For the last few decades, leadership standards have served as a de facto "recommended curriculum" for preparation programs in the United States. In this article, we: (1) share the new National Educational Leadership Preparation (NELP) standards, (2) present the literature supporting the standards, and (3) critically assess the influence…

As school districts continue to seek administrative efficiencies and cost reductions in the wake of severe budget pressures, the resources they devote to creating or expanding retirement plan consortia is increasing. Understanding how to structure a retirement plan consortium is paramount to successfully achieving the many objectives of…

This EdSource Q&A provides clear, accurate answers to some of the most common questions about the current state of education funding in California and what the state's fiscal crisis means for schools. School districts and other education stakeholders can share this brief with their communities and cite it in addressing questions about the…

The word "evaluation" often strikes fear in people, but the author is different. She has always been a person who thought of evaluation, in any form, as a way to make her better and help her strive for excellence. So naturally when her library supervisor announced at a meeting that they were going to do the American Association of School…

This article features a major statewide initiative in North Carolina that is showing how a consortium model can minimize risks for districts and help them exploit the advantages of cloud computing. Edgecombe County Public Schools in Tarboro, North Carolina, intends to exploit a major cloud initiative being refined in the state and involving every…

Successfully integrating educational technology--both hardware and digital content--into a K-8 school presents an immense challenge that is complicated by a loss of available funding. This article presents a seven-step-process guide--drawn from resources focused on affordability, accessibility, security, training, and educational…

This practical book will help school districts and teacher-education departments create and sustain effective partnerships to support teacher development. The authors--supported by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation--worked with school districts and universities on collaborating to improve pre- and inservice training for teachers. In this…

For public school districts, risk financing is the financial outlay associated with litigation, such as settlements, verdicts, and the cost of legal defense. Even when districts purchase insurance to finance risk, a viable risk transfer program can still benefit districts in different ways: (1) Liability policies are generally experience-rated;…

This two-part "Implementation Guide" will help to deepen your understanding and sharpen your ability to implement each of the strategies discussed in "Leading School Change: Nine Strategies to Bring Everybody on Board" (ED509821). Part One offers discussion questions and activities which focus on each of the nine strategies. They can be completed…

About three-fourths of the states have already adopted the Common Core State Standards, which were designed to provide more clarity about and consistency in what is expected of student learning across the country. However, given the brief time since the standards' final release in June, questions persist among educators, who will have the…

The audience for this guide is state, local, and program leaders who want to learn more about federal funding sources that can support early literacy programs and systems reform. Funding available through federal programs can help address the underlying causes of children failing to learn to read by the end of third grade, such as limited access…

Schools are often viewed as the primary change agent for any new health crisis that gains national or local attention. Schools should play a role in creating a healthy learning environment because many of these health problems can impact student learning. But is it reasonable to hold schools and school leaders responsible for fixing the health…

The Welcome Workbook is a practical resource for people working in local authorities who want to see an increase in the number of children fulfilling their right to mainstream education. By providing a clear self-review framework, The Welcome Workbook enables local authorities to audit their existing processes and map a route towards more…

Alberta Education provides funding to school authorities to support the development and implementation of programming for students with severe disabilities. The "Handbook for the Identification and Review of Students with Severe Disabilities" presents case studies designed to assist school authority personnel with the identification and…

The overarching goals of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 are to immediately stimulate the economy in the short term and to invest in education and other essential public services that will ensure the long-term economic health of this nation. The United States Education Department (USED) offers guiding principles to be…