Teacher curriculum leadership is a key driver of curriculum reform in basic education and of improvements in student literacy. The mechanisms that underlie its development therefore constitute an important area of study. This case study analyzed the developmental trajectory of three teachers who became curriculum leaders. Results showed that from…

Primary mathematics leaders work together both with and between school leadership and teachers as middle leaders, balancing expectations and responsibilities of themselves, school leadership, and teachers. This paper presents a case study of mathematics leaders in a school with a diverse community and frequently changing staff. It explores the…

Applying O'Meara, Campbell, and Terosky's (2011) faculty agency framework, this qualitative case study examined full-time, non-tenure-track faculty (FTNTTF) members' perceptions of their agency at an elite public research university. Participants experienced greater agency over time and in the classroom, but felt their agency was constrained by…

This dissertation seeks to explore whether and how organizational structures of school (educational infrastructure) influence teacher belief alignment and self-efficacy as they relate to school improvement strategies. Within the context of an autonomous network of schools, this study leverages differences in educational infrastructure and…

Background: Although the contexts, structures and administrations of early childhood education (ECE) may differ internationally, effective pedagogical leadership remains an essential component in supporting young children's development and learning. This paper reports on a comparative study which considered ECE in two different settings, Finland…

Although there is no end of ethics courses offered at colleges and universities, many believe that neither the professoriate nor their institutional leaders has ever been collectively and authentically committed to shaping the moral formation of students. A considerable literature has emerged over the last decade alleging a widespread…

To improve teaching and learning outcomes, teachers and head teachers need whole-system support to build professionalism and enhance their practice. Roles at the middle tier of education systems, or those professionals working between the school and central level, offer unique capacities to facilitate collaboration, broker knowledge, scale…

The purpose of this study was to explore distributed leadership and how leadership practices are actualized in three selected schools in Southern California. This qualitative, multiple case study used survey research and interviews to assess how distributed leadership was practiced in three selected elementary schools located within one school…

Principals used distributed leadership, as suggested by researchers, to actively engage teacher leaders in instructional leadership responsibilities. It was not known how high school principals' distributed leadership practices enabled teacher leaders to assist principals with instructional leadership responsibilities. The purpose of this…

The problem of culturally, linguistically, and economically diverse (CLED) student underrepresentation in gifted programs demonstrates a need to examine systemic processes, including the building of systemic capacity at the district and school levels where policies for gifted programs are formed and implemented. To examine the effects of this…

A principal's job is complex, demanding, and multi-faceted. Effective principals shape a school's academic vision and foster a climate for learning. In addition, they develop leadership capacity in teachers and staff, promote sound instructional practices, and use resources and data to drive school improvement (Mendels, 2012). Given these…

The purpose of this case study was to examine the leadership team of one successful school district to identify the characteristics, vision, and practice of the team. The study examined specific situations that the members of the administrative team identified as significant in their growth. Specifically, the study identified the perceptions and…

Sixty-six school districts and more than 150 schools in the state of Kansas are participating in the Kansans Can Redesign Project. In this article, we present a case study of using Design Thinking as a systemic process to structure continuous school improvement. The collage of real-life scenarios presented in our case shows the integration of…

Purpose: This study provides cross-country evidence regarding the extent to which distributed leadership operates in schools globally and offers preliminary insights about country education policies that explain the reported distributed leadership results. The researchers also investigate the relationship between principals' reports of distributed…

In 2013, the Donald McKay K-8 School in East Boston, was among the lowest-performing schools in Massachusetts, ranked in the bottom 6 percent of schools statewide. The McKay's journey to the school it is today was made possible by a significant shift in adult culture at the school. A learner mindset and a commitment to continuous improvement are…