Children's right to participate, at least in rhetoric, is well recognised, but what this means and the associated benefits in schools are less clear. This article synthesises findings of a large mixed-methods Australian study comprising policy analysis, qualitative interviews with students, teachers and policymakers, and the development of a…

There remains strong political support for school autonomy reform within Australian public education despite evidence linking this reform to exacerbating school and systemic inequities. This paper presents interview data from key education stakeholders gathered from a broader study that is investigating the social justice implications of school…

Neoliberal policies promoting school autonomy reform in Australia and internationally have, over three decades, appropriated earlier social democratic discourses of parental participation and partnership in school governance. Recent school autonomy reforms have repositioned school council/boards within a narrow frame of accountability and…

"Instructional Rounds in Action" is an invaluable guide for those involved in implementing instructional rounds as the foundation and framework for systemic improvement in schools. Over the past few years, districts across the United States, Canada, and Australia have begun implementing "instructional rounds," a set of ideas…

This action research explored how Year 12 achievement data were used by school personnel to inform practice within seven Catholic secondary schools. Deputy Principals of Curriculum from participating schools were interviewed regarding their perceptions of the improvement of Year 12 student achievement outcomes, and their insights into how to…

To contribute to the global discussion about what makes an effective teacher, Pearson surveyed students ages 15-19, teachers, principals, education researchers, education policymakers, and parents of school-aged children in 23 countries (Canada, U.S., Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Finland, Germany, Poland, England, Morocco, Egypt, South Africa,…

This paper draws from a large longitudinal study into issues related to student retention beyond the compulsory years of schooling and gives voice to a commonly-overlooked set of stakeholders, namely those in the community. Although many studies report on students' and teachers' opinions of the influence of the community on student engagement and…

Suspension centres are a government initiative to help address disruptive student beahviour in NSW government schools. The centres are for students on long suspension from school and have not been formally evaluated. Stakeholders were asked their opinions regarding: what are the best things happening with suspension centres or what should be…

After much preparatory work, the Catholic Education Office in Western Australia determined to move Year 7 students from its more than 100 primary schools to secondary schools in 2009. This was the first time in the state's history that a major education system had embarked on such an undertaking. This system-wide shift presented a unique…

School psychologists have a unique and multifaceted role within schools and must work with a variety of stakeholders. Therefore, it is important to explore and understand the perspectives of other educational professionals regarding the roles of school psychologists. This study examined the perspectives of principals (N = 21), teachers (N = 86),…

Examines the policy preferences of approximately 111 principals in Tasmania (Australia) concerning accountability criteria and processes. Comparing their views and those of stakeholder groups (parents and teachers) helps identify issues related to teaching, learning, and educational leadership. Tasmanian state schools probably need to review and…