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. ,....-- I] districts might not hilye the "layel-s of leadenhip and expe*isc
district might
offer. H;lnnautny and Kilnball (2001 ) Saw the necessity of specialized help: "[he findin.%
2%
dra\\. to the special challenges of reform faced by small districts and call for targeted
assist;ln~e to these districts to pool remuces and acquire specialized help when needed" (p
120). The assista~~ce small school practitioners received during structured in-senrjce trainins
as well as individual or small group presentations were seen as \raluable to their learning and
implementation efforts.
In re\.ie\a,ing state-directed reform in education, a school board member caught the
~PII it of rl~e core issue with state policy mandates: "All the mandates in the world aren't going
to make a difference. It has to come from within." Timar and Kirp (1987) offer similar
sentiments: "Escellence cannot be coerced or mandated. Rather, it is a condition to which
indi\.idunls may aspire" (p. 309). Linkinp statehouse policy with classroom practices in says
+'-*.: nl:lke a d j fference for children was the implementer's challense-and lament.
I
129