Abstract/Notes: AMI/USA applies for membership

Language: English

Language: German

ISSN: 0945-5582

Language: German

ISSN: 0722-2513

Language: Italian

Abstract/Notes: Public–private partnerships have been in use for a long time, and in many countries, to build roads and bridges, clean rivers, and manage waste. In the last two decades, they have slowly begun to make their presence felt in the field of public education. Several countries, including the United States and India, have recently enacted laws that include partnerships with private entities as a vehicle for education reform. This book discusses a swathe of PPPs in education and assesses their approach and contribution to genuine school change. This broad and even-handed survey of a variety of policy positions is followed by specific accounts of reform efforts in two case studies―one from a partnership in middle-school change in curriculum and instruction that took place in the state of Michigan in the United States, and the other from a partnership to bring Montessori education to government-run schools in Chennai, a large Indian city.

Language: English

Published: New Delhi, India: SAGE India, 2013

ISBN: 978-81-321-1128-3

Language: German

Published: Berlin, Germany: LIT Verlag, 2019

ISBN: 978-3-643-14012-8 3-643-14012-6

Language: Italian

ISSN: 0042-7241

Abstract/Notes: The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 mandated that states implement standards and test-based accountability systems. In theory, local educators are free to select the means for teaching the standards so long as students achieve a predetermined proficiency level on the exams. What is unclear, however, is how this theory plays out in schools committed to educational approaches that are seemingly incompatible with state-determined standards and testing. This dissertation examines how such schools strategically respond to the opposing demands of their program design and these government mandates. This qualitative study focuses on five schools affiliated with the Big Picture Learning (BPL) network. BPL offers an example of an educational program whose emphasis on individualized interest-driven learning and authentic real-world assessment is not easily aligned with standards-driven content and tests. This study considers empirical research on school-level response to externally imposed accountability mandates (Carnoy, Elmore & Siskin, 2003). In addition, it draws on sociology's organization-environment relations literature including institutional isomorphism (DiMaggio & Powell, 1983), agency (DiMaggio, 1988; Oliver, 1991) and the theoretical models of bridging, buffering and decoupling (Scott & Davis, 2007) to create a conceptual framework of how these BPL schools negotiate competing expectations. Findings show that these schools filter state demands for accountability through the lenses of both individual teachers and Big Picture design. While taking action both to meet the demands and protect the core program, schools internalize the value of a standards-based curriculum and increase internal accountability to incorporate content-standards while simultaneously rejecting the validity of testing and gaming the system. Currently, failure to meet state mandates comes with such severe consequences that these schools may be forced to choose between radically morphing to survive or maintaining integrity and possibly closing. However, if the regulatory climate becomes less standardized and more qualitative, these schools could be forerunners in meeting revised mandates. The study suggests policy implications surrounding the intersection of belief systems, consequences and strategic responses. It offers a cautionary tale about the power of the state, the precarious nature of falling outside state norms and what prioritizing bureaucratic efficiency may mean for innovation in education.

Language: English

Published: Cambridge, Massachusetts, 2012

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the perceptions of Texas public Montessori school principals as instructional leaders in science. Twelve public Montessori school principals were interviewed for this study. Two research questions were used: How do public Montessori principals perceive Texas science standards in public Montessori Elementary classrooms? How do principals view their role as an instructional leader in elementary science related to teachers' effectiveness and student outcomes? Research question one resulted in the following themes: (a) aligning curricula to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), (b) engaging science instruction as integrated and hands-on lessons, (c) emphasizing required district and state assessments, and (d) incorporating traditional teaching methodologies to support Montessori instruction. Research question two yielded common themes: (a) balancing Montessori methodologies and philosophies in public school settings with competing demands, (b) monitoring assessment scores as the determination of student success, (c) working in collaboration to support teacher effectiveness, and (d) providing resources and support to teachers. Implications for Montessori practitioners: paradox of Montessori education in a public school setting, strong support for science in classrooms from the principal and a need for continued research around Montessori education in public school settings.

Language: English

Published: Beaumont, Texas, 2013

Abstract/Notes: One of the fundamental social problems in America is how to create racially diverse schools. While policy makers are slow to fix underlying housing segregation or return to busing, creating racial diversity through school choice is widely popular across the political spectrum. How can school choice create more racial and socioeconomic diversity, instead of increasing segregation?

Language: English

Published: New Haven, Connecticut, 2016