This article focuses attention on a critical need for more evidence-based social emotional learning (SEL) programs for middle school students. First, we explore the definition of SEL, pointing out how it has evolved as our world has changed. We review key SEL domains and skills and describe universal school-based SEL programming as one approach to…

I study the effects of early between-school ability tracking on student achievement, exploiting institutional differences between German federal states. In all states, about 40% of students transition to separate academic-track schools after comprehensive primary school. Depending on the state, the remaining student body is either directly tracked…

This study examined the implementation and effectiveness of a comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP)- informed, 15-week physical education secondary methods course, adapted from its previous in-person format to be completely online for fall 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants were 15 preservice physical education…

Education leaders have turned to alternative schools and classroom settings for help as students continue to fail classes and fall behind in acquiring the required units for graduation. Alternative programs, such as Opportunity Education, help at-risk students make academic progress, recover graduation units, learn appropriate classroom behavior,…

The ACES program is a collaboration between MCPS, Montgomery College (MC), and the Universities at Shady Grove (USG) to create a seamless pathway from high school to college completion. ACES focuses on identifying and supporting students who are underrepresented in higher education, the first in their family to attend college, or both. In…

This study examines the impact that Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) in middle school has on middle school course rigor and students' high school performance and college readiness. The study compares students who took AVID in middle school and high school with students who only took AVID in high school. The changes in middle school…

The National Literacy Trust's Words for Work programme is an innovative way for schools and businesses to join forces and address the nation's employability. Volunteers from the corporate world are partnered with secondary schools within their community to explore speaking and listening in the workplace through a range of workshops, aiming to…

The Achieving Collegiate Excellence and Success (ACES) program is a collaboration between MCPS, Montgomery College, and the Universities at Shady Grove to create a seamless pathway from high school to college completion; it targets students who are underrepresented in higher education, the first in their family to attend college, or both. As one…

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the perceived implications that principal leadership has on transforming a large comprehensive high school into smaller learning communities (SLCs); and to speculate on possible factors that contribute to the change process after the implementation of SLCs. The study explores the roles,…

The current educational reform agenda requires that stakeholders in the school community help all students graduate. The U.S. Department of Education's "A Blueprint for Reform: Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act" sends all stakeholders a clear message to take action that results in every student completing high school…

This study examined the perceptions of Language Arts teachers, Mathematics teachers, and administrators in four high schools in a large urban New Jersey school district regarding a standards-based teacher evaluation system implemented in 2003 adapted and modeled on "Enhancing Professional Practice: A Framework for Teaching" (Danielson,…

Historically, divisions between academic and vocational education--what is now commonly referred to as career and technical education (CTE)--have been stark and consistent. Such divisions often create circumstances that sully the educational experience for teachers and students alike. With regard to CTE, many of these divisions stem from a lack of…

The recent wave of accountability reform movements has largely overlooked the needs of middle and high school counselors, yet has generated daunting pressure for guidance programs to be standards-based and data-driven. Written from the perspective of a practicing, certified counselor, this guide contains essential information needed to implement…