The purpose of this study was to determine the Leader in Me's effectiveness as an influence on academic achievement in reading and mathematics for elementary students in a school district in Central Texas. The Reading and Mathematics State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) scores of 748 first-graders provided data to determine if…

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, State Education Agencies (SEAs) had to quickly move professional learning (PL) opportunities for educators to a virtual environment. This state spotlight presents how the Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) implemented virtual collaborative book studies to develop the expertise and build the capacity of state,…

This article describes how a federally funded afterschool program serving an elementary-age population in a rural southern community used the creative affordances of Minecraft and a creative youth development (CYD) framework to support the local school district's character education program, The Leader in Me (LiM). On receipt of a 21st Century…

After decades of conflict with Indonesia, Timor-Leste is gradually rebuilding its education infrastructure and reclaiming its identity as an independent country. In the first decade post-independence the education sector faced many challenges, including a lack of school buildings and resources, the need to replenish and upskill the Timorese…

New Jersey school administrators are finding themselves in need of the supports necessary to build on the state's existing model preschools toward a broader vision of early learning, including making strong connections to the early learning system. Clearly, changing the educational mindset and building the related capacity of front-line leaders is…

Giving children high-quality preschool is the first step in the journey to school success. The next steps--kindergarten through 3rd grade--are equally important. Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ) is working on several fronts to help school districts across the state build strong early learning programs, which can significantly improve…

Schools are increasingly asked to expand their role in meeting the needs of all students. They are asked to provide a blend of synergistic ideas that are both traditional and progressive while dealing with huge differences in skill levels. The response of K-8 principals to this challenge can make all the difference in the world to children being…

New Jersey After 3 (NJ After 3) is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to expand and improve afterschool opportunities for New Jersey's youth. Using both public and private resources, it supports a network of youth-service providers that deliver afterschool services based on NJ After 3's program model. Under an agreement with NJ…