Sir Michael Wilshaw, the head of the Office for Standards in Education (OfSTED), declared a "new wave" of Local Area Under-performance Inspections (LAUI) of schools "denying children the standard of education they deserve". This paper examines how the threat of LAUI played out over three mathematics lessons taught by a teacher…

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) wishes to remind states, districts, schools, students, staff, families, and guardians as well as communities about the importance of: (1) addressing the prevention of infectious disease in schools, including the seasonal flu, viral meningitis, enterovirus, and Ebola; and (2) ensuring the continuity of teaching…

This project focuses on the policies and practices of school boards (or mayors or others who govern public schools), and how their priorities can make a tangible difference in the academic success of kids living in poor communities. Instead of focusing on deficits of poverty, the researchers wanted to stress school board action as an effective…

What does research say about the four-day week as an alternative school schedule? More than 100 districts in at least 12 states currently use a four-day week alternative schedule. Most are located in rural areas, serve less than 1000 students, and made the move to a shorter school week with longer instructional days for financial reasons. Although…

This report compiles results of studies conducted in American Samoa, Chuuk, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Hawai'i, Kosrae, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palau, Pohnpei, and Yap. It was conducted in the 1996-97 school year by Pacific Resources for Education and Learning in close collaboration with…

Discusses improving attendance of staff and administrators by providing various financial and recognition-oriented incentives including savings bonds, plaques, and a year-end trophy. Rewards for perfect and near-perfect attendance resulted in a 16 percent improvement in total staff attendance and improvement in 90 percent of individual schools.…

The mission of Pacific Resources for Education and Learning includes maintaining cultural literacy and strengthening educational programs for American-affiliated Pacific Islanders. On islands where no substitute teacher pool is available, students' educational opportunities may be seriously compromised. Policymakers and program managers in all 10…

Discusses an examination of teacher stress, job satisfaction, absenteeism, career intention, career commitment, and self-image among secondary school teachers in Malta. Concludes that teachers who reported greater stress were less satisfied with teaching, more frequently absent, more likely to leave teaching, and less likely to reenter the field.…

This 15-minute videotape offers a motivational staff development program for teachers. Four segments focus on: (1) preparing for the teacher's absence (e.g., knowing the school's policy and protocol, preparing a safety kit for the substitute teacher, and keeping a box of learning materials available for the substitute); (2) effective learning…

This report makes policy implementers and educators aware of the importance of work attendance and its relation to student outcomes. It also encourages policymakers to better implement and supplement existing policies through different strategy options. The focus is on the Pacific region. Rather than recommending a punitive approach, the report…

Managers in 281 schools of all types in 20 LEAs in England completed a survey about teacher absence and its causes. This paper reports reasons for teachers' long-term absences in those schools, examining the link between age and ability to report for work. Head teachers' views on the impact of school stress on teacher attendance are also explored.…

Multiple demands and pressures on teachers have increased instructor burnout, a state characterized by boredom, depression, envy, and physical and emotional fatigue. In response to the high incidence of burnout, teachers and professors may use a job diversification approach similar to one used in industry to combat boredom and monotony.…