Effective professional development (PD) is crucial for enhancing teacher instruction and student achievement. This Spotlight explores innovative approaches to PD that prioritize teacher needs and foster meaningful learning experiences. From hybrid PD models to teacher-led initiatives and on-demand online courses, these articles offer valuable…

Talladega County Schools (TCBOE) spans 760 square miles and serves about 7,000 learners, 71 percent of whom receive free and reduced-priced meals. It also is a member of the League of Innovative Schools, a network of forward-looking school districts that have declared their commitment to improving and advancing equitable outcomes for students…

The focus of this study was to explore faculty's perceptions, backgrounds, and overall experiences, including online instruction and experience dealing with LMS change and transition. There has been a plethora written about opposition to adopting a new innovation but not much on transitioning from one LMS to another regarding faculty in higher…

This qualitative, phenomenological study examines how artificial intelligence (AI) impacts lesson design for teachers at a school district in southeast Texas. As generative AI becomes more integrated into education, this research investigates how AI tools influence teachers' abilities to create dynamic, differentiated, and effective lesson plans.…

Entering the middle of the 21st Century, Texas has the ninth-largest economy in the world, whose success is powered by the increasingly educated workforce. Texans have earned more degrees, certificates, and credentials over the past decade than at any time in history, and Texas has outpaced every other state in growing undergraduate and graduate…

Across the country, urban school districts are moving beyond industrial-era systems by creating "innovation" or "partnership" schools that have the freedom to reinvent the way they educate students. The Progressive Policy Institute released a how-to guide for legislators, district leaders, and advocates who want to create more…

The need to improve outcomes among students with disabilities (SWD) by increasing teachers' skilled use of evidence-based practices (EBPs) has been a pressing challenge around the country. Texas, in particular, has a specific focus on supporting the increased use of teachers' EBPs within their State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP). Therefore,…

Shifts in generations from Millennials to Generation Z have brought changes to today's classroom. In turn, these changes indicate the need for reform and innovation in education. If the goal for education remains to put contributing members into society, then educators must search for the most effective ways to prepare students to enter society…

Twenty-first century teachers must embrace innovative practices and tools for relevant instruction that motivate and prepare students for the future. However, a gap between available technology, such as geospatial technologies, and those used for instructional technologies prevails. This study set out to discover if high school geography teachers'…

Prior learning assessment (PLA) supports student persistence, shortens time-to-degree, and boosts degree completion, particularly for post-traditional (adult or non-traditional) students and underserved populations. This proceeding examines an innovative approach to PLA using block credit. Administered within the award-winning Department of…

Music education has been shown to be related to a variety of positive outcomes, including student achievement in math. This study was conducted to examine the effect of integrating Hip Hop Literacy songs on fourth grade reading achievement scores. The framework for the study was Miendlarzweska and Trost's model of musical instrument training.…

Large achievement gaps exist between students educated in schools in high-poverty areas and those educated in low-poverty areas. Research indicates this issue is due to many barriers that hinder student achievement in high-poverty schools (Borg, Borg, & Stranahan, 2012; Hersi, 2010; Walsh et al., 2014). Despite this normal occurrence, there…

Augmented reality continues to be lauded as a disruptive innovation in education. This research examines the perspectives of AR using educators who are Innovators and First Adopters in Roger's Diffusion of Innovation Scale. Attitudes towards AR were examined through a survey that included Likert-scale items and open-ended qualitative items.…

Entrepreneurial skills are being sought by companies as they consider college graduates, particularly engineers, for future employment. Technical skills have become the baseline while the ability to apply these skills in a business environment has become a key differentiator in the value of employees in corporate environments. To address this need…

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the US public education system under great stress, resulting in quick, emergency changes. This stress has been particularly apparent in providing accommodations needed to Special Education (SPED) and English Learners (ELs). This paper reports on a qualitative narrative study based on interviews with K-12 educators…