Response to intervention (RtI) is a multitiered system of support framework that focuses on best practices for intervention. Because many secondary students exhibit weak literacy skills, the focus of this study is reading interventions. This qualitative study examines administrators' perspectives of implementing literacy interventions within a…

Disproportionality in school discipline is a serious and ongoing problem. Some schools are experimenting with alternative models to address persistent inequities. This article features one high school's adoption of a restorative practices discipline program with a focus on teachers' perceptions of their experiences and the efficacy of the program.…

As secondary school leaders consider a shift toward standards-based grading (SBG) practices, they are no doubt weighing the odds of a successful implementation process. This research followed up on a study from 2014 to identify the challenges secondary school leaders experience when changing the currency of the classroom from points to learning.…

This paper has two purposes: First, we describe the components of the Student Ownership, Accountability, and Responsibility for School Safety (SOARS) framework in the context of the literature on school safety. Second, we offer outcomes from a pilot study testing the framework's impact on student perceptions of: (1) school belonging; (2) sense of…

The implementation of the Common Core State Standards has posed a number of challenges for school leaders. This study applies a policy implementation conceptual framework to analyze data gathered from 46 interviews in six states. Findings suggest the existence of multiple barriers to Common Core State Standards implementation. To promote…

Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) have become increasingly popular in schools. PLCs are groups of teachers, administrators, parents, and students who collaborate to improve their practices and focus on results (DuFour, 2004). Grade-level and department teachers participate in regularly scheduled collaborative team meetings; however, many…

The Collaborative Project (CP) began as a pilot project in five North Carolina school districts in 2007 featuring a performance incentive initiative for teachers and administrators. The objective of this study was to document principals' perceptions of the performance incentive initiative to determine challenges encountered during implementation.…

This mixed methods study examines the impact of a freshmen transition program for at-risk students at a large urban high school. The overall experiences of the participants affirmed that transition programs for at-risk students must provide a sense of belonging, teachers must be able to build strong relationships with students, and life-skills…

Leadership is recently touted as a necessary skill for school counselors and as a means of aligning their work more intentionally with school improvement goals. By using leadership practices, school counselors can implement a program that addresses the academic, career, and personal-social needs of "all" students. This article outlines a…

This article discusses a qualitative case study examining one middle school's response to intervention (RtI) efforts. Study participants included the principal, assistant principal, and members of the school's leadership team. A description of the RtI consensus and infrastructure-building processes, consideration of the RtI facilitators, and a…

For more than 20 years, the efficacy of using the wraparound approach to support high-risk youth has been examined in educational and community settings. Few studies show the value of wraparound service from either a school- or community-based agency as a dropout prevention strategy. Findings from a federal research grant project suggest that many…

The primary purpose of this study is to determine a preliminary national percentage of students who are "504-only." The survey data reveal that 504-only students represent 1.2% of the public school population. There is a significant difference in the 504-only percentage with regard to school level, with middle and high schools having a…

The transformation of a high school to a learning community is a slow and challenging process. This study tracked the efforts of teacher and administrative leaders from six high schools who worked to develop professional learning communities. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of interviews with school leaders revealed that the early days of…

Neither health education nor suspension appears to help tobacco-addicted students cut back or stop smoking completely. This article describes a Long Island high school's efforts to help 27 (volunteer) students develop their own smoke-cessation program. Most participants, who had begun smoking in middle school, reduced their tobacco dependency, and…

Assessed the implementation level of Carnegie recommendations for middle schools in Louisiana and investigated whether implementing these recommendations was related to desirable student and school outcomes, using the Middle School Practices Questionnaire. Implementation results were not promising. However, implementing recommended middle-level…