Authentic achievement

de Fred M. Newmann, & Associates

This new book presents the findings of a five-year, federally funded study that examined the connection between school restructuring and student achievement. Investigating twenty-four elementary and secondary schools from twenty-two districts across the country, the researchers found that restructuring efforts fail when there is too much focus on structure and technique and not enough attention paid to the intellectual quality of student and teacher work and to the vitality of the school community. Using a wealth of examples, the authors provide a vivid picture of the conditions under which innovations in a school's organization contribute to student achievement - extending learning beyond rote memorization of isolated facts to thinking, disciplined understanding, and complex communication. Standards for achieving student intellectual quality are recommended, and evidence is provided that teaching consistent with these standards greatly contributes to student achievement. The results and recommendations offer teachers, administrators, and policymakers an important mid-course correction in the process of school restructuring.