Children's early school experiences shape their learning in future years. The transition from pre-kindergarten, or pre-K, to kindergarten is particularly important. This critical time builds the foundation for children's academic, behavioral and social-emotional skills, as well as families' relationships with their child's teachers for years to…

"Just Schools" by Dr. Ann M. Ishimaru examines how schools can achieve educational equity through collaborative leadership and actively involving historically marginalized families and communities in the decision-making process. Dr. Ishimaru's book emphasizes the importance of rethinking traditional power dynamics and transforming…

Whatever your role--general or special education teacher, school counselor, therapist, behavior analyst, administrator--you undoubtedly interact with learners with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and are committed to helping them succeed and thrive. This easy-to-use accessible guide summarizes more than 75 interventions and rates each based on the…

Inclusion is most effective when schools create a culture that celebrates diversity and builds on the strengths of each student. Family engagement may look different from school to school, and it is important for schools to support families in a variety of ways, not just relying on one method. This guide aims to help schools to: (1) identify…

Written by experienced leaders in gifted education, this book is a foundational guide for supervisors, administrators, and districts seeking to create culturally responsive and equity-focused gifted policies and programs. Engaging chapters supported by real-world vignettes and interactive contemplation corners outline key elements of culturally…

This book serves as a practical guide for clinicians and other professionals working with children and adolescents exposed to trauma, offering an overview and rationale for a comprehensive approach to trauma-informed assessment, including key domains and techniques. Building on more than 2 decades of work in collaboration with the National Child…

The purpose of this guide is to assist Tier 3 or MTSS District Teams in supporting school level and student level implementation of Tier 3 supports. These system features include procedures for teaming, professional development/training, coaching, data systems and evaluation, student support provisions and student and family engagement.

This Family Engagement Toolkit is designed for facility and school administrators. It provides tools that can be adapted to promote family involvement in a facility school. The tools are intended to be used by program staff to help encourage families--including those who are reluctant, have been affected by trauma, or are unsure of how to become…

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), which can cause significant impairment in personal, social, and academic contexts, affects nearly half a million children in the United States. This step-by-step guide provides mental health professionals with an adaptable, evidence-based model that uses cognitive behavior therapy to treat pediatric OCD. The…

"What do all youth need to make a successful transition to adulthood?" This is the central question that the Guideposts for Success is designed to answer. Two characteristics set the Guideposts for Success apart from other frameworks and resources pertaining to youth transition. First, it recognizes that youth in the…

"For students to be successful in school, they first have to be in school." With that simple statement, Jessica Sprick and Randy Sprick launch a compelling case for prioritizing student attendance. This comprehensive guide provides school and district-level administrators and teams with the background information, strategies, and tools…

In 2015, President Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) into law. The law states that any school that receives Title I funds must inform parents if their child is assigned a teacher for four (4) or more consecutive weeks who has not met applicable state certification or licensure requirements at the grade level and subject area in…

The Center on School Turnaround (CST) has identified four levers, or domains, for dramatic change to rapidly improve schools: (1) turnaround leadership; (2) talent development; (3) instructional transformation; and (4) culture shift (CST, 2017). These levers are highly integrated -- the only way for each to succeed is to ensure that all four are…

While students have a right to exercise free speech, schools have a responsibility to ensure safety and maintain the integrity of the learning environment. School and district administration must prepare for the potential of civil unrest both in the community and at school (e.g., walkouts, sit-ins, protests), and to prevent or mitigate the impact…

Within today's multilingual communities, a growing percentage of students are emergent bilinguals--bringing to school a home language other than English and thus poised to become bilingual as they acquire the new language. As a result, school leaders need to have essential background knowledge and a wealth of strategies at their fingertips to…