A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

We are indebted to Kimberly Bogdan (CPRE), David Gamson (Stanford University) and Jordy Whitmer (Michigan State University) who assisted us in the collection and preliminary analysis of the interview data for the Michigan, California and Vermont case studies, respectively. Chris Chiu (MSU) painstakingly analyzed the teacher survey data and produced the tables presented in Chapter 5 (Volume I) of this report; Jordy Whitmer organized these survey data.

Many individuals contributed to the overall design of the study. Our Advisory Panel reviewed our initial research plan and provided direction for the commissioned papers, national conference and site selection. Members of the Advisory Panel were Gail Burrell (Whitnell High School, Greenfield, WI), Jane David (Bay Area Research), Mary Kennedy (National Center for Research on Teacher Learning, MSU), David Mandel (National Board for Professional Teaching Standards), Andrew Porter (Wisconsin Center for Education Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison) and Kenneth Zeichner (University of Wisconsin-Madison). Cynthia Levinson prepared the review of literature on systemic reform with the assistance of Diane Massell. Jane David, Hendrik Gideonse, Judith Warren Little and Frank Murray contributed commissioned papers. Conversations with Deborah Ball, Thomas Corcoran, Susan Fuhrman, Diane Massell, Milbrey McLaughlin and Marshall Smith helped us conceptualize the study and think about ways of framing our analyses and interpreting our data. David Cohen and Thomas Corcoran also provided valuable background information on education reform in Michigan and Vermont.

We consulted several sources when designing our teacher questionnaires. Andrew Porter shared instruments and data from his teacher surveys with us. Joan Talbert, Sharon Bobbitt, Hilda Lynch, John Smithson and Iris Weiss helped us identify, obtain and interpret results from other teacher questionnaires.

This final report was greatly strengthened by reviews of earlier drafts by Deborah Ball, Richard Elmore, Susan Fuhrman and Jim Fox. We also thank Jim Fox for his support of our work over the life of this study. As our project monitor, he provided substantive and timely feedback on our draft products, facilitated our communication with OERI, and helped us through uncertain times.

The national conference would not have been possible without the assistance of Stacy Gands, Melissa Lomench, Lynn McFarlane, Patricia Michaels, and Debi Slatkin of CPRE. They handled all of the meeting logistics, prepared and disseminated background materials, and communicated with the 250 persons who attended the conference. Their hard work and attention to detail contributed to the success of the meeting.

We are especially grateful to Patricia Michaels, who produced the final report on a very short timeline. She patiently formatted our text and tables, and caught and corrected our errors before this document went to press. Additional secretarial assistance was provided during the course of the study by Stacy Gands, Robb Sewell and Dawn Weniger of CPRE and Wendy Reed of MSU.

Finally, this report is the culmination of a three-year collaboration by the authors. We designed the study, conducted the cross-site analysis, and reviewed all products as a team. We were individually responsible for the collection and analysis of data and the preparation of case studies for one state--Robert Floden for Vermont, Margaret Goertz for Michigan and Jennifer O'Day for California. In addition, Floden oversaw the analysis of the teacher survey data and wrote Chapter 5 (Volume I) with John Zeuli and Chris Chiu. O'Day wrote Chapter 6 and Goertz was the principal author of Chapter 4 of that same volume. We take collective responsibility, however, for the findings and views presented in this report.

Margaret E. Goertz, Project Director
Robert E. Floden
Jennifer O'Day
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[Preface]

[Executive Summary]