The voices of district leaders, principals, teachers, and students at two award-winning schools both encourage and challenge the reader to reflect on going green.

At a Monday evening monthly meeting of school administrators, discussion ensued about how to improve the administrators' schools. Ideas such as increasing student achievement, energizing teachers, and engaging parents were offered. One principal suggested focus should be turned to the students' restrooms, "because lots of problems emerge…

"We were a high-performing school. Now we're not." These words--spoken in 2015 by the head of a respected network of "no excuses" charter schools--could have come from any number of school leaders across the country, as they adjusted to the "skyrocketing" demands of new college- and career-ready (CCR) standards. The…

Students who are in developmental education (DE), like students with disabilities and other students receiving learning supports, are often identified as such a priori, which means the students have already lost control over a certain amount of information about their identities. A student may feel marginalized by the attitudes that others have on…

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) says in its current policy paper that, for high-quality early education to exist outside of tiny islands across the country, the following must be addressed: (1) teacher preparation; (2) ongoing professional learning; and (3) disparity in early education teacher pay. To achieve…

Scholars and practitioners of gifted education have made strides in recognizing the need for equitable identification practices, as well as acknowledging the importance of culturally relevant teaching practices, so that students from traditionally underrepresented student populations (i.e., culturally, linguistically, and economically diverse…

Postsecondary education in the United States is provided by public, not-for-profit and for-profit institutions. Public and not-for-profit institutions are expected to serve the public good due to state control or chartering requirements; for-profit institutions are not. Therefore, the decision to serve the public good is vested in the board. The…

Special education administrators at both the district and school level are serving in critical roles that uniquely position them to improve academic and behavioral outcomes of students with disabilities by ensuring the special education teachers under their supervision are prepared to deliver an evidence-based form of intensive…

Although increasing attention has been given to the disproportionate discipline of Black students in general, the specific needs of Black girls have often been overlooked. This article encourages school leaders to analyze how discipline policies are often problematic for Black girls. The article provides a case narrative to illustrate the issue…

Principal evaluation systems without explicit and aligned professional learning simply re-create a system of compliance and fail to improve leadership capacity. Given the complexity of the role of today's principals, they must learn a new set of skills and knowledge to create innovative learning environments. To use principal evaluation as a tool…

If students from all backgrounds and advantages were given equal opportunity to succeed, how would this change our schools? Anindya Kundu examines two New York City schools--Medgar Evers College Prep and The James Baldwin School--and how their energized school culture contributes to the success of all students. By leading with consistency,…

It is estimated that there are 1,678,778 military children in the United States, with 80% of them attending U.S. civilian operated public schools. Therefore, it is critical that educators across school settings have access to information that supports the academic, behavioral, and social emotional health of military children. The current paper…

Principals in the United States are responsible for creating educational environments that enable students, including those with disabilities, to achieve both academic and postschool goals. Unfortunately, many principals lack the preparation necessary to effectively lead special education programs. To support principals and ensure that students…

PreK-12 districts are currently considering multiple options for the 2020-21 school year and beyond. Recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control lists the many safeguards that would need to be in place before buildings reopen and students are back to classrooms that resemble what they had before. It is clear that some type of distance…

Funding for California schools has improved rapidly in recent years but remains insufficient to meet educational goals and address the needs of students, particularly given California's high cost of living. Now, school districts face flat or declining revenues and rapidly growing student academic and social-emotional needs due to COVID-19.…