In 2016, the Middle Level Education Research Special Interest Group (MLER SIG) of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) published "The MLER SIG Research Agenda," a white paper identifying critical issues and concerns facing the field of middle level education. Since its release, much has changed. This manuscript is a…

In order to better facilitate scaling up of classroom innovations, two complementary strategies have often been discussed. The "community-based strategy" emphasizes the necessity for professional learning communities and their embedding in institutional settings. The "material-based strategy" starts from well-designed teaching…

Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) are approaches to help us to understand and improve the world. Therefore, as a country, we need to develop more STEM literate citizens through exemplary STEM learning in schools. This report asks four questions that are answered through five case studies: (1) What is exemplary STEM learning?; (2)…

Some of the most effective innovations in education have allowed fundamental changes to how individual students are being taught and assessed. Personalized learning models tailor learning to individual needs, accommodating students with diverse learning styles.

In schools, a Code Red alert indicates a potential or immediate threat within a building or on a campus and is the signal for a full-scale lockdown of all classrooms. This book, "Code Red: Conversations and Solutions for an Educational System in Crisis," presents a variety of voices from teachers, administrators, teacher preparation…

The Winter Hill Community Innovation School in Somerville, Massachusetts and the Paul Revere Innovation School in Revere, Massachusetts, winners of the 2017 Pozen Prize for Innovative Schools--excel in attending to the social, emotional, and intellectual needs of all students in the diverse communities they serve. Leveraging autonomy to strengthen…

Innovation is the essence of the American spirit. In the twenty-first century, it will be the innovative thinkers who will make the greatest contributions to our society, find cures for diseases, create technologies that enrich our lives, and find innovative solutions to the world's problems. Schools must provide more opportunities for students to…

The purpose of this article is to describe the Quality Educators Academy (QEA), a year-long training for K-8 classroom teachers that was funded by a NC ESEA Title II-A Improving Teacher Quality (NC QUEST) Grant. Key features of the project as well as the design and content of the training contributed to success in recruiting, retaining, and…

Time on task, with its twin elements of purposeful use of "time" and rededication to ensuring the quality of the "task," presents educators at all levels with the opportunity to effect change through relatively straightforward means. The purpose of this article is to highlight several aspects of using time effectively through a series of…

Many schools are initiating projects that place laptop computers into the hands of each student and teacher in the school. These projects entail a great deal of planning and investment by all involved. The teachers in these schools are faced with significant challenges as they prepare for teaching in classrooms where every student has a computer.…