Elected state leaders often prioritize economic prosperity and competitiveness, which provides an important opportunity too rarely taken for investing in early education. In 2003, Pennsylvania recognized the connection between early education and the economy, and smartly embraced early learning as part of its economic prosperity and…

"Surprise! Here come the preschoolers." Thousands of elementary principals are receiving a similar message from their supervisors as the concept of universal preschool is propelled to the forefront of the national education agenda. School districts across the country are being infused with wide varieties of federal- and state-funded…

Principal shortages have become a nationwide issue, with education publications frequently discussing the devastating problem of not having enough high-quality candidates apply for administrative positions. The conundrum begs the question: Where have all the instructional leaders gone? To meet the challenge of keeping high-quality principal…

"Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for the rest of his life." This popular Chinese proverb is an apt metaphor for the dilemma faced by principals and curriculum coordinators when deciding whether to purchase a scripted commercial reading program. Although a scripted reading program may solve…

Many school principals say that the toughest part of the day is recess. That's because recess is when most trouble starts. When the author asked one principal recently about recess, she promptly rattled off a list of headaches, such as "the teasing, the fights, the bullying, the injuries, the referrals." In this article, the author describes…

Academically oriented after-school programs can be an effective way to provide extra help to students who need it. Research points to the importance of well-designed programs established to meet specific goals. The report lists and describes the elements of successful after-school programs. (Contains 4 online resources.)

Teachers and staff as well as students are not immune to substance abuse. Presented are simple guidelines on what to look for in physical effects, what to do if someone is suspected, and how to get help. (SI)

The National Center for Early Development and Learning recently conducted a comprehensive study of kindergarten programs that is summarized in this article. The study addressed the ethnic, economic, and linguistic characteristics of the children and families served by these programs, their progress in helping children develop school-related…

Describes 10 warning signals of potential or actual problems within a school's talented and gifted education program. Eight references are appended. (IW)

Research evidence now lends legitimacy to the importance of the principal's instructional leadership in promoting school effectiveness. (Author/JM)

Although most principals do not teach reading, it is critical that they know how reading should be taught, especially in the primary grades. A growing body of research gives an increasingly clear picture of effective reading programs. It indicates that most young children need instruction in five reading areas: phonemic awareness, phonics,…