Archived Information

Tools for Schools - April 1998

Preface

The 27 school reform models presented in this publication have been supported, at some time in their development and dissemination, by the National Institute on the Education of At-Risk Students, in the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education. As part of its mission, the Institute supports the development of research-based knowledge and strategies promoting excellence and equity in the education of children and youth placed at risk of educational failure. The Institute supports a coordinated and comprehensive program of educational research primarily through national research and development centers, multi-year contracts, and a field-initiated studies program. This publication represents the compilation of information about 27 school reform models that have received support for development, expansion, adaptation, or evaluation through the Institute's research program.

The primary purpose of this publication is to provide information to practitioners and policy makers who have decision-making authority for improving the performance of schools with significant at-risk student populations. It is not the Institute's intent to endorse or promote any of the models described here but merely to provide information. There are many other promising school reform models not covered in this publication, for the reason that they at no time received funding from this Institute. Additionally, there may be models that have received support from the National Institute on the Education of At-Risk Students but were inadvertently overlooked.

The information provided on each of the 27 models is intended to give readers a fairly in-depth view of what is required for a school to implement the model. Each model description was prepared by the model's developer through a format developed by the Institute and identifies contact persons and other sources that may be accessed for additional information. Before any serious consideration is given to the use of a model, we recommend that a more thorough investigation be undertaken.

It is our hope that this publication will contribute to the U.S. Department of Education's effort to carry out the White House directive to find strategies to turn around low-performing public schools.(1) The models can provide insight into transforming such schools with concrete and sustained results of student and school improvement without dramatically changing the nature of the student population.

1 Clinton, William J., October 28, 1997, Memorandum for The Secretary of Education, Turning Around Low-Performing Schools.

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