THE RETURN OF LARGE-SCALE REFORM

Abstract

Education Reform on a large scale was first attempted in the 1960s. Itfailed to make a difference largely because advocates of reform ignoredissues of implementation and did not address local institutions and cultures.In the 1990s, we see a return to large-scale reform. This time there is agreater appreciation of the complexity of the task, and greater attentionpaid to implementation strategies as well as a growing sense of urgency aboutthe need for reform. This article reviews three ``types'' of large-scale reform and theemerging lessons being learned. The three forms of reform reviewedthrough case studies and associated research are: 1. whole school district reform involving all schools in a district; 2. whole school reform in which hundreds of schools attempt toimplement particular models of change, and 3. state or national initiatives in which all or most of the schoolsin the state are involved. Eight factors and issues are identified and discussed – factors,if addressed, promise to achieve reform on a larger scale than ever before.