In this article, we examine the tension between external educational accountability demands and other [political] forces of interest and possible ways to ensure that schools can still succeed in performing their daily duties and achieving educational goals. We draw from interviews undertaken with school principals in South Africa. Our analysis…

This article considers the changed fortunes of teachers in 2023. It asks, 'how did we arrive at a culture of efficiency, effectiveness and delivery accountability -- a culture which scares away our teachers?'. The thinking and language of Heidegger shows the power of language in asserting dominance and changing cultures. The architect of…

Educational leaders are increasingly expected to use school climate data to improve outcomes and promote equity for all learners, including in California where school climate is included in state accountability policy. In this study, beliefs towards school climate assessment were explored in a sample (n=298) of California superintendents using a…

The purpose of this research is to find out i) the quality of the accountability management system of superior schools, ii) elementary school digital transformation capabilities, and iii) the relationship between the quality of the accountability management system for superior schools and the digital transformation capabilities of elementary…

Shifts in the education system to more student-centered learning will require state and local education agencies to rethink how they do their work. Current accountability systems focus on compliance with standards, as demonstrated in annual summative assessments. Mark Elgart explains that a new approach to accountability will offer more authentic…

Research on teacher education and classroom teaching has evolved significantly in recent decades, with more research taking an international or intersectional lens. The International Study Association on Teachers and Teaching (ISATT) has moved with the field, beginning as a predominantly white European and North American organization in 1983, it…

The term 'inclusive education' has evolved to connote various meanings and recently, neoliberalism has impacted how 'inclusion' is understood and enacted. In this paper, we use a disability studies in education framework to compare and contrast radical against incrementalist and reductionist approaches to educational reform related to students…

This mixed-method study examines Michigan's Partnership policy for school turnaround, which positions the district and superintendents as key policy implementation actors. We first interviewed 21 of 35 Partnership superintendents/leaders across Michigan and surveyed teachers to understand the initial response to the turnaround policy and the…

This qualitative case study focuses on the impact of neoliberal education reform on an urban charter school serving students of Color. This study has two main objectives: to examine how neoliberal reform influences the goal-oriented actions of data meetings (DMs) in an urban elementary school and engages in a formative intervention methodology to…

Spreading like wildfire, school autonomy with accountability (SAWA) policies have transformed education worldwide. Rooted in new public management, SAWA is a 'policy bundle' that links greater decision-making at the school level with standardization and monitoring practices like large-scale assessments and performance indicators. As with every…

Teacher identity can serve as an important lens to examine the way teachers traverse the various demands made of them by policymakers and stakeholders in the school system, with their own perspectives of self and their work. Official narratives and curriculum documents lead to the construction of a public identity and what it means to be a 'good…

Principals and school management teams are expected to provide unwavering leadership and professional and sustainable support to create opportunities for teachers and themselves to develop professionally. Currently, the lack of teacher content knowledge, low rates of motivation and accountability are key challenges resulting in the low-quality…

Despite over two decades of research, initial teacher education (ITE) partnerships remain problematic. Our study explores the development of a mandated ITE university-school partnership in Wales amidst significant educational reform. Through qualitative research, involving focus groups with 47 teacher educators from a university and 15 schools, we…

This paper explores Indonesian secondary school teachers' conceptions of assessment in the context of assessment reform. Teachers working at different school level were interviewed both individually and in groups and their responses were analysed using the content analysis approach. Detailed examination of teachers' assessment propositions…

Since taking office, the Biden administration has sought to advance a complex and ambitious higher education regulatory agenda. The U.S. Department of Education held two separate rounds of negotiated rulemaking in 2021-22 to rewrite rules governing student loan relief programs and institutional accountability. This fall, the agency announced plans…