School Change Models and Processes

Book excerpt: This report examines a 30-year history of educational change to identify differing perspectives, strategies, and useful principles. The three most influential perspectives in educational change are the rational-scientific perspective, which proposes that change is created through the dissemination of innovative techniques; the political perspective, which generates change through legislation and other directives outside the school district; and the cultural perspective which seeks improvement through value changes in organizations. There are four strategies for implementing change: fix the parts, fix the people, fix the schools, and fix the system. Systemic education reform offers new hope because it brings together the technical knowledge needed for improvement with a locally sensitive education strategy. Through the Goals 2000 Initiative, the U.S. Department of Education supports reform efforts within the framework of the six National Education Goals. The Department and the Office of Educational Research and Improvement support standards-based assessment techniques. They also assist states in developing curriculum frameworks and help disseminate sound research and practice-based knowledge. A reference bibliography, illustrative programs, and additional sources are included. (JPT)