Existing research has demonstrated the influence of school leaders on school and student achievement (Hallinger & Bickman, 1996; Leithwood et al., 2019). Simultaneously, the responsibilities placed on school leaders have increased since the passage of NCLB (Husband & Hunt, 2015; Mitani, 2018). Consequently, working conditions are believed…

This qualitative case study examined the roles autonomy played in how principals in one Massachusetts district learned to prioritize curricular goals and to support instruction during a time of crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic. A Communities of Practice (CoP) theory and the concepts of boundaries and brokering served as a theoretical framework to…

The 2015 "Every Student Succeeds Act" (ESSA), builds upon decades of federal efforts to improve student achievement through state-level systems of accountability and school improvement (U.S. Department of Education, 2017). Research on school improvement has shown that actions of the school principal have a significant impact on school…

Weighted student funding (WSF) decentralizes control over resources and empowers principals as financial leaders of their schools. In this study, we set out to understand how principals are making use of those leadership opportunities. Based upon a 2017-18 survey of 639 principals in 14 school districts implementing WSF, we find that principals…

Purpose: In U.S. public schools, principals must implement reforms that require instructional leadership across subjects, though little is known about subject-specific supervision. Methods: Through interviews with 26 K-8 principals, we examine instructional leadership for science. Findings: Our findings showed that science supervision occurred…

Individual Career and Academic Plans (ICAPs) are a key piece of connected career advising that align learners' career and life goals with academic, postsecondary and career pathway options. ICAPs have different names in different states, including Individual Learning Plans (ILPs) and Individual Graduation Plans (IGPs). They refer to both the…

Principals are essential to improving student achievement and narrowing persistent achievement gaps between students in underserved communities and their economically advantaged peers. The Every Student Succeeds Act provides opportunities for states to invest in developing and supporting effective school leaders. One such opportunity includes…

This study set out to explore how five principals experienced collective teacher efficacy in their schools. The uniqueness of this study was the context of collective teacher efficacy in urban turnaround schools. Each school in the study was once considered among the lowest performing schools in Massachusetts, with persistent low student…

Teachers need to maximize technology to support student learning by drawing upon varying pedagogical orientations; however, teacher-centered, highly structured approaches that foster low-level thinking is more prevalent. Although highly structured approaches help develop students' foundational skills and content knowledge, student-centered,…

This technical report provides information about the sample, survey instrument, and resultant data for the American Instructional Resources Surveys (AIRS) that were administered to principals and teachers in spring 2019 via RAND's American Educator Panels. The AIRS focused on instructional resources used and supported in English language arts,…

This research is a Phenomenological study of what motivates teacher leaders in the Springfield Public Schools, Massachusetts to want to work in an underperforming school and what elements and conditions the teacher leaders identify as essential for their success. This research identifies the necessary conditions for teacher leaders to be…

Because their role is highly complex, school principals require ongoing professional learning to lead effectively and respond to the challenges inherent to school leadership. Networking among principals is frequently identified as a valuable source of professional learning for school leaders. Nevertheless, existing literature applies the term to a…

Use of educational technology, hardware and software such as whiteboards, simulators, math solvers, and language programs, has been shown to enhance learning by providing a more vivid, interactive experience. Yet a number of studies in the last 5 to 7 years have reported low use of educational technology (e-technology) by high school teachers and…

This case study examines how a group of early career school leaders used a particular model of professional learning, the Critical Friends Group (The School Reform Initiative, 2010), to continue to learn about leading. More specifically, this study offers an in-depth look at how the use of a structured conversation or protocol, designed to build…

This three-volume report describes the "SAM (School Administration Manager) process," an approach that about 700 schools around the nation are using to direct more of principals' time and effort to improve teaching and learning in classrooms. Research has shown that a principal's instructional leadership is second only to teaching among…