Threat assessment has been proposed as a method for schools to respond to student threats of violence that does not rely on exclusionary discipline practices (e.g., suspension, transfer, expulsion, arrest). The present study compared disciplinary consequences for 657 students in 260 schools using the Comprehensive Student Threat Assessment…

The Choice Neighborhoods Initiative (CNI), launched in 2010, provides funds for public housing authorities and other local entities and aims to redevelop distressed housing projects and transform the neighborhoods surrounding them into "mixed-income, high opportunity communities." From its inception, the CNI has included a strong focus…

All states have youth sports concussion laws that have helped shape school concussion policy. However, state laws do not specify how schools distribute policy. The present study examined parent, youth, and school personnel's knowledge of school concussion policy in Colorado and ease of access to policy via school website. Youth (n = 1,987),…

Clarity of school rules and teachers' use of praise are strategies suggested to facilitate a positive classroom climate. Studies indicate difficulties for teachers to use such approaches in classrooms with higher levels of disruption. To study (1) if student-rated clarity of school rules, use of praise, and classroom climate differ between…

Background: This study tested the hypothesis that written district wellness policies are associated with higher rates of implementation of nutrition and physical activity practices. Methods: Written wellness policies and building level practices were assessed for schools (N = 295) within high-need districts (N = 70) in New York State. The…

In this stimulus essay on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) bullying in schools, Keith Berry, describes assumptions and other aspects of his phenomenological lifeworld (everyday reality) that guide his orientation to this problem. He then turns to two recent surveys to explore the prevalence and meaning of bullying for LGBT youth as…

Purpose: This paper aims to apply the garbage can model to identify factors that affect managerial decision-making processes in educational systems undergoing reforms. Design/methodology/approach: This paper used a qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews with 39 teachers and managers in schools undergoing a system-wide reform.…

The researchers in this study investigated rural middle school teachers' perspectives regarding bullying. The researchers gathered information about the teachers' definitions of bullying, where bullying occurs in their school, and how to prevent bullying. Peer-reviewed literature associated with this topic was studied in order to achieve a broader…

This report provides results from the School Health Policies and Practices Study (SHPPS) conducted in 2016. Following a detailed Methods section, 2016 results are presented in a series of 90 tables organized around the components of the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model. Tables 1.1 through 6.9 provide the percentage of…

Schools are uniquely positioned to impact student health and academic outcomes through health and wellness policies. The purpose of this study was to describe factors influencing implementation of school health and wellness policies, specifically those focused on physical activity and nutrition. In-depth, stakeholder interviews were conducted with…

This article explores language use and investment among Somali-speaking children and adolescents in Sweden, through group interviews and survey data. Our findings indicate that there are incentives to invest in Somali language learning considering the reported language use patterns and the expressed positive attitudes towards Somali mother tongue…

Under federal civil rights law, U.S. school districts have a dual obligation to provide students identified as English learners (ELs) with designated English-language development (ELD) instruction and integrated ELD support during core content instruction. Drawing on an analysis of interviews with 96 educators in two large California districts, we…

A sample of sexual- and gender-minority students (n = 65; 51.6% female; 55.8% White; M age = 16.94 years) reported more peer victimization, lower academic achievement, and poorer perceptions of school safety as compared to their heterosexual allied peers. Sexual- and gender-minority students demonstrating higher levels of sexual activity and…

Teachers are ultimately responsible for implementing school policy changes, including those driven by current United States (US) mandates that emphasize rigorous career and college readiness standards requiring high expectations for all students. In order to create multiple entryways to instruction for students with disabilities, teachers are…

Background: This paper considers a new policy and statistical framework for evaluating K-12 schools and policies that aligns with diversity, equity, and inclusion values. The new approach broadens the standard approach to accountability and evaluation by combining features of evaluation and multi-level growth models with approaches used in systems…