Given the pace of their work, school administrators often find it difficult to sift through the massive volume of primary academic research produced each year to find specific pieces that might be useful to inform their practice. In response to this issue, the author developed and implemented a strategy to filter research for local relevance and…

This book includes a set of rigorous and accessible studies on the topic of "research evidence" from a variety of levels and educational vantage points. It also provides the reader with thoughtful commentaries from leading thinkers in the field. The complex process of acquiring, interpreting, and using research evidence makes for a rich…

The current educational policy climate in the USA places immense pressure on school district central offices to use evidence to inform their decisions in order to improve student learning. In light of both the expectations of evidence-based decision making and the significance of central offices in supporting teaching and learning, there is…

District central office administrators increasingly face policy demands to use "evidence" in their decision making. These demands up the ante on education policy researchers and policy makers to better understand what evidence use in district central offices entails and the conditions that may support it. To that end, the authors conducted a…

The simultaneous presence of a revolutionary change in information technologies and a growing demand for fundamental changes in the education system have set in motion a reassessment of the relationship among information, research, and decision making. The International Bureau of Education (IBE) considered it necessary to introduce new elements…

In 2002, the RAND Corporation launched a project to understand how educators are responding to the new accountability requirements in California, Georgia, and Pennsylvania--three states that represent a range of approaches, regions, and student populations. The researchers aimed to identify the factors that enhance the implementation of SBA…

Increased demands for colleges and universities to engage in outcomes assessment for accountability purposes have accelerated the need to bridge the gap between higher education practice and the fields of measurement, assessment, and evaluation. The "Handbook on Measurement, Assessment, and Evaluation in Higher Education" provides higher…

Leadership/administrator training programs require a base that defines and explains clearly the variables that affect the structure and functioning of schools and the roles and behaviors of their leaders. Such programs need materials, support tools, and basic information on recruitment, selection, and preparation which a combination of research,…

An overview is presented of decision-oriented educational research, based on experiences in a large urban school district and on the literature. Alternative definitions of research use and evaluation use are discussed, with particular attention to the dissemination of research outcomes. (GDC)

This book on leadership includes the following selected titles: "Leadership Characteristics of Leadership Researchers" (Campbell); "Translating Research Results into Action" (Knauft); "Managers on Leaders" (Javidan); "Impact of Leadership on Corporate Success" (Lohmann); "Shido" (Bettin et al.);…