School decentralization as a process of differentiation,hierarchization and selection

The Austrian ‘school autonomy policy’, which allowed schools to develop specific ‘curricular profiles’, is taken as an example for discussing processes and effects of school decentralization policies. Data from school case studies (based on qualitative interviews and document analysis) are used to analyse and interpret the processes by which schools and teachers take up policy innovations and translate it into action and structures on school and classroom level. These policy changes and the resulting governance regimes are examined from a perspective on changing modes of ‘action coordination’ between actors on different levels of a school system and from an attention to processes of ‘re-contextualization’ in multi-level governance systems. The main result is that the Austrian decentralization policy – although not explicitly based on a market approach – boosted principles of competitive coordination between schools. In consequence, it resulted in processes of differentiation and hierarchization of schools and classes and offered new legitimatory and practical opportunities for student selection.     

Counselor Selection: A Critical Event in Program Management and Development

A coordinated process for selection of school counselors is presented. Responsibility for counselor selection is shared by central office and school building administrators. District personnel developed a selection instrument which is used to assess strengths and limitations of counselor candidates. Counselor profiles are then evaluated by the selection committee in light of district needs.     

Journalism

OVER THE WIRE AND ON TV: CBS AND UPI IN CAMPAIGN '80 by Michael J. Robinson and Margaret A. Sheehan (New York: Russell Sage Foundation, with distribution by Basic Books, 1983---$24.95)

TELEVISION AND THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, edited by Martin Linsky (Lexington, Mass.: Lexington Books/Washington, D.C.: Heath, 1983---$19.95)

COMPUTERS AND POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS: A LOOK AT TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIAL CHANGE by Thomas E. Baker (Harvard Program on Information Resources Policy, 200 Aiken, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138---price not given, paper)

SPLIT VISION: THE PORTRAYAL OF ARABS IN THE AMERICAN MEDIA, edited by Edmund Ghareeb (American-Arab Affairs Council, 1730 M St., N.W., Suite 411, Washington, D.C. 20036---$12.95/6.95)

WAR, PEACE &; THE NEWS MEDIA: PROCEEDINGS, edited by David M. Rubin and Ann Marie Cunningham (Department of Journalism, New York University, New York, N.Y. 10003---price not given, paper)     

R&D subsidies & external collaborative breadth: Differential gains and the role of collaboration experience

External collaboration breadth is important for firms to acquire the knowledge needed to innovate. In this paper, we combine cross-sectional and longitudinal data from the Spanish Panel of Technological Innovation Survey (PITEC) to examine the indirect impact of R&D subsidies on firm external collaboration breadth. We contribute to understanding of the indirect impacts of R&D subsidies by first providing strong evidence of an economically significant average positive impact of R&D subsidies on firm external collaboration breadth. Second, our results advance understanding of the differential impacts of R&D subsidies by revealing the vast heterogeneity of the impact at the firm level, where approximately only half of treated firms experience a positive collaboration impact from R&D subsidies, while the remainder experience no impact or a negative effect. Finally, we advance understanding of the characteristics explaining the differential impact of R&D subsidies on external collaboration breadth by utilising the organisational learning literature to demonstrate the important role of firm collaboration experience.     

Research-informed practice improvements: exploring linkages between school district use of research evidence and educational outcomes over time

The field of education is progressively building capacity and tools for producing rigorous research evidence to use in improving educational practice and outcomes. The knowledge base is lacking, however, in explicating the dynamics of research-based decision making and exploring connections between the work of research–practice partnerships and changes in educational outcomes. Drawing on experiences and data collected over a decade in mixed-methods research, we describe a case example of how research evidence developed in a multidistrict collaboration was used by one district partner to inform ongoing improvements in publicly funded tutoring programs. We employ both qualitative and quantitative analysis in exploring probable linkages between research-based changes made by the district partner and academic outcomes over time.     

A community development approach to the prevention of institutional and societal child maltreatment

The Community/Institutional Development (CID) system addresses the needs of children placed in out-of-home care facilities. The major purpose of the system is to prevent the occurrence of institutional and societal child maltreatment. It features community/institutional collaboration in the review of institutionalized children's care, and the development of programs to prevent child maltreatment. This would represent a genuine collaboration between institutions and their communities, assessing the contributions of both to the quality of child care. At this time the CID system is a pilot project in the state of Kansas. There are a total of eight public and private child care institutions involved. The project is endorsed by the Office of the Governor, the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services and the Kansas Chapter of the National Committee for the Prevention of Child Abuse. Preliminary impressions indicate that the CID concept is practical, feasible and cost effective. It could also be adapted to the needs of other age groups. The concept is outlined.