When the U.S. Department of Education (ED) signaled that the broad waivers for state assessments it had offered in 2019-20 would not be widely offered in 2021, it sought to balance the need for student learning data to inform pandemic recovery with the very real operational challenges states face in administering tests this year. This policy…

To best train and support school leaders in their evolving roles, they require high-quality preparation and in-service pipelines that both address the changing demands on their positions and acknowledge the cascading effects that well-prepared leaders have on both student outcomes and in school culture and retention. Including school leaders in…

We studied a case of a school in a high need setting that undertook multiple simultaneous initiatives during a major school reorganization. We focused on the simultaneous implementations of two comprehensive initiatives, one related to ambitious mathematics teaching and one related to the Understanding by Design curriculum writing process. We…

In this paper, we report on teachers' use of curricula and other instructional resources to address Common Core State Standards (CCSS), as well as how use of instructional materials is related to instructional practice. We draw on data from the American Teacher Panel, a nationally representative sample of teachers who periodically provide…

This descriptive study of a change initiative by the Syracuse (NY) City School District informs the question, "How do school boards and districts better use research and data to inform policy decisions?" Researchers used interviews and artifacts to describe how the district developed and implemented a new discipline policy, the Syracuse…

There is broad agreement that teacher quality is related to student achievement, but there is far less agreement about the degree to which school districts and administrators are constrained in making policies to improve teacher quality that might also affect teacher employment and working conditions. Conventional wisdom holds that state law and…

In times of economic uncertainty, community colleges have consistently turned to the experience of past generations as an avenue toward innovation and the modernization of their programs and services. Community colleges have been able to continuously reinvent themselves to serve the ever-changing needs of society. With President Obama's increased…

This book demonstrates through case studies and expert analyses the impressive educational gains children can make when the best educational research, policy, and practice are aligned. This volume is a valuable resource to aspiring leaders, educational researchers, and current practitioners and a must-read for anyone who cares about the public…

The conduct of public education in New York State is a collaborative enterprise involving the Governor and Legislature, the Regents and the Commissioner of Education, and local boards of education. Although a decentralized system has given limited ability to the State Education Department, Legislature, and Governor to direct the use of funds or to…

For effective schools, leadership is vital. As the structure of American education evolved, a model of how a local school board should function emerged. The model is briefly summarized and research on educational leadership, challenges of school board service in New York State, and responsibilities of school boards are discussed. Key leadership…

Discusses the political aspects of educational policy formation and describes the governance of public education in the state of New York. (JG)

This publication discusses policy issues, practices, and research related to parent involvement in education in the United States. Written for local school boards, professional staff who work with boards, and interested parents, the paper calls for policies that will encourage parents to assist in their children's educational development. After an…

To determine factors influencing the attitudes of school board members toward occupational education, a 3-part survey questionnaire designed to measure the relationship between understanding, attitudes, and social variables was returned by 1,684 of the 4,830 mailed to school board members of 770 school districts in New York State. Analysis…

In July, 1989, the New York State Board of Regents approved this policy paper, with recommended actions to be accomplished during the next 5 years for the following policies: (1) existing resources will be better coordinated and used for at-risk youth; (2) at least 50 percent of any new state resources for elementary and secondary education will…

In order to acquaint Indian and non-Indian educators, legislators, and other concerned individuals with the status of Indian education in all 50 states, data has been gathered regarding policy statements that are under consideration or have already been implemented by state boards of education and state legislation, appropriations, and resolutions…