Since 2004, the National Institute for School Leadership (NISL) has offered the Executive Development Program (EDP), a leadership program for sitting school principals that is typically delivered in two-day workshops once per month over 12 months. From its inception through 2018, 15,000 principals across 23 states have participated in the EDP.…

One district, South Bay Union School District, devises and executes a comprehensive strategy that includes training for district staff, teachers and coaches, including using PLCs and professional development in the implementation of Common Core English language arts standards.

Across the United States, schools are implementing Restorative Practices (RP) to improve school climate and address disparities in discipline. The scope of such RP initiatives can remain ambiguous to school leaders. Given the need for greater clarity about RP initiatives, the current study sought to identify the varying components of RP…

Every secondary school leader in the United States is aware of the importance of a successful transition from middle to high school. Schools and districts have implemented many programs specifically designed to help rising freshmen successfully make the transition to high school, such as ninth-grade academies, mandatory interventions, small…

This case study examines the attitudes of the secondary and middle school teachers at one school in Lebanon regarding the effect of the school's professional development (PD) programs on the quality of their teaching practices and motivation. It also examines teachers' attitudes regarding PD as well as their recommendations to improve the quality…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the ways principals in three high-needs middle schools enacted core leadership practices in concert with their immediate contexts to institutionalize comprehensive school reforms and support student learning. Research Methods: The schools were selected from a geographically stratified sample of…

Ninth grade is a pivotal year for students. Numerous studies find that academic performance in 9th grade often sets the student's trajectory throughout the high school years, as well as the probability of graduation. The Building Assets Reducing Risks (BARR) model is a comprehensive approach that addresses developmental, academic, and school…

This article reports a study on the responses of a group of 49 Western Australian middle school teachers to a year-long professional learning experience, entitled the "Making the Links" Project. This project was established to help teachers of various learning areas adapt their practices to significant changes in the educational context.…

Based on a statewide survey of professional learning activities among 577 middle school mathematics teachers in Missouri, this study examined two questions: 1) What professional learning activities do middle school math teachers participate in and how much time do they spend in these activities?, and 2) How are teacher qualifications and…

Adolescents learn best when actively engaged with the content; yet, many teachers rely on passive learning strategies in their classrooms. This study investigated teacher (n = 6) use and adoption of an active learning instructional strategy (Role, Audience, Format, Topic). The study purposes were to: (a) determine how and to what extent teachers…

Access to appropriate technological resources in schools has become an issue, commonly labeled the "digital divide." While the debate ensues in regards to an explicit definition for this phenomenon, research overwhelmingly demonstrates that students of marginalized populations remain on the lower end of access to and innovative use of…

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between teachers' (N = 69) participation in constructivist chemistry professional development (PD) and enhancement of content (CK) and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) (representational thinking and conceptual change strategies) and self-efficacy (PSTE). Quantitative measures assessed…

This paper describes the process and results of teacher-research conducted at Parkside Middle School, a Professional Development School in an Appalachian state. Working together as a team, teachers and a university faculty liaison examined students' perceptions regarding academic and social climate issues. A questionnaire containing Likert-type…

Children and youth require safe and supportive schools and communities if they are to succeed in school and thrive. These needs are particularly great for children who struggle with the impacts of chronic poverty, lead poisoning and lead effect, community and media violence, drugs and alcohol, trauma and loss. There are many such students in…

The convergence of two apparently opposite theories of urban educational reform is analyzed as it occurs in three middle schools in a New York City school district. The first theory, emphasizing small schools of choice, promotes close relationships between students and adults in distinctive school programs. The second--centralized, standards-based…