Teachers' professional learning is regarded as one means through which to improve instruction and student achievement, but how teachers' learning experiences actually translate to improved outcomes is not clearly understood. This is particularly true for novice teachers, who, through a combination of induction programs, broader professional…

This qualitative case study explores the experiences and perspectives of seven diverse adolescent youth who are gifted as they navigate the social and organizational structures of public schooling as participants in gifted programming. Recent trends in education and the historical exploitations of giftedness that service the few, rather than the…

The purpose of this study was to examine the nature of distributed leadership at the University of ABC's SCPS, as the School worked to transform itself through reorganization. The study examined the perceptions of key leaders and members of the implementation team as they sought to understand the implementation of a more participative approach to…

The objective of this study was to ascertain the reasons why a specific urban Catholic high school was successful with a highly at-risk population of students. The school examined in this study was named Dylan High School. A common phrase discussed at this school when referencing student success was a phenomenon called the "Dylan Way." However, it…

This qualitative single-site case study examined the philosophy, decisions, and behaviors of a particular male school principal who subscribed to a form of care-based leadership practice. A Pennsylvania high school principal with a distinct leadership philosophy centered on the ethic of care was chosen to participate in this study. The purpose of…

In this study of Pennsylvania Charter Schools; the focus was on the qualifications, duties, and role perceptions of the special education supervisors. Using role theory as a theoretical lens, an interpretational framework was developed in order to both form a survey instrument and to assist in interpreting the participant responses. This case…

This case study examined the pedagogical practices of four teachers of one public elementary school whose mission seeks to nurture and maintain democratic habits for participation in a democratic society. Historically, public schools have been charged with the duty of preparing young minds to live within in a democratic society and as such this…

This study examined an elementary school, located in an urban school district, which was labeled as a Persistently Low-Achieving School (PLAS) by the federal government in 2009 in order to determine how the school planned to change leadership and staff; increase student achievement; and implement new approaches for changes in school climate. The…

Community schools and other approaches to Alternative Primary Education or APE have increased access to primary education for underserved populations in Africa, Asia, and Latin America as a major goal of the Education for All (EFA) movement. In Zambia, a country where an estimated 20 percent of the basic education enrollment now attends community…

A historical case study from a 6-8 middle school in the coal region of Northeastern Pennsylvania was conducted to examine the extent of teacher collaboration before and after the implementation of the teaming concept as well as the construction of a new middle school. The study was triangulated through the use of multiple data points including…

How do a school and a community interact? This question guided this dissertation examining one rural school and community. The purpose of this case study was to investigate the relationship between the rural Marceline R-V School District (a K-12 school system) and its community, Marceline, Missouri. The framework for this study included the…

Reform, diversity of society, and an array of standards and guidelines challenge leaders to provide successful learning for teachers and students. The Professional Learning Community (PLC) concept offers a viable approach to address those challenges. Research indicates that schools need to function as learning communities where teachers and…