Between 2006 and 2010, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction intervened in 128 low-performing schools, combining approaches consistent with school restructuring and transformation. In improved schools, local educators reconstructed key school functions, a distinctly nonlinear process more like the work of skilled craftsmen than that…

As universities continue to grow their undergraduate programs, graduate students are increasingly called upon to teach first and second year classes, often without feeling adequately prepared for the task. These teaching opportunities, however, can provide novice instructors with a chance to engage in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning…

The quality of undergraduate teaching is an issue under heated dispute in China. This study examined Chinese undergraduate students' perceptions of teaching quality and the effects on their approaches to studying and course satisfaction. A sample of 2,043 students from two full-time universities in mainland China responded to a questionnaire…

Much is being said in education about the value of adopting data-based or analytics approaches to instructional improvement. One important group of stakeholders in this effort is the faculty. "In many cases, the key constituency group is faculty, whose powerful voice and genuine participation often determine the success or failure of…

Effective leadership and management are increasingly recognised as vital components of successful schooling. This paper examines how they are practiced in England, where there is a high degree of centralization, notably in respect of finance and staffing, but within a tightly constrained curriculum and inspection framework. The paper discusses…

This report provides a summary of the district's gap analyses, Equity Self-Assessment Survey results, current research, and district action steps.

School improvement plans and major reform initiatives most often target core academic competencies. They might include strategies to improve the physical safety of school campuses, but they rarely include discussions about creating psychologically safe environments. School safety has garnered national attention in the aftermath of violent high…

To better understand charter leaders' experiences acquiring facilities, the authors conducted a survey of all charter school leaders in the state of Idaho. The leaders of 26 brick-and-mortar charter schools responded, representing 65 percent of all such charter schools in the state. The survey gathered a number of facilities-related data points,…

There is increasing concern in the United States about the academic challenges that middle grade students face. Middle schools are not meeting accountability standards, and as a result students are not being adequately prepared for high school. In response to these concerns, a state in the southeastern United States adopted a comprehensive school…

The Global Partnership for Education (GPE) is a global, multi-stakeholder partnership that seeks to strengthen education systems in low- and lower-middle-income countries and in countries affected by fragility and conflict to ensure equitable, quality education for all. GPE plays a unique role in helping governments to develop and finance the…

This document presents the technical appendices that accompany the full report, "Strengthening Local K-12 Accountability: The Role of County Offices of Education." The appendices include: (1) Data Collection Methods; and (2) PPIC Survey of California County Superintendents of Education. [For the full report, see ED570941.]

The Issue: School improvement policy for the past few decades has been characterized by mandated lists of activities--both well intended and research based--designed to stimulate a dramatic turnaround in student achievement. However, this prescriptive approach to policy, particularly federal policy, has not resulted in the systemic changes needed…

Student cognition and motivation, as well as institutional policies, determine student course grades and retention in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors. Regarding cognition, study skills relate to course grades, and grades relate to retention in STEM. Several aspects of motivation are related to both grades and…

Literacy coaching has become a prevalent mode of PD and a significant expenditure in many school districts--fulfilling components of high-quality PD, as it is job-embedded, ongoing, focused on student learning, and providing opportunities for practice and feedback on instruction. The field, however, abounds with reports of teacher resistance to…

California and the nation are at the crossroads of a major shift in school accountability policy. At the state level, California's Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) encourages the use of multiple measures of school performance used locally to support continuous improvement and strategic resource allocation. Similarly, the federal Every…