The evidence underscores the need to shift attention from school attainment to actual learning. While the average global return to an additional year of schooling is about 10 percent, a one standard deviation increase in test scores raises earnings by 15 percent. Studies show that including direct measures of skills reduces the estimated return to…

This study examines the capacity for improvement in high-poverty Mississippi schools by comparing internal coherence (IC) levels in Mississippi high-needs improving (MHN-I) and Mississippi high-needs struggling (MHN-S) schools. Despite decades of research identifying best practices in leadership and instruction, the state ranks among the lowest in…

This research report details a faculty learning community (FLC) developed by three faculty teaching in a graduate program in a mid-size southern university. The purpose of the research was to engage in the study of best practices for online graduate courses by engaging in collaborative discussions on common texts related to improving the teaching…

Purpose: Despite persistent educational reform efforts, sustainability remains an ongoing challenge. This study examines reform sustainability from the perspective of math teachers in urban middle schools under pressure to improve. We address: How did teachers experience the sustainability of reform in the context of a 4-year instructional…

Individuals with Down syndrome face cognitive limitations that hinder learning and understanding in various contexts. Dance, which has rarely been explored in special education, offers improvements in acquiring skills including motor and emotional development. The use of mobile learning tools can also have a positive impact on the learning process…

Professional learning communities (PLCs) actioned through collaborative action research (CAR) have been found in the literature to be beneficial for both teachers and students. However, previous studies mainly examined teachers' perceived effectiveness of CAR-based PLCs, as well as identified steps and elements involved in such PLCs, either…

In 2015, the City University of New York (CUNY) launched a new program-- Accelerate, Complete, and Engage (ACE)--aimed at improving college graduation rates. A prior randomized-control evaluation of the program found a nearly 12 percentage point increase in graduation five years after college entry. Using this impact estimate and national data on…

Narrative authors use their imaginations to generate and select content for their writing. Narrative imagination is central to young writers' agency over their choices. However, writing pedagogies have become more formulaic, allowing little room for personal agency, while efforts to teach imagination have fallen by the wayside, regarded as vague,…

Despite growing interest in feedback strategies for school improvement in Ghana, learner perspectives--especially at the senior high school level--remain underexplored. This gap limits understanding of the effectiveness of learner feedback in driving meaningful change. Guided by contingency theory, which underscores the need for context-responsive…

This paper examines interactions between educational systems and environments, focusing on the stance leaders take toward instructional guidance in their environment. After analyzing interview and focus group data from 49 school and system leaders across three systems (i.e., Montessori, International Baccalaureate, Catholic), we found differences…

In England, a new Education Inspection Framework (EIF) was launched in 2019. The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (OfSTED) describes it as evolutionary in bringing out education improvement. Others criticise its methodology and detrimental impact on schools. This study compares the foci, evidence-collecting methods…

This tip sheet introduces a three-step coaching cycle focused on strengthening implementation of effective instructional strategies. It offers practical guidance for applying the coaching cycle to strengthen teacher practice and improve student outcomes. By understanding each step of the coaching cycle, coaches and those who train or support them…

Background/purpose: Vietnam's educational reforms and the 2018 General Education Curriculum require primary school teachers to possess strong competencies in innovation, creativity, and adaptability. Existing training is often theoretical and detached from classroom practice. This study designs and tests a school-based professional development…

When considering institutional transformation, assessment is not always the first thought as a key tool for change. Assessment is often framed as a matter of compliance. However, when implemented effectively and intentionally, assessment becomes a powerful tool for continuous improvement. Taking place during the 2025 International Conference on…

Despite considerable efforts, progress in the implementation of sexuality education (SE) has been uneven. This study identified six "positive-deviant" low- and middle-income countries, i.e., countries that had scaled up, sustained and enhanced their SE programs when many others--in similar social, cultural and economic…