State education agencies (SEAs) are federally mandated to address discrimination in schools, including discrimination in school discipline practices, and SEAs can play an important role in helping schools and districts develop and implement more equitable, data-driven approaches to student discipline. SEAs' ability to identify challenges and offer…

Various data systems have been long and pervasively used in schools to collect student data. However, very few educators are able to apply their collected data to improve their teaching. The purpose of this article is to investigate how middle school teachers adapt data mining protocols to enhance their teaching and to improve their students'…

The implementation of school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SWPBIS) has been shown to reduce behavioral incidents and lead to more positive school climates. Despite the growing popularity in schools, there lacks clear understanding of the school counselor role in this approach. We present the perspectives of an elementary…

The Sustainability Rubric is a tool for SEAs to use in assessing the sustainability of any reform initiative (for example, implementing an educator effectiveness system). The rubric introduces a succinct description of the three primary categories of sustainability: context for sustaining reform, system capacity and performance management. The…

The Sustainability Rubric Summary is a condensed version of the full Sustainability Rubric [see ED611436]. It provides an overview of the rubric's purpose; the categories, elements, and variables of sustainability; and the guiding questions to consider. This brief document is intended to be used for reference throughout your ongoing sustainability…

This companion document to the "Sustainability Rubric" (see ED611436) contains a series of exercises designed to answer the question, "I want to make our reforms sustainable--where do I start?" The workbook is designed to help a designated facilitator lead a series of meetings for the appropriate team in a State Education…

Ever since the 2001 passage of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), states have faced a federal mandate to improve their ability to collect and analyze education data for the purpose of tracking and reporting the progress of their education reform efforts. With the assistance of federal funds, virtually all of the states are developing…

The latest national educational policy in the People's Republic of China calls for comprehensive educational reforms aimed at building the foundation for a modern learning society throughout China over the next 10 years. This research examines school leaders' efforts to implement school improvement initiatives that directly respond to the policy's…

Faced with the need to create a competitive workforce and improve the quality of our education system, states are pursuing policy agendas to better prepare students for postsecondary education and careers. To inform these agendas, statewide longitudinal data systems (SLDSs) have become an invaluable asset and serve as a tool to help states answer…

Great leaders make great schools. The most successful school leaders create a school climate of high achievement and continuous improvement, give teachers a voice in decision-making, use data to drive curriculum and instruction, and assure students and parents that everyone at the school is focusing on student success. They know what is going on…

Locally controlled public schools are one of the cornerstones of our nation's democracy, yet many schools are not preparing students for success. Far too many students are not graduating, and many of those who do graduate are woefully unprepared for college or a meaningful career. Successfully initiating and sustaining meaningful improvements in…

This article is a synopsis of three performance tasks designed for students enrolled in an educational leadership graduate level course Using Data to Affect Change. These performance tasks address the requisite knowledge and skills that an effective school leader should possess in order to improve the quality of instruction and at the same time…

College and career readiness has become a unifying principle for education reform leaders across the country. A majority of states have made it a top policy priority, with an increasing number of national foundations and education reform advocates supporting this work. To help state leaders build strategies for sustaining their education agendas…

The CERCA (Civic Engagement for Education Reform in Central America) school report card (SRC) model was developed with schools in the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua in 2004 and 2005. This document summarizes the major findings, successful procedures, and implications of the experience for the region. The SRC…