After a century of reform efforts, urban school districts have not demonstrated political, managerial, or technical skills for systemic and sustainable organizational transformation. This study proposes that this cycle of reform failure generates from a theoretical misunderstanding of education organizations as mechanical systems, where failure points can be identified and replaced with corrective action in a controlled environment. This study begins with the theoretical understanding of educational organizations as complex adaptive systems with broad and deep internal and external connections that may or may not be readily visible. This requires a reform approach that anticipates and takes advantage of the flexibility and agile responsiveness seen in sustainable complex systems across many diverse disciplines (neuroscience, biology, ecology, technology, social sciences). This study examines historical and current reform efforts within the current context of legal, legislative and policy environment of a typical urban district (Los Angeles Unified School District.), and proposes an alternative program design for district transformation based on complexity theory.

In this thesis a prediction model using graduation rate as the performance indicator is obtained for community colleges for three cohort years, 2003, 2004, and 2005 in the states of California, Florida, and Michigan. Multiple Regression analysis, using an aggregate of seven predictor variables, was employed in determining this prediction model. From this prediction model, a predicted graduation rate was obtained for each of the 142 institutions in this study. Using this predicted graduation rate, an Institutional Performance Ratio (IPR), was then calculated for each institution, by dividing the actual graduation rate for each institution by its predicted graduation rate. These IPR values were then used to classify the performance of each institution as meeting expectation, exceeding expectation or falling below expectation. Inter institutional comparisons were also made using these IPR values. / by Susan Moosai. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2010. / Includes bibliography.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the Skillstreaming the Adolescent social skills training program on sixth grade students' social skills as reported by themselves, their teachers, and their parents. The study was conducted in two phases. Participants in Phase I were 24 sixth grade boys and 25 sixth grade girls selected from a Midwestern, small suburban elementary school. Experimental Group 1 consisted of 24 students and Control Group I consisted of 25 students. The mean age of the students was 11.7 years. Participants in Phase II were 28 sixth grade boys and 21 sixth grade girls. Experimental Group 2 (n=16) and Experimental Group 3 (n=16) were combined for the training intervention. Control Group 2 consisted of 17 students. The mean age of these students was 11.6 years. Pretest and posttest assessments of students' social skills were measured using the Social Skills Rating System-Parent, Teacher, and Student forms (Gresham & Elliot, 1990). Data were analyzed for both phases using repeated Measures of Multivariate Analysis of Variance. In Phase I no significant interaction between time of testing, raters, and group were found. However, differences were found between the experimental and control groups regardless of time, and between time (pre and post tests) regardless of group, primarily due to teacher ratings. In Phase II there was a significant interaction between time of testing, raters, and group. The control group scored higher than the experimental group on students' social skills ratings. Based on univariate tests, the control group's significantly higher ratings were the result of teacher ratings. This study did not find support for the overall efficacy of the Skillstreamins, the Adolescent training program on improving students' social skills as measured by the SSRS-parent, teacher, and student forms. Results and implications of these findings are discussed as they relate to previous research and future directions for study. It is suggested a follow-up measure when students transition to junior high school may provide evidence of long-term effects of social skills programs. An investigation of teachers' expectations may also provide a greater understanding of the impact of training programs. / Department of Educational Psychology