Teachers have an important influence on pupils' academic progress, yet the quality of teaching varies widely. Policymakers, school leaders, and teacher educators therefore face the challenge of designing and commissioning professional development (PD) to help all their teachers become as effective as the best teachers. In the last two decades, a…

Background/Context: Despite the surge in efficacy studies, a recent meta-analysis indicates that the relative effectiveness of any two math interventions is largely unknown (Nelson & McMaster, 2019). Additionally, policy makers rarely choose educational programs based on an assessment of costs and cost-effectiveness (Hollands et al., 2016;…

In this paper the author introduces a very practical model to guide school leaders/managers into supporting parental involvement and engagement in their schools. The model is called the Dual Navigation Approach (DNA). This rubric is based on six meta-analyses that he conducted over the last fifteen years. What is presented therefore is a…

This systematic review of the relationships between principal characteristics and student achievement was created for educators, administrators, policy-makers, and other individuals interested in a comprehensive catalogue of research on relations between principal characteristics and student achievement. It synthesizes what is known about…

This article explores the questions to what extent educational research addresses library use in education and how the library can contribute to intercultural education. The focus is primarily on elementary education in Europe. Analysis of research publications was based on searches for peer-reviewed journals in international databases, literary…

A conversation has emerged in education circles over how much latitude or autonomy principals should have. So how much autonomy should superintendents give principals, and how much is too much? The authors report on some relevant findings in research by McREL, a federal research lab, that may answer this question. McREL's meta-analysis of research…

The objective of this systematic review is to summarize the available evidence on the effects of prevention and intervention programs aimed at primary and secondary students for increasing school completion or reducing school dropout. Program effects on the closely related outcomes of school attendance (absences, truancy) will also be examined.…

What constitutes quality in early childhood settings, and how can it best be measured with today's widely used tools and promising new approaches? Find authoritative answers in this book, a must-have for high-level administrators and policymakers as more and more states adopt early childhood Quality Rating and Improvement Systems. The most…

The objective of this report is to review studies that report language and literacy outcomes associated with preschool curriculum-based interventions. Results from studies reporting on interventions targeting preschool children from low-income families were included regardless of the specific type of program. Although the majority of preschool…

This monograph provides a portrait of non-tenure-track faculty, describes studies of their experiences, and proposes plans of action. Much of the research, particularly early on, tried to provide a picture and description of this faculty that have been largely invisible for years. Therefore, "Portrait of Non-Tenure-Track Faculty" focuses on the…

One lasting legacy of the effective schools movement was the institutionalization of the term "instructional leadership" into the vocabulary of educational administration. Evidence from other recent reviews of the literature on principal leadership (e.g., Hallinger, 2001; Hallinger & Heck 1996; Southworth, 2002) suggest that twenty…

Ruth Wade replies to an article written by Georgea Sparks in the same issue of "Educational Leadership" (EA 518 309) as a response to Wade's meta-analysis of inservice teacher education also appearing in this issue (EA 518 308). A closer look at the major findings is needed. (DCS)

The study was designed to provide policymakers, administrators, and practitioners with reliable prevalence estimates of mental retardation, learning disabilities, and other handicapping conditions exhibited by juvenile offenders in order to guide fiscal and programmatic decision making. The research included five steps: (1) a literature search…

This meta-analysis found a minimal relationship between student achievement and educational expenditures except for direct instructional expenditures such as teachers' salaries and supplies. The amount spent is less vital than how the money is spent. (Compare gymnasium renovation with purchasing a new math program.) Nonschool factors may also be…

A policy of reducing class size seems sensible, but might have costly, far-reaching implications for students, teachers, and public support for schools. The purpose of this research brief is to summarize 100 class size research studies from 1950 to 1985 and to regroup them into 18 areas of concern. The cluster analysis approach was designed to…