The conventional school discipline system is invisible to most students and teachers until it gets activated (typically by a discipline referral), at which time, students and school staff alike know what to expect: Some kind of investigative process, which usually consists of questioning the involved parties and reviewing available video footage…

Many school leaders are committed to providing coaching to teachers, but coaching doesn't come together in their school because they haven't taken time to communicate a clear definition of coaching to the school and, especially, set up a clear structure for a coaching program. Aguilar, an education consultant and respected author on coaching,…

Why does professional learning for educators have such a mixed history? Why is it so hard to find solid research evidence of professional development programs that actually improve student learning outcomes? Part of the answer, writes Thomas R. Guskey, is that professional learning experiences for educators are rarely well planned. Consequently,…

A short 27 months ago, two groups of U.S. states were each awarded more than $175 million to design, develop, and pilot test a new generation of assessments (U.S. Department of Education, 2010). These new tests will replace assessments in English language arts and mathematics that are currently in use within state and federal accountability…

In an education environment focused on high-stakes testing in reading and math, service learning may seem like an unnecessary frill. But well-planned service learning projects can enhance student engagement in school and give students opportunities to use academic skills and knowledge to make a difference in their communities. This article gives…

Bethpage Union Free School District in New York is a high-performing district by almost any current accountability measure. Yet administrators and teachers worried that they were not doing enough to prepare their students as critical thinkers for the 21st century. Inspired by the curriculum framework of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, the…

A special program creating a miniature community inside the school provides students with real-life curriculum. (GB)

Describes an inservice program used by the Los Angeles School District for training school administrators, program coordinators, and instructional staff members in developing plans for implementing and evaluating instructional programs. (JG)

"Human resource development" is a term commonly used to describe the learning programs provided by business, industry, or government for employees and nonemployees. The specifics of this approach may have implications for education as well. (Author)

Describes how North Carolina educators cooperated to build a system of teacher-performance appraisal. To build the program, educators derived basic teaching functions from literature and observed teachers to gather performance data. Training is now provided to districts, and information about effective teaching is disseminated throughout the…

Describes the "St. Louis Adventure" project developed by eighth grade social studies classes in a suburban St. Louis junior high school. Students carefully planned and carried out a one-day visit to one of four St. Louis neighborhoods selected for their cultural and historical interest by teachers. (JG)

The professional literature contains many definitions and conceptualizations of PPBS, but basically it is a term applied to a set of interrelated organizational activities. (Author)

The Enrichment Triad Model (Triad) and the Revolving Door Identification model (RDIM) form the TRIAD/RDIM program model for gifted and talented students. The article outlines the key features of the program. (MD)

Outlines the two opposing views of PPBS. (MB)

About 1,300 school students in Round Rock (Texas) Independent School District attend redesigned summer school program that provides intensive interventions in reading and math for students functioning below grade-level standards. Most take reading and math on alternate four-hour days for six weeks in classes with 15:1 student/teacher ratio.…