Schools and Communities Working Together:
Celebrating School Change in Rural Minnesota with Strategies for School Reformers
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Smaller, Safer, Saner Successful Schools
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Purchase a hardcopy:
Minnesota residents:
To order, please send a check
for $8.00 per copy to:
Center for School Change
Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs
234 Humphrey Center
301 19th Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Please make checks payable
to University of Minnesota.
Out-of-state and bulk orders
September 2001
By: Joe Nathan and Karen Febey
Price: $10.00 ($8.00 MN Residents)
The
federally-funded report Smaller, Safer, Saner Successful Schools shows
how urban, suburban and rural communities have modified existing
buildings or constructed new elementary, middle and high school public
buildings to help increase student achievement and safety. The report
was written by Dr. Joe Nathan, who directs the Center for School
Change, and Karen Febey, a Humphrey Institute graduate student. The
report offers twenty-two case studies illustrated by dozens of color
pictures, and a summary of research showing how shared facilities and
small schools have increased achievement and safety, while developing
stronger community support and involvement in the schools. The case
studies describe how schools have used small size or shared facilities
(or both) to dramatically improve achievement, attendance and behavior.
Strengthening Schools and Communities through Collaboration
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January 2001
By: David M. Scheie, with T. Williams, Rainbow Research, Inc.
Rainbow
Research evaluated the community engagement and community impact
dimensions of 20 rural school/community collaborative projects
supported by the Center for School Change (CSC) between 1997 and 2000.
The CSC work was supported by major grants from the Annenberg and
Blandin Foundations. We conducted site visits to 10 sites, including
multiple visits to five sites, and analyzed survey data from parents,
teachers, students and administrators at multiple sites. We found these
to be an inspiring network of innovative projects. Our core conclusion
is that carefully developed collaborative efforts can achieve
meaningful benefits for students, schools and the broader community.
Deserved, Defensible Diplomas: Lessons From High Schools With Competency-Based Graduation Requirements
May 1995
By: Joe Nathan, Jennifer Power, and Maureen Bruce
Price: $9.00
Reports
on a survey of 29 high schools which are, or are working toward,
awarding high school diplomas based on demonstrated skill and knowledge
rather than accumulation of credits. The report makes several
recommendations: 1) Colleges and universities should change admission
requirements or develop optional admissions requirements that recognize
knowledge rather than credits. 2) The list of required skills should be
kept relatively short so schools can concentrate on the most important
knowledge. 3) Studies should be conducted to compare success in college
and later in life of students who graduate from credit and
competency-based high schools. 4) Families and students should have
options among different kinds of high schools, including those that use
different systems of graduation.
Facts, Figures, and Faces: A Look At Minnesota's School Choice Programs
November 1993
By: Mike Malone, Joe Nathan, and Darryl Sedio Price: $6.00
This
report describes the growth in the number of students, schools and
districts participating in Minnesota within and cross district school
choice programs. It shows that more than 115,000 students "actively
chose" their school in the 1992-93 academic year. This is far more than
the number of students sometimes listed as participating in Minnesota
choice programs. More than half of the 115,000 students are
participating in "within district" choice programs. The number of such
options has increased dramatically in the last five years. The report
also includes quotes from educators and students using various options.
How Level a Playing Field?: The Search For Equity In Charter School Funding
July 1998
By: Cheryl Mandala
Price: $5.00
Presents
findings of an analysis of funding disparities existing between charter
public schools and traditional public schools and traditional public
schools in Minnesota. School district revenue data from the 1995-96
school year were analyzed for fourteen public schools and the
traditional public schools in the districts in which the charters were
located.
Looking Back, Moving Forward 5-Year Report 1990-1995
By: Center For School Change
Price: $6.00
This
report contains contributions from outside evaluators, educators and
students. It attempts to answer questions received from educators,
parents, legislators, business people and foundation executives: What
have we learned that can help young people? What mistakes have we made?
What are our key accomplishments?
Positive Directions For Schools and Communities
By: Lisa Hinz
Price:No Price
Powerful Messages: Educational Coverage on Minneapolis-St. Paul TV Newscasts
August 1993
By: Mike Malone, Joelle Hoeft and Joe Nathan Price: $6.00
Analyzed
113 newscasts for over eight weeks from four major Minneapolis/St. Paul
TV stations; found far more attention was given to high school
athletics than to academic achievement; relatively little coverage
about any education news (less than 4% of the time available was used
to cover education). This report also summarizes research showing
television's impact on the opinions of young people. The central idea
is that many youngsters are getting a message that athletic
accomplishment is much more important than academic accomplishment.
Sourcebook On School and District Size, Cost, and Quality
1992
By: Center for School Change and North Central Regional Educational Laboratory
Price: $10.00
Six
authorities were asked: How do you think quality in education should be
defined? What is the relationship between school size, cost and
quality? What is the relationship between school district size, cost
and quality? Based on answers to these questions, what recommendations
would you make to educators, school board members and state
legislators? Papers were prepared by Herbert Walberg, David Monk, Paul
Nachtigal, Al Ramirez, Tom Gregory, and Bethany Rogers (with Ted Sizer).
Sharing Facilities: Schools and Communities Working Together
1991
By: Jessica Clarke and Joe Nathan
Price: $5.00
Summarizes
survey of 302 Minnesota districts about their use of shared facilities.
Vast majority of superintendents report benefits far outweigh problems.
More than half of the districts are not sharing space with social
service agencies. District officials asked for greater flexibility from
the legislature in creating collaborative library facilities.
Summarizes information from eight districts around the country that are
using the shared facility concept. Summarizes a conference involving
educators, parents and social service personnel on this subject.
Students As Entrepreneurs: Building Academic Skills and Strengthening Local Economies
February 1995
By: Lisa Hinz, Monishae Mosley and Jennifer Power
Price: $7.50
Describes
a variety of school based entrepreneurship projects going on in
Minnesota schools; explains rationale for school based entrepreneurship
and gives some national resources.
A Survey of Minnesota's Teachers Of the Year: Their Experiences with Schools, Districts, and Colleges of Education
December 1992
By: Lisa Hinz and Joe Nathan
Price: $5.00
Summarizes
survey of 20 Minnesota Teachers of the Year. Three of the last 15
Teachers of the Year had been laid off due to low seniority. Less than
half had been asked to teach a course at a college or a university.
None had been asked to teach such a course more than once. Eighteen of
20 had been asked to address parent/community groups about school
improvement, but 18 of 20 had NOT been asked to meet with local school
board or superintendent to discuss ways to improve schools. Includes
recommendations to more effectively use these outstanding educators'
talents.
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