This article describes district-wide cultural proficiency efforts and how they affected the policies and practices of identifying and serving culturally, linguistically, and economically diverse (CLED) student populations in gifted education. Data were taken from a larger study and included interviews, focus groups, and observations of the…

Since the Supreme Court's 2007 "Parents Involved" decision, school districts have been pursuing integration in more legally and politically charged environments. The retreat of the federal government in the racial integration of schools is well documented, but less understood is what local school districts are doing to fill that void.…

Despite the continued practice of adopting new educational policies to improve outcomes for students in our public school systems, the implementation of school district improvement rests with the central office administrators charged with leading school districts across the country. The magnitude of this work and lack of attention given to…

Background: This study examined implementation of district sun safety policy in schools and tested correlates of implementation in California public school districts. Methods: Principals (N = 118) and teachers (N = 113) in California public elementary schools (N = 118) were recruited and completed a survey on sun protection policies and practices.…

The U.S. Department of Education's (Department's or ED's) Student Privacy Policy Office (SPPO) and its Privacy Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) are conducting a four-year review of the websites of 1,504 Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to identify whether and how these websites include information on student privacy. The review is part of ED's…

During the summer, children from low-income families typically have fewer opportunities than their peers from more-affluent families for academic, cultural, athletic, and other activities. Such differences in opportunity can lead low-income students to fall behind their higher-income peers during summer. Free summer learning programs offering…

Schools across Pennsylvania and around the country are beginning the 2020-2021 school year while COVID-19 remains a threat in widely varying degrees, in different communities, and at different times. Every school that is opening its building to students--part-time or full-time, starting now or later in the school year--needs to contemplate the…

Ms. Barnard is faced with a complex dilemma. The district administrator in charge of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) initiatives and support was presented with a case of a transgender student who wished to attend an overnight field trip and share a room with other students based on her gender identity. Although the district had made…

When San Francisco implemented a new policy to improve graduation rates and college enrollment, district officials realized their work was only beginning. San Francisco Unified School District revamped its college-ready graduation policy in 2009, hoping to increase the likelihood that students would graduate with the necessary courses to go to a…

For many decades, most of the decision-making authority in public schools has been vested in individual principals and other administrators. However, new models of collaborative teacher leadership are beginning to emerge, thanks to four trends: 1) evidence on the positive effects of teacher leadership continues to mount, 2) districts and state…

In recent years, many journalistic exposés and research reports have raised concerns about the quality of credit recovery programs, which are available in about 75 percent of US high schools and serve about 6 percent of students. Stories relay how schools from Los Angeles to Washington, DC, have used the system of makeup courses to boost…

Background: Outdoor learning offers clear physical, cognitive, social-emotional and academic benefits for children and yet, it is considered a grassroots approach to teaching and learning in elementary schools. Purpose: We examined teachers' perspectives on barriers and supports for outdoor learning in public elementary schools. Methods:…

National, state, and local educational agencies identify teacher retention as an issue of continuous importance and concern. This report addresses the issue of teacher retention through the lens of administrative effectiveness and involvement, as well as teachers' intrinsic motivations. Relevant findings include structural framing of the…

This landscape review includes a document and policy review of policies and programs across the City of Richmond, West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD), The California Endowment, and other local community organizations. Additionally, the review encompasses: (1) 15 PLUS projects from 2008-2018 for 4 clients: City of Richmond, WCCUSD,…

Effective teacher hiring is fundamental to improving schools and yet few studies investigate this process. In this exploratory study of six successful, high-poverty schools (three charter, three district) in one Massachusetts city, we analyze the policy contexts that influenced hiring and examine the schools' hiring practices. Through interviews…