Partnerships between educational researchers and school-based administrators and educators is imperative to successfully identifying evidence-based practices to improve pedagogy, curriculum, and student outcomes. In this paper, we recognize how being approached by educational researchers can be overwhelming for administrators and educators. We…

This study was conducted in Islamabad Capital Territory of Pakistan to explore possible strategies for improved professional development of Prospective Teachers (PTs). Primary purpose was to propose a conceptual framework for ensuring university-school partnership as existing literature indicated that such partnership can offer unique…

Using research-based practices a principal preparation program located in Texas restructured its practicum activities. Funded by a research grant, sponsored by Academic Partnerships, three coherently sequenced field activities, were developed and mandated as part of the practicum. These activities were performed by principal preparation candidates…

Purpose: To meet the needs of under-resourced, rural schools where teacher attrition is high, this case study examined how a school-university partnership strengthened teacher and leader abilities to support deeper learning for students. Design/methodology/approach: This research focused on a 17-year collaborative partnership between one rural…

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to provide an example of instructional coaching for inservice teachers within the context of community-engaged scholarship (CEP), involving professional learning communities (PLCs). This study seeks to encourage policymakers to allocate budgets for instructional coaches, as well as resources for schools.…

In order to better serve our nation's youth, educational leadership preparation programs must be willing to transform current preparation practices. This paper emphasizes the need to develop high quality school leaders to successfully create and sustain necessary changes in schools. The dynamic transformation of a principal preparation program,…

An urban middle school goes through the transformation of becoming a university-supported lab school. Drawing upon design thinking principles, the planning team cultivates a sense of shared empathy, creative problem-solving, and an ethos of curiosity and learning in a collaborative environment.

This article will showcase the power of collaborative relationships to transform pre-service learning and in-service practice in the area of inclusion. A middle school principal and college professor in Special Education partnered to address the need for support of inclusion students in schools and pre-service education in EPP's. The collaboration…

Addressing systemic inequities in schools requires preparation of leaders who are bold, adaptive, and well-versed in addressing problems of practice so they can be effective leaders. This article offers a theory-to-practice resource for educational leadership faculty who are committed to developing such leadership. Drawing upon learning theories,…

Educational leadership professors prepare aspiring leaders by providing uplifting opportunities to connect theory and practice. This paper proposes a research-based model called leadership-focused coaching, an approach to support graduate students in developing and honing instructional leadership skills and responsibilities (Gray, 2016). This…

To date, relatively little research has examined the perceptions of children and parents involved in university-assisted partnership programs. In this paper, we present findings from a case study of a university-assisted community school (UACS) afterschool program wherein we interviewed participating students and their parents. We also completed…

The study that provides the context for this article developed from a major overhaul of the practicum in an undergraduate initial teacher education degree in which practicum roles and relationships were re-envisaged. The aim was to reinvigorate university-school practicum relationships through the collaborative development of a practicum where…

Background/Context: The challenges documented in the literature on research-practice partnerships and similar school-university collaborations are outlined in the literature review in this issue. Yet only a collaboration among multiple educational and community organizations could create a synergy powerful enough to achieve the multifaceted goals…

In this study, a university professor and school district literacy coordinator co-designed and co-taught a literacy methods course where teacher candidates participated in dynamic learning in classrooms, exploring how theory can meet practice when students' funds of knowledge are valued through responsive teaching. Case study methodology was taken…

Florida's Race to the Top (RTTT) competition invited university-district partnerships to compete for funds aimed at improving principal preparation programs. In this article, we report findings from a qualitative case study focused on one program partnership funded by RTTT. Drawing upon interviews with faculty and relevant documents, we conducted…