Leaders across the state of Minnesota and nation proclaim to want to diversify the educator workforce. However, the reality nationwide is that less than 20% of teachers who teach a student population that is at least 51% students of color are teachers of color (Ingersoll et al., 2018). What follows are a number of research briefs organized around…

Strong and stable school leadership is critical for success in schools across the nation. The duties of the principal are many and varied. Principals, for example, can oversee instruction, purchase curricular materials and supplies, and provide professional learning and supports for teachers. Carrying out these duties effectively makes a…

Training, recruiting, developing, and supporting talented and effective educators throughout their careers is known as human capital resource management (HCRM) in education. HCRM has been identified in recent literature as one of the ways in which districts and states may increase school effectiveness and improve student learning (Heneman &…

"Quality Counts 2008" reintroduces state grades in six key areas, from the Chance-for-Success Index to the teaching profession. This special issue of "Education Week" includes the following articles: (1) Human Resources a Weak Spot (Lynn Olson); (2) Teacher Salaries, Looking at Comparable Jobs (Christopher B. Swanson); (3) Data…

Surveyed 129 K-12 educators teaching in alternative programs concerning their stress and well-being. Respondents experienced moderate to high stress; high stress was negatively related to several domains of well-being. Major stressors included student demands, physical demands of collegial interactions, and inadequate funding. (Contains 35…

To address the social challenges facing schools, administrators must revitalize the work culture. Borrowing from successful business practices, the School Management Institute has implemented a 25-day Managing Productive Schools leadership training program in Florida, Minnesota, and Virginia. The program is based on the cultural conditions,…

Discusses the history of schools of choice and their place within the current school reform efforts and Excellence Movement. Asserts that choice is an effective strategy for holding schools accountable for improving conditions for teachers and students and for paving the way for innovation. (CR)

Describes the background, procedure, analysis, and results of a survey of 348 K-12 teachers in western Minnesota to identify indicators of teacher burnout such as stress and job-related unhappiness among respondents. Notes widespread dissatisfaction with teaching in small rural communities, especially among men and among teachers aged 41-50. (SB)