School Instructional Program Coherence: Benefits and Challenges

This report is one of a series of special topic reports developed by the Chicago Annenberg Research Project. It discusses an important reason why schools involved in multiple improvement initiatives do not always improve their students' achievements. It introduces the concept of instructional program coherence and presents new evidence that students in Chicago elementary schools with stronger program coherence show higher gains in student achievement. The report suggests ways in which school leaders, school improvement partners, and policy makers can act to bring about the instructional coherence that will reward their school improvement efforts

Newmann, Fred M., Linking Restructuring to Authentic Student Achievement, Phi Delta Kappan , 72 (February, 1991), 458-463.*

Presents criteria for authentic academic achievement and for substantive conversation in the curriculum

Beyond Standardized Testing : Assessing Authentic Academic Achievement in the Secondary School /

Bibliogr.: p. 62-65Notes (part. bibliogr.) au bas des p

Newmann, Fred M., BetsAnn Smith, Elaine Allensworth, and Anthony S. Bryk, Instructional Program Coherence: What It Is and Why It Should Guide School Improvement Policy, Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 23(Winter, 2001), 297-321.

Reports a study of Chicago elementary schools and the relationship between strong instructional program coherence and student achievement

Successful school restructuring : a report to the public and educators /

Bibliogr.: p. 59-6