In a time of greater demands on school systems and increased strain on human and material resources, the need for expanded leadership models is becoming increasingly apparent. As a result, educational stakeholders are investing in leadership roles beyond the traditional school administrators, engaging various educators' leadership capacities at…

Children and adolescents are establishing patterns of behavior that affect both their current and future health. Young people are at risk for engaging in tobacco, alcohol, or other drug use, participating in violence or gang activities, and initiating sex at an early age. However, a growing body of research demonstrates that enhancing protective…

The phrase "data-based decision making" has been used so often in discussions about school improvement efforts that it has become almost a mantra. However, it's "how" data is used that really provides the critical link between practice and school improvement. "Data-Based Decision Making 2.0" is designed to help principals take on the role of…

Data-driven planning or evidence-based decision making represents nothing new in its concept. For years, business leaders have claimed they have implemented planning informed by data that have been strategically and systematically gathered. Within higher education and student affairs, there may be less evidence of the actual practice of…

The number of children taking psychotropic medications has dramatically increased in recent years. These children typically take medication during school hours, thereby making the school setting an optimal venue in which evaluate the effectiveness of medications. Given their training in data-based decision making, intervention, and assessment,…

This book presents the results and implications of a major new national study exploring the effects of institutional racial composition on African American students' development and their educational outcomes, taking into account individuals' background characteristics, their perceptions of the institutional environment, and their experiences in…

"Building Institutional Capacity for Data-Informed Decision Making" is the third installment of the Cutting Edge series, which aims to help colleges engage faculty, scale successful interventions, and create a strong culture of evidence through use of data to strengthen their institutional change and student success efforts. Though the…

The paper reviews difficulties in special education interdisciplinary team decision making and relates the experiences of one team's efforts to increase intra-team communication. Among problems cited are lack of focus in discussions, unequal levels of participation, and limited abilities to produce recommendations or provide therapy in a truly…

This paper examines the environmental impacts of replacing the Bison, South Dakota School District's elementary and high school heating system consisting of oil-fired boilers, and supporting electrical components with a new coal-fired boiler and supporting control system piping. Various alternative systems are also examined, including purchasing a…

The Vermont Independent Services Team Approach (VISTA), is a cross-disciplinary method for planning consensus decisions about type, mode, and frequency of related services required to support a student's educational program. After six student planning teams used the VISTA model, team members reported higher levels of confidence in team practices…

This document contains articles addressing a variety of psychological and behavioral problems of adolescents and children and is intended as a resource tool for school psychologists. Articles include background information, approaches regarding assessment of the behavior of concern, intervention possibilities, monitoring methods, and references.…

This paper describes a summer program teaching independent living skills to 20 adults with visual impairments. Results suggest the program had a lasting and profound impact on clients' previously low knowledge of job hunting, decision making, stress management, and self-care skills. Interaction with other adults with visual impairments and…