Lisa Carlos and Jo Ann Izu, 1995.
Abstract
This two volume report follows the experiences of ten California schools trying to make a difference where it counts most -- with diverse student populations whose full capacity for achievement has largely been left untapped.
Volume I: Lessons Learned synthesizes our major findings on the components of systemic reform as viewed from the bottom up, discusses the valuable lessons we learned about the challenges and issues in systemic reform, and provides policy recommendations on how decision-makers at all levels can support it. Schools in the midst of restructuring that are now shifting to embrace the next challenge: systemic reform. Representing a broad cross-section of elementary and middle schools committed to improving the learning success of all students, the report is based on a three-year qualitative study of what "rethinking business" meant for schools serving diverse student populations. Overall, we found schools are moving towards curriculum- based systemic reform, but, for the most part, links between the components of systemic reform -- standards, curriculum and instruction, assessments, and teacher development -- are not yet in place.
Volume II: Ten Profiles contains profiles of the unique reform efforts of these ten schools. Highlighting each school's key demographic features, district and community context, major restructuring strategies, how schools define and measure success, and the key lessons learned from each effort, this volume offers practitioners more insight into the promise and challenges of putting particular strategies into practice.
