The aim of this paper is to introduce the importance of emotional intelligence and the extent to which emotional intelligence can be implemented and used to improve language teaching and learning. Since emotional intelligence is perceived to play a crucial part in every aspect of people's lives, it can be extended to language teaching and…

For most districts, budgeting has become a cost-cutting exercise designed to close the gap between revenues and expenses. During this process, decision makers inherently assume that existing operations are efficient and effective--an assumption that is rarely validated by facts. Cutting programs and services balances budgets but does not…

Providing a comprehensive approach for achieving the goal of a safe environment where the priority can be teaching and learning is vital to every district's success. To attain this goal, school districts must educate students, staff, and the community and provide tools that help anticipate potential problems and prevent them from escalating into…

Superintendents and boards of education more often than not choose "books over bricks" and their repair and maintenance budgets usually are lower than what they need. However, they all recognize the importance of healthy schools for students and staff. Is there a way to improve the condition of one's school buildings without spending a lot of…

The Data Quality Campaign (DQC) has been focused since 2005 on advocating for states to build robust state longitudinal data systems (SLDS). While states have made great progress in their data infrastructure, and should continue to emphasize this work, data systems alone will not improve outcomes. It is time for both DQC and states to focus on…

The overall direction of this research is to improve the development of information systems within federal agency modernization efforts so that the systems produce a value to the federal agency that is significantly greater upon implementation than the investment required to develop the systems. Federal agencies are modernizing at an increasing…

The performance of information retrieval systems varies significantly by test topics. Even for those systems that have performed well on average, the results for some difficult topics are still poor. Previous studies have revealed that different optimization techniques should be used for those difficult topics. However, a prerequisite of the…

How can principals and teachers use available data to plan school improvements? How can principals and teachers gather and analyze data that are useful for school reform? Karen Levesque and her colleagues sum up the problem of data use in schools this way. Most school districts and schools in this country are routinely involved in data collection.…

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between newly constructed or remodeled high schools and academic achievement and behavioral measures. School districts ranked in the lowest quartile of property wealth in Ohio were identified as the sample group which built or remodeled high schools under the Ohio School Facilities…

This timely and thoughtful book provides multiple perspectives on closing achievement gaps. Closing persistent gaps in educational outcomes between different groups of students has been a central goal of educational policy for the past forty years. The commitment to close existing achievement gaps poses an unprecedented challenge to policy makers,…

This study portrays how a male instructor, his peers, and the department head used feedback from student ratings. A case study approach was employed to provide a holistic mode of inquiry that would be consonant with the exploration of issues addressed by the study. The method selected provided understanding of the process and events taking place…

This paper presents the study methods used for the "Opportunities and Obstacles: Implementing Stimulus-Funded School Improvement Grants in Maryland, Michigan, and Idaho" report. The purpose of this study was to describe how Title I 1003(g) School Improvement Grants awarded through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) in the…

Every good teacher strives to be a great teacher--and this must-have book shows you how! It's filled with practical tips and strategies for connecting with your students in a meaningful and powerful way. Learn how to improve student learning with easy-to-implement daily activities designed to integrate seamlessly into any day of the school year.…

The focus of this Executive Position Paper (EPP) is school improvement through the development and implementation a comprehensive, research-based, intervention plan for Millsboro Middle School (MMS) in the Indian River School District (IRSD). Studies conducted for this EPP began with an informal investigation of MMS data that included the Delaware…

The author explores the challenges encountered when organizations attempt to facilitate evaluation and improvement through policy statements of professional associations. The American Evaluation Association (AEA) is used as an example. Various AEA statements are described as general and avoiding particular value preferences. The author concludes…