In envisioning the future of literacy, students' voices are paramount. Students' engagement in classroom talk increases their learning and communication skills, but without intentional implementation, classroom talk can perpetuate hegemony in contemporary classrooms. To better explore this phenomenon, we developed a study in a southeast Texas high…

A model is presented for coordinated community planning to address multiple service needs in two countries. Two communities, one in western Texas and one in the United Kingdom, found that despite the considerable efforts of multiple organizations, the local social, educational, and health services remained uncoordinated. Furthermore, there was no…

In a world of complex problems, where public funding is decreasing and demand for public services is increasing, public entities are turning to collaborative networks to find solutions. This dissertation explores the development of one such network in Collin County, Texas. The researcher presents a case study describing and analyzing the…

Rapid change in organizational structure sparked a need in one private school district to design and implement an efficient communication system in distance learning environments. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to improve the collaboration process among teachers and administrators in this highly safeguarded population in a way that…

This timely book describes the work of the School Improvement Network, a partnership in which university professors and graduate students collaborated with K-12 school leaders and teachers to design, implement, and assess schoolwide action research projects focused on long-term school improvement. Presenting a comprehensive model, this resource…

This study reports on the process and outcomes of schoolwide action research by nine schools in their first year as Network members. The participants were a blend of urban, suburban, small town, and rural schools in Central Texas. Focal points of the case studies and cross-case comparison included: (1) how the schools organized for action…