strategies, school definitions and measurements of success, and the key lessons learned for each effort. A list of key terms, 30 tables, and an appendix containing examples of useful school practices are included. (LMI)

The report resulting from a colloquium of scholars on teacher development and promising educational practice for ethnolinguistically diverse populations is summarized. The group met to discuss the urgent need for teacher preparation to meet the needs of increasingly multilingual school populations. Two major conclusions were reached: that educators no longer concentrate on knowing students as individuals; and that educators do know some things about teaching linguistically diverse populations but are slow to begin to use them in the classroom, preferring to use familiar methods rather than struggle to understand new ones. Additional studies are recommended. (Contains 39 references.) (MSE)

This report explores key issues in the debate about restructuring educational time to enhance student learning. Its central framework was derived from proceedings of a symposium conducted in June 1994 by the Policy Support Program of the Far West Laboratory for Educational Research and Development. Part 1 describes the developments that led to the creation of the National Educational Commission on Time and Learning (NECTL) and summarizes NECTL recommendations. The second part presents key questions about the issue of time and learning and discusses the implications for policymakers. These include: (1) What are some strategies for restructuring educational time to increase or enhance time for learning? (2) How can educational time be structured so all students reach high standards? (3) How can districts and schools support teachers in expanded roles that require additional time? (4) How can districts and schools be encouraged to restructure educational time to increase the amount of time for learning? and (5) What are the costs of increasing educational time? In conclusion, research suggests that additional time alone is unlikely to give a major boost to student achievement. Educational policymakers must consider the multiple factors that affect student achievement and work with the community to determine the best combination of reform strategies. Appendices contain a profile of symposium panelists, a list of symposium participants, references, and materials available from the NECTL. (LMI)

This brief focuses on assessment issues for American Indian and Alaska Native (collectively referred to as "Native") students, as well as other pedagogical issues related to improved teaching and educational outcomes. Although traditional Native educational strategies emphasize cooperation, experiential learning, and reflection, Native students continue to be at a disadvantage in the classroom. The reasons lie in several intersecting realities: troubled historical relations between tribes and the federal government affecting Native schooling, ongoing educational practices that ignore or devalue cultural ways of knowing, and the dearth of American Indian and Alaska Native teachers. Understanding the school performance of Native students requires a sociocultural perspective that takes into account differences between community and school in social and cultural context, the unconscious nature of these contexts, effects on student learning and organization of knowledge, and implications for effective instructional styles and student evaluation. Despite supportive federal legislation, a repertoire of culturally specific instruments to assess Native student performance does not exist. Standardized norm-referenced tests present such difficulties as inappropriate content, time pressures, reliance on verbal information, basic premises of multiple-choice testing, and alien nature of formal on-demand testing. Indeed, achievement tests can be seen as merely indices of the student's acculturation to Western cultural knowledge and conventions for displaying knowledge. More culturally responsive assessment incorporates content reflecting local contexts and experiences, uses procedures that reflect local ways of thinking and learning, and provides students with options. Other concerns related to the question of whose standards are appropriate, proper interpretation and use of test data, and the value of alternative assessments. (SV)

This information brief summarizes issues in the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The origins of IDEA in Public Law 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, are noted. Concerns shaping the reauthorization debate are identified, including unsatisfactory student outcomes, the isolation of students with disabilities and the inclusive education movement, and links to general education. Other issues in the IDEA debate include funding problems (especially the shortfall of federal funding), labeling and over-identification of students, student placement funding patterns as they relate to inclusion, assessment to determine categorical eligibility versus assessment for instructional purposes, accountability, and the relationship between special and general education in the context of systemic school reform. (DB)

This booklet presents portraits of 10 Literacy Sites selected by the Arizona Department of Education, sites where the entire school was involved in the Arizona Literacy Initiative for Children. An introductory section of the booklet discusses the Initiative, which was established to promote early experiences in reading and writing that would motivate students and build better literacy skills in the kindergarten through third grade public school population through an integration of the language arts. Sections of the booklet are: (1) Weaving Writing, Speaking, Reading, Listening into Literacy; (2) Using Literacy for Purposeful Learning; (3) Making Literacy Meaningful; (4) Supporting Literacy through School Culture. An appendix lists the 10 sites. (RS)

Authorized by the California Department of Education, this report provides an analysis of research-based guidelines for the educational applications of technology and information resources and the communication and learning opportunities made possible by telecommunications. The report specifically addresses current state-of-the art technologies and potential future developments for network resources, as well as how to provide staff development and technical assistance for teachers to integrate these resources into the curriculum. It is based on a comprehensive evaluation of the "Telemation" project, a statewide effort begun in 1993 to equip educators and administrators with the skills and knowledge necessary to successfully use telecommunications in support of teaching and learning. The questions answered by this report focus on: (1) educational technology as a priority; (2) importance of research; (3) impact on teaching and learning; (4) relevance to education reforms; (5) educational telecommunications policy; (6) access and applications; (7) planning and instructional integration; (8) staff development and technical assistance; (9) classroom applications and examples; (10) recommendations for instructional application; (11) recommendations for state and national policy; and (12) resources for instruction and policy. Appendices include: Telemation evaluation executive summary; glossary; examples of people using computer networking for learning; participants in the FWL (Far West Laboratory) survey of staff development and technology; a World Wide Web"hotlist" for educators; and additional reading materials. (Contains 61 references.) (AEF)

The GALAXY Classroom is a package of integrated curricular and instructional approaches, supported by the first U.S. interactive satellite communications network designed to facilitate the introduction of innovative curricula to improve student learning in elementary schools. GALAXY Classroom Science for grades 3-5 features the organization of instruction around themes presented through television broadcasts and classroom hands-on activities that are facilitated by fax technology and ongoing teacher support. The broadcasts are built around a video adventure series that dramatizes the GALAXY themes through the real-world adventures of a multicultural group of students, the S.N.O.O.P.S. The report describes the effects on students and teachers of the various curricular, technological, and staff development components of the program in schools throughout the United States. It was concluded that the GALAXY Science program was successful in getting students and teachers excited about science and motivating them to begin exploring and asking questions. GALAXY's broadcasts motivated student interest and provided a realistic context for the hands-on science activities. The thematic structure of the curriculum helped to integrate a wide variety of experiences: participating in hands-on inquiry, writing and communicating through the fax, and doing take-home activities. (JRH)

Marin City Families First (MCFF) provides advocacy and case management for 25 residents of Marin City (Marin County, California) with young children as it works to develop service and decision-making links among community agencies and networks. In this report, principles that relate to the successful delivery of comprehensive community-based child and family services are outlined, and barriers to strategies for intervention and collaboration are revealed through interviews with program directors and line workers. The focus is on barriers in the areas of: (1) collaborative case management and service integration; (2) collaborating in an ethnically diverse community; (3) collaborating with funders; and (4) collaborating with community developers. These barriers are discussed from the perspectives of those interviewed. Whenever possible insights and suggestions for improvement are made. Reflection on the barriers that impede successful service delivery can help others anticipate problems and structure ways to enhance their own local efforts in family support and community development. (SLD)

The standards-driven approach to school reform, exemplified by Goals 2000, shows promise for unifying contemporary efforts by affecting change at the classroom, school, and community levels. The special aspects of the rural context, particularly distance and low population density, set it apart from the urban and suburban schools on which most reform research has been done. To develop reform strategies applicable to rural schools, the literature is reviewed in three related lines of inquiry: developing professional practice among teachers; enhancing organizational conditions for systemic change; and supporting collaboration/consortia-building. Four types of cooperative linkages are defined: networking, coordination, cooperation, and collaboration. These form a series of continua in relation to formality, definition of goals, time commitment, autonomous control, responsibilities, and concerted effort. Three major studies are reviewed to delineate the factors that contribute to successful collaboration. To enable rural students to achieve high standards, rural schools must begin to develop whole strategies that will result in fundamental changes in curriculum, instruction, and student assessment. Professional practice, positive organizational conditions for change, and rural consortia building are necessary elements of a potentially viable rural change approach. Contains 30 references. (RAH)

This research, part of a larger study that explores how a guided case writing experience supports a teacher's professional growth, examines the tensions that occurred as one teacher's case became a less personal and more public document. The study sought to discover precisely what processes and experiences contributed to the profound impact that the case writing had. As the writer revised the narrative through dialogues with the editor and other case writers, a kind of writing imperative was created that retroactively transformed the teaching experience into teacher research and led to profound learning and professional growth. As the case writer reconstructed and reconstituted these experiences, they become the focus of systematic research. Data suggest that three kinds of questions appear to be most important in stimulating deep, reflective thinking: examination of how the problems, topics, or issues depicted in the narrative are representative of situations that arise with some frequency in other situations; a concern for other audiences, which pushes the case writer to think like a teacher about the case as a lesson or curriculum; and breakdowns in the classroom, the problematics which create opportunities for learning. The paper concludes with recommendations for using case writing in both preservice and inservice settings. (Contains 35 references.) (JDD)

On September 30, 1993, Far West Laboratory (FWL) and the California Assessment Collaborative (CAC) sponsored a cost/benefit forum to examine cost-analysis issues associated with the development and implementation of instructionally sound assessment. This report highlights the central ideas addressed at the forum, incorporates the audience participation and feedback, and casts the discussion in the context of local assessment reforms faced by California schools. Following a description of the forum proceedings, a summary of the major conceptual and methodological issues is presented. These issues included the infusion and allocation of limited resources, the distinction between expenditures and costs, types of benefits (benefits of the reform and those foregone), and factors influencing cost estimates (efficiency, alignment, and substitution). It is argued that the range of cost must be established in order to place some realistic boundaries on discussions of resources required for successful, local assessment reform. Educators and policy makers need to develop more sophisticated models of costs and benefits beyond the expenditure analysis most typically presented. Such models must include analyses of alternatives both in terms of expected benefits from the chosen option as well as the benefits foregone from those rejected. They should also include a range of scenarios that reflect high and low levels of substitution and efficiency. Rarely will reforms be paid fully by incorporating substitution methods. Consequently, policy makers must provide evidence of efficiency along with the arguments of alignment that are typically proffered when new programs are introduced. (LMI)

The new "Mathematics Framework for California Public Schools" identifies complex instructional activities and student performance, and requires new assessment methods to reveal that performance. One of the goals of the California Assessment Collaborative (CAC) is to study the effects of local assessment development and implementation efforts on teaching and learning. This report describes how one local CAC mathematics assessment initiative connects with the statewide curriculum reform and impacts what occurs in the classroom. The Mt. Diablo Curriculum-Based Alternative Assessment of Mathematics (CBAAM) was the program examined through interviews of 59 third-grade teachers. Their responses made it clear that the CBAAM had profound short-term effects on teaching and learning. Teachers resequenced content, introduced new content, and emphasized instructional processes as a result of the CBAAM. Evidence also suggests that there will be substantial long-term impact. Two tables present study findings. Two appendixes supplement the report with a student booklet from the 1994 Curriculum-Based Alternative Assessment of Math, the third grade survey letter, and interview guiding questions. (Contains 18 references.) (SLD)

This report presents the results of Phase I of an evaluation of the Murphy School District (MSD)-Department of Economic Security (DES) collaborative effort, one of the first interagency partnerships in the state of Arizona that attempts to address the needs of students and their families more effectively. The primary purposes of the evaluation are to: (1) document and describe implementation of the MSD-DES collaborative project; and (2) assess the outcomes of the collaboration on the service delivery system, and on students and their families. Early findings indicate that many of the collaborative's early goals have been accomplished; however, there are several challenges that must be overcome. The study also found that familiarity with, and ties to, the community among personnel is a strength of this collaborative. The school as the hub for services in the community is key to the initiation of this collaborative effort, but a view of the collaboration as a spider web may help to sustain collaborative efforts. The report also makes recommendations for next steps for the program and the evaluation. Appendices include sampling information, interview protocols, description of data sources, and a list of the types of services provided by community workers. (JE)

This report describes an investigation into how a school moves from a handful of individual teachers dabbling in alternative assessment strategies to full school implementation of an assessment system. The research was conducted at Bay Park Elementary School in the San Diego (California) City School District, a school participating in a pilot project in alternative assessment sponsored by the California Assessment Collaborative. Interviews with eight teachers and the collection of artifacts provided study data. Leadership by the principal, district-wide reform with design tasks and defined expectations for student use, and the state-required quality review of the school coincided to reinforce assessment revision efforts. Parent involvement through site-based leadership helped build community consensus and support for change. Data made it clear that Bay Park has accomplished many of its school-wide assessment goals. Many teachers have become experienced users of alternative assessment tools, and many parents have been included in the decision-making process. The school has an overall vision of where it should go. Recommendations are made for continuing the efforts. Seven appendixes supplement the report and provide the plan for school improvement in San Diego interview protocol, letter to the principal, grade level examples, parent/student reflections and K-12 content standards in reading. (SLD)

This report describes research on the portfolio process that the Oceanside (California) Unified School District uses to identify and plan instruction for students in the Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) program. The report is based on interviews conducted with educators in two elementary schools that participated in the GATE curriculum, instruction, and assessment training and that developed Individual Learning Plans (ILPs) after the portfolio identification process. Information is provided on: the research rationale and plan; the GATE programs and rationale for portfolio assessment; and research findings, implications, and recommendations. In addition to describing the portfolio development process and ILPs, information is presented on characteristics of students who are identified as gifted, problems with and revisions to the portfolio process, variations in ILP format and process, benefits of ILPs, refinements for ILPs, how portfolios and ILPs affect instruction for all students, and use of portfolios as assessment tools in the regular classroom. Consideration is given to implications regarding equity and fairness in identifying GATE students, involving parents and students in the process, the systemic nature of reform efforts, and the need for collaboration within and beyond the district. Appendixes provide the interview protocol and sample ILPs. (SW)

This document presents findings of a study that examined the impact of teacher teaming on the implementation of a comprehensive program of curriculum and instruction. The program, Complex Instruction (CI), was implemented in four middle schools in the Riverdale School District (Arizona), each of which utilized some form of teaming instruction. CI was designed to involve all students in higher order thinking. Data were collected from interviews with the principal, CI coordinator, and CI teachers at each of the four schools. Findings indicate that: (1) colleagueship was a plus for teachers; (2) in most cases, CI involvement helped to strengthen team identity and unity; (3) block scheduling was an important complement to teaming and to CI; and (4) implementation success depended in part on the fit between CI and other foci of team curricula. The data highlight the importance of voluntary teacher participation and conditions of support for program implementation. School leaders can build support by providing team planning time and developing professional-development norms and expectations for risk taking. Finally, CI influenced and was influenced by organizational structures and processes. One figure is included. (LMI)

This paper presents a synthesis of research on teacher-constructed portfolios and a scan of the state of the art in using teacher-constructed portfolios in preservice teacher education and in inservice teacher development and assessment. It continues work begun in 1991 at the Far West Laboratory on the increased interest in using teacher portfolios to improve education. After consideration of some theoretical issues of portfolio use, the paper presents responses of college and university personnel to a questionnaire on the work they are doing or planning in the area of teacher portfolios. Fifteen programs or activities dealing with preservice and inservice teacher education programs are reported, and 12 responses from school districts detail their portfolio uses. An annotated bibliography of four studies describes some current research into portfolio use. A final analysis suggests that moving into the use of portfolios raises many questions that must be answered to ensure that the promise of portfolio assessment is fulfilled. (Contains 11 references.) (SLD)

A study evaluated the Early Childhood Resources Teacher Training Project (TTP). The purpose of the TTP is to train preschool and early primary grade teachers in developmentally appropriate practices. The evaluation sought to: (1) determine the extent to which teachers undergoing training were able to understand and implement the content of the TTP; (2) assess the impact of training teachers in developmentally appropriate practice on the children they teach; and (3) measure the effects of training on the participants' colleagues, school administrators, and schools. Six case studies were initiated when a new group of teachers began a 2-year training cycle. Each teacher worked at a different school, with a proportionate number teaching kindergarten and first grade. The findings of the study suggest that teachers' participation in the training influenced their classroom practices, children's engagements in the classroom, and the teachers' school administrators and colleagues. Overall, the evaluation demonstrated that the TTP has important knowledge for schools and teachers interested in implementing a developmentally appropriate approach in their educational program. (Six appendices include a draft of the Early Primary Practices Observation Scale; interview questions for the teachers, administrators, and colleagues; and observational indicators of children's engagement.) (SW)

The third year of the contract, 1993-94, was one of culminating activities for the Region F Technical Assistance Center (TAC), as well as a year for preparation for reauthorization. The TAC continued to provide assistance that focused on improving curriculum and instruction across all aspects of Chapter 1. A significant change was the increase in consultations and collaborative working arrangements between the Region F TAC and state and district personnel. The TAC delivered the services outlined in each of the state plans for technical assistance. Evaluation assistance remained a high priority, exemplified by the Stanislaus County project (California) and an alternative assessment project in Hawaii. Program improvement was the primary focus of TAC assistance in California, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho. The Program Improvement Initiative was fully implemented this year with 40 schools across the state. The TAC continued its work in curriculum and instruction. Parent participation remained an important focus of TAC efforts, as did outreach and conference programs and activities. Activities are summarized by task and by state. Fourteen tables and five figures illustrate the discussion. (SLD)