This action research study aims to identify and address equity gaps within a PK-8 New Jersey school by leading a professional learning community (PLC). The study will use action research methods to conduct an educational equity audit, which will inform the annual school plan and create a leadership action plan to stimulate organizational change.…

This qualitative research investigated the applicability of teacher leadership, a notion mostly grounded in the Western literatures, to the educational settings in China. The current research focused on the Chinese lead teachers, backbone teachers (BTs), their experiences, and perspectives of teacher leadership. As a program designed to increase…

The purpose of this study is to determine which of the 10 leadership functions contained in the PIMRS, as identified by Hallinger (1983), are demonstrated by principals in Rio Grande Valley middle schools that received Texas Education Agency distinctions for closing performing gaps, compared to those middle schools in the Rio Grande Valley that…

Students face an interconnected world; in this world, we are obliged to recognize diverse perspectives and in turn, communicate across cultures. Thirteen years ago, Odyssey Charter School (OCS) in Wilmington, Delaware, started an innovative mission unlike any other in our region. A bilingual school system that not only teaches the core subjects…

The Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) aims to increase the number of students with disabilities who achieve positive post-school outcomes and engage in higher education or competitive employment opportunities. Through their State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP) and State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG), Alabama is focusing on…

As the achievement gap widens, it is even more critical than ever to examine factors that may influence the closing of that chasm. Principal leadership is one such component that needs further study. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine which leadership styles principals employ in traditional public schools in the State of New…

In 2013 and 2018, the National Science and Technology Counsel (NSTC) released reports to raise awareness about the rapid growth in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) occupations. One of the ways states are addressing the projected increases in STEM careers and the lack of growth in how many students are pursuing STEM…

Data regarding the type of instructional scheduling utilized along with the use of teaming and common planning at the middle school level has not been collected nor reported on the New York State School Report Card, and therefore it is not known whether and how middle schools are implementing these three school supports. Consequently, the purpose…

This case was developed for use with future school leaders in an educational setting. There are several topics of discussion that can be developed, including but not limited to policy implementation, the efficacy of professional learning communities, and improving student learning outcomes. The setting is a solidly performing middle school in the…

The Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010 (HHFK) requires the Secretary of Agriculture to establish standards for foods sold in schools other than those provided as part of the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program. According to the HHFK, these standards are to be consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the…

As mandated by state and federal laws, students with disabilities have been mainstreamed into a general educational setting. The problem was these students exhibited behavior that interfered with their learning or the learning of other students. The perception of educators and administrators regarding social skills instruction for students with…

This report presents findings on the numbers and types of public elementary and secondary schools in the United States and other jurisdictions in the 2010-11 school year, using data from the Public Elementary/Secondary School Universe Survey of the Common Core of Data (CCD) survey system. The CCD is an annual collection of data that are reported…

Federal and state guidelines direct students with disabilities to the least restrictive environment (LRE). The inclusion of students with disabilities in the LRE (general education) has been an issue for many public schools. In an effort to promote inclusive education for students with disabilities, many special education teacher-chairpersons…

Teacher evaluation is currently a major policy issue at all levels of the K-12 system driven in large part by current US Department of Education requirements. The main objective of this study is to explore the patterns of relationship between observational scores and value-added measures of teacher performance in math classrooms and the variation…

Mathematics is a critical part of academic preparation of the middle school child, or, as Dr. Maria Montessori would refer to them, children in the third plane of development. Montessori educators are sincere in their endeavors not only to prepare young students for further studies of math and the application of math in their world and careers,…