In this paper we describe the development and application of a research-based model for understanding the formulation and implementation of education policy. We draw upon research on policy implementation across a variety of contexts to create what we call the "high leverage policy" (HLP) framework. The HLP framework identifies three…

Children face numerous transitions throughout their school careers. Research has demonstrated that early transitions can positively or negatively impact future school performance. Establishing effective models to ensure carryover of instructional strategies and interventions into early elementary school can increase the likelihood children will…

Background: This research investigates the extent to which the holistic, multistrategy "health-promoting school" (HPS) model using a resilience intervention can lead to improved resilience among students. Methods: A quasi-experimental design using a study cohort selected from 20 primary schools in Queensland, Australia was employed. Ten…

This article explores the increasing commercialisation of education through the empirical case of Teach For All, a network of social enterprises which is spreading a new model of teacher training across Europe and around the world. This model, which is supported and funded by a heterogeneous mix of public institutions and private sector…

This case study addressed the problem of implementing response to intervention (RTI) in general secondary education. To investigate this problem, one north Texas school's RTI implementation was examined using the theoretical framework of the concerns-based adoption model (CBAM) and defining RTI as the innovation. RTI-related practices were studied…

This study investigates the complex nature of student reassignment plans developed between 2006 and 2008 in three South Carolina school districts: York School District 3, Dorchester School District 2, and Greenville School District. The study is guided by the following research question: How are the district policies for student reassignment…

Safe School Ambassadors (SSA) is a student-centered bystander education program developed by Community Matters to reduce bullying/mistreatment and enhance school climate. A two-part program evaluation was designed to assess the efficacy of the program's logic model and its impact on school-level discipline indicators. For the first part, a…

Given the substantial increase in the numbers of students identified with an autism spectrum disorder, it is imperative that effective training for classroom teachers, administrators, and other support staff be undertaken to increase the capacity within schools to effectively educate these students. Although many professional development programs…

This paper has three goals. First, it describes the broader research on summer reading loss. Second, it discusses how research and development efforts informed the key components of Project READS (Reading Enhances Achievement During Summer), a scaffolded voluntary summer reading intervention for children in grades 3 to 5. The second part of the…

One of the biggest fears and challenges a parent of a child with special needs faces is navigating the post-22 landscape. When a child hits the age of 22, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is no longer required to provide daily services and support. Whatever the abilities, or disabilities, of a child, every parent has the…

This article presents a case study of how systems thinking and the instructional systems design ADDIE (analysis, design, development, implementation, and assessment) model were used to design and develop one of the first MOOCs at a mid-sized university in the southeastern United States. Contemporary issues surrounding MOOCs at both the macro…

Given the design of Portland State University's (PSU) undergraduate curriculum culminating in a capstone experience, the dramatic growth in online courses and online enrollments required a re-thinking of the capstone model to ensure all students could participate in this effective learning model and have a powerful learning experience. In recent…

This article speaks to the special issue's goal of disrupting the deserving/undeserving immigrant narrative: 1) the 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which provides temporary deportation relief and work authorization for young adults who meet an educational requirement and other criteria, and 2) current and proposed…

Social community may be a mechanism that explains the success of minority mentoring programs. We define a social community as an environment where like-minded individuals engage in dynamic, multidirectional interactions that facilitate social support. In this conceptual article, we propose a social community model for science, technology,…

Based on the idea of Spatial Citizenship, which endeavours to promote individuals' maturity and participation in the geospatial society, we focus on teachers' competence in the field of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) teaching and learning. By employing methods of qualitative social research, we have determined the dimensions and structures…