This mixed-methods study investigated the perceptions of elementary teachers in their co-teaching relationships and the impact those relationships had on instruction. The study was based on teacher and principal questionnaire surveys and semi-structured teacher interviews. The study investigated co-teaching that took place during the 2019-2020…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore the impact that teacher teams, specifically building-level leadership teams and professional learning communities, can have on a school's safe and collaborative culture and effective teaching practices. Waves of school reform have made their way through legislation and schools and, as a result,…

Research and understanding of principals' definitions of inclusion, along with the leadership competencies they identify as necessary in supporting this definition, is lacking and has not been done in this study's context previously. The purpose of this study was to understand how school principals define inclusion as it pertains to students with…

A critical part of teacher education programs is preparing educators for their careers, including assuring that coteaching is performed in an effective manner, particularly in inclusive classrooms. The purpose of this exploratory case study was to gain an understanding of the preparation teachers received for coteaching. The conceptual framework…

The purpose of this study is to examine a principal's leadership actions while attempting to improve primary student outcomes in reading in a Dual Language (English/Spanish) neighborhood school by supporting teachers in implementing a balanced literacy approach to teaching reading in Spanish. The principal as researcher noticed at the end of the…

Co-teaching, an instructional model serving students with special education needs in the general education classroom, has been proliferating in response to federal requirements and because it has potential in reaching all students. Implementation of co-teaching has been inconsistent and there has been little evidence co-teaching has positively…

The Individuals with Disabilities Act mandates that all students with or without disabilities should be included in the regular education classroom to the greatest extent appropriate. Research shows the importance of the principal's ability to shape programs, policies and school cultures that are supportive of inclusion. Deploying a modified…

Inclusion programs have expanded in schools across the country as educational leaders strive to meet the needs of a more diverse group of students. In response to Special Education legislation, schools and districts implemented programs and strategies for students with disabilities in the general education setting as increasing numbers of students…

Principal leadership is one of the most heavily researched topics in the field of education and is a key to increasing school effectiveness and stimulating school change. One of the most important principal roles that have emerged in the literature is the facilitation of a collaborative culture. Teacher collaboration has been linked to a variety…

This study examines what occurs when principals of urban schools meet together to learn and improve their instructional leadership in collaborative principal networks designed to support, sustain, and provide ongoing principal capacity building. Principal leadership is considered second only to teaching in its ability to improve schools, yet few…

As the pressure on schools to meet higher and higher expectations with less and less resources increases, educators seek to explore school models which are centered on reforms that increased the likelihood of meeting this challenge. One reform initiative which has received much attention is the utilization of teacher leadership to improve school…