Until recently, Elkhart Community Schools lacked formal teacher leadership district-wide. The closest implementation historically was department chairs and/or school improvement team members, whose main responsibility was to transfer information between the teaching faculty and administration. In this article, the authors, who are district…

Across the country, urban school districts are moving beyond industrial-era systems by creating "innovation" or "partnership" schools that have the freedom to reinvent the way they educate students. The Progressive Policy Institute released a how-to guide for legislators, district leaders, and advocates who want to create more…

The purpose of this quantitative study is to explore the frequency of uncivil behaviors amongst teachers. The research seeks to determine leadership support and job satisfaction levels in order to relate their relationship to turnover. Fulfillment of teachers' basic psychological needs is essential for optimal performance and growth. The 2018…

Districts across the country, including some of the nation's largest, are facing a spate of superintendent vacancies. Schools chiefs or interim superintendents will be leaving this year or next in at least 17 well-known districts, including Baltimore, Maryland; Boston, Massachusetts; Clark County, Nevada; Indianapolis, Indiana; and Wake County,…

Step into a classroom in the 21st century, and the odds are it won't look all that different from one in the 20th century. One decade into the 2000s, many schools and universities have been frustrated in their efforts to upgrade their facilities and resources because of shrinking budgets. But even with the ailing economy, some education…

The current study aimed to reach a deeper understanding of the effects of charter schools by examining student achievement in one unique setting--Indianapolis. Although the charter school initiative in Indianapolis has received national recognition for its innovations, entrepreneurial leaders, and capacity to build local support (Skinner, 2007),…

The nation's major city public school districts have substantial construction, renovation, modernization, and deferred maintenance needs because of the age and size of their school buildings, shifting populations, and the need to devote substantial resources to instructional personnel to meet their core academic mission. For instance, the average…

Cultural brokering has been identified as an important skill for practitioners in urban school districts who are attempting to improve connections between home and school. This paper describes an evaluation of the special education liaison program in Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS), a large urban district located in the Midwest. Findings from…

Developing school leaders who are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to effectively lead low-performing schools has become a critical goal for local school districts intent on dramatically improving student outcomes. Given the current criticism surrounding leadership preparation programs and the changing nature of school…

An effective school requires an effective leader, but great principals rarely just happen. They are cultivated. This Wallace Perspective draws on a decade of foundation research and work in school leadership to show how urban school districts can play a major role in ensuring they have principals who can boost teaching and learning in troubled…

First reviews four representative theoretical studies in the history of urban education, calling for detailed case studies of particular schools and school systems to supplement theoretical analyses; and then, as an example of such a case study, discusses the school system of Gary, Indiana, focusing on the Gary Plan. (JM)

The success of public schools is highly dependent on how well they adapt to changes in the competitive and political climate. Educators must look to one another, professional associations, and communities for support in developing strategies and sharing best practices to ensure the success of all students. This article describes how Lafayette…

Involving families in their children's education is not only a legal requirement in special education, it also predicts academic achievement, social and emotional development, and a variety of other positive school outcomes for all children. Unfortunately, school-home relationships often have been ignored or underdeveloped. Disconnections between…