State and local educators encountered both opportunities and obstacles in their first year of implementing the School Improvement Grants (SIGs) funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). In 2009, the ARRA, better known as the economic stimulus package, provided $3 billion for SIGs to help reform persistently low-achieving…

At schools that align with the Common Principles, there's often a palpable sense of high expectations, personalization, and the purpose of school as a place for students to use their minds well. As the co-director and longtime school coach at the Michigan Coalition of Essential Schools, the author has witnessed what it takes for schools to develop…

This study assessed the effects of a modified version of Check & Connect, a comprehensive student engagement intervention, on the attendance, behavior, and academic performance of secondary African American females with violent and aggressive behavior problems. In addition, the Student Engagement Instrument (SEI) was used to assess cognitive…

In 2009-10 Wake County Public Schools System (WCPSS) exited District Improvement in reading and remained in level one for mathematics. All District Improvement efforts gained momentum. The Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP®) continued as the primary focus to meet the needs of limited English proficient (LEP) students in elementary…

The Reading First Program is a central element of the No Child Left Behind legislation (No Child Left Behind Act, 2001). It builds on findings reported in a national consensus report (NICHD, 2000), about proven strategies to reduce the prevalence of reading difficulty in the early grades in order to help children read at or above grade level by…

Research for Action's third and final report completes a three-year evaluation study of the Pennsylvania High School Coaching Initiative (PAHSCI). This report presents lessons from the PAHSCI model of school-based instructional coaching and mentoring as a vehicle for job-embedded professional learning. Reporting from an analysis using qualitative…

Over the months of a graduate course in literacy education, the authors engaged in many conversations about their leadership roles in the district in which they both work. Their schools are actively engaged in school improvement with a focus on enhancing student achievement. The district and the provincial Department of Education have given…

This book contains strategies for effective literacy coaching of teachers in districts and schools. Whether it's your job to start a literacy coaching initiative or to be an effective literacy coach to your colleagues, this guide has all the steps and strategies you need: (1) Roles and responsibilities of literacy coaches; (2) Keys to building…

This article describes a case study of a faculty member who wanted to change his introductory astronomy course for non-science majors to include more learner-centered pedagogy. To help him achieve this goal, he was assisted by an instructional specialist and the author. The professor approached the overhaul of instructional style as a scientific…

Chamber music provides myriad opportunities to develop students' ability to think like professional musicians while engaged in the authentic task of working closely with and learning from peers. However, the potential for musical growth inherent in chamber music participation is often unrealized due to either a lack of teacher guidance and support…

Elizabeth G. Sturtevant, a professor of education at George Mason University, holds a 33-year record of college-level teaching, scholarship, and service that centers on adolescent literacy. Her research helps clarify the pressures that affect teachers' literacy instruction, the role of secondary school literacy coaches, and adolescent…

Literacy coaching as a means of professional development has great potential for increasing student achievement, teacher effectiveness, and school success. However, schools and districts can inadvertently undermine the potential of coaching when a coach's role is not clearly defined and when the position is not adequately supported and protected.…

This study examines the differences between a near versus far transfer of training approach and their impact on learning. A post-test only experimental design was used to collect data from supervisors attending a training session on coaching. Results showed differences in coaching confidence for trainees who were trained using a near training…

What are the most effective methods for teaching writing across grade levels and student populations? What kind of training do teachers need to put research-validated methods into practice? This unique volume combines the latest writing research with clear-cut recommendations for designing high-quality professional development efforts. Prominent…

One of the greatest challenges for those who study schools and their success in educating students is defining the characteristics of those organizations that are successful, and recognizing the variables that exist to support the actions of the members of the organization. In this era of assessment and accountability, school districts struggle to…