Principals formulated their responses to the pandemic in terms of a hierarchy of needs: they understood that their students and staff had to feel physically and psychologically safe before they would be successful in the classroom. This is one of a series of briefs that focused on a 'critical incident' surrounding school closure and offers…

Strong student-teacher relationships foster students' social, emotional, and academic development, particularly for students from marginalized racial/ethnic groups. The current study gathered input from teachers, school and district administrators, and education researchers (N = 22) regarding strategies that can help teachers build relationships…

This research investigated the experiences of new teachers employed in urban school districts and how these novice teachers' perceived school district and school administrators' support required to retain them as well as teacher's perceptions of their pre-service experiences and/or induction programs necessary to prepare them for an urban…

In a Georgia middle school, general and special education teachers expressed concerns about the challenges of working collaboratively in the inclusive classroom. Effective teacher collaboration is pivotal to ensure academic success of all students. The purpose of this qualitative bounded instrumental case study was to explore middle school…

The reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004 spurred sweeping changes in how special education students are identified in the United States. IDEA encourages instructional models that are research-based, and emphasizes the analysis of student progress data prior to special education identification. Response…

Self-efficacy is a perceived judgment that one has the ability to execute a course of action that brings about a desired result. Principal self-efficacy describes a set of beliefs that enable a principal to enact policies and procedures that promote the effectiveness of a school. Principal self-efficacy beliefs are also important because they…

The current study was constructed based on the recommendations of a previous study (McHenry & Borger, 2013). Though inquiry-based teaching has long been touted as an effective pedagogy, its application by middle school science teachers has been problematic. Using tools developed from the previous study in conjunction with professional…

This study examines the relationship between specific leadership behaviors (i.e. the extent to which principals establish goals and expectations; plan, coordinate and evaluate teaching and the curriculum; and promote and participate in teacher learning) and teachers' self-reported sense of preparedness and self-reported use of practices that align…

Students attending a University-Model® school participate in a hybrid approach to education which combines homeschooling with private education. This allows parents a primary role in their child(ren)'s education with the guidance of licensed teachers. The question of how students' academic needs are addressed in this model remains unexplored. This…

This qualitative study improves understanding of parent perspectives about the factors that facilitate family-professional partnerships in schools recognized for inclusive practices. Five themes emerged from 11 focus groups consisting of parents of students with and without disabilities and with varying levels of involvement with the school: (a)…

Professional learning communities (PLCs) are being recognized as effective in improving teacher collaboration and student achievement. Trust is critical in effectively implementing the PLC model, and the school principal is best positioned to influence school trust levels. Using five facets of trust, this research sought to clarify the impact of…

School performance pressures apply disproportionately to tested grades and subjects. Using longitudinal administrative data--including achievement data from untested grades--and teacher survey data from a large urban district, we examine schools' responses to those pressures in assigning teachers to high-stakes and low-stakes classrooms. We find…

This report summarizes changes in student discretionary discipline removals from AISD schools and changes in staff's climate survey results as well as student's climate survey results from 2011-2012 through 2015-2016, with a focus on when learning support centers (LSCs) were implemented in 2012-2013.

In this paper authoethnography was used as a process and product to explore one leader's journey from the classroom, as a student and a teacher, to opening a new school as the school's principal. These experiences create the backdrop of a larger narrative about public schooling and leadership. Traditional notions of learning, teaching, schooling…

This authoritative text and practitioner resource has now been extensively revised and expanded with 70% new material covering new topics and standards in literacy leadership. Prominent experts present research-based methods for improving instruction, assessment, and professional learning experiences in PreK-12. The distinct roles of teachers,…