Although the role of leadership in school improvement is widely recognized, there is less understanding of what leaders can do to support (and mitigate barriers to) the implementation of mandated educational change. This systematic literature review analyzed findings from 191 relevant primary studies published between 2000 and 2020 and identified…

"Implementation in education" refers to active and planned efforts to introduce and sustain an approach in schools. It involves making, and acting on, evidence-informed decisions. There is substantial evidence indicating that quality implementation amplifies the effectiveness of a range of school-based approaches. However, implementation…

This study proposes an empirically grounded theory of how school reform implementation relates to effectiveness, useful for developing and studying many approaches to school reform both in the U.S. and abroad, and also for assessing how policymakers and implementers might leverage various aspects of implementation to create effective school…

Viewpoints on different assessment systems used in many educational bureaucracies are diverse and continually evolving. Schools are tasked with translating those reforms' philosophies and principles into school-based assessment practices. However, it is unclear from research evidence what approach and factors best support the implementation of…

School improvement is complex and difficult, especially in comprehensive support and improvement (CSI) schools, which concurrently struggle with multiple challenges. To guide state education agencies (SEAs) in supporting schools, this annex provides (1) the resources that SEAs have identified and developed to support the identification and…

Over the past two decades, federal education policies such as the No Child Left Behind Act and the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) have sought to improve school performance through accountability systems. As states emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic, many began exploring ways to expand accountability beyond ESSA requirements. These efforts…

A case study was implemented in one rural district as it transitioned to a trauma-informed environment. A theoretical framework based on the literature framed the data collection around the seven themes of awareness, positive culture, intentional instruction, restorative practice, self-care, mental health support services, and professional…

In education systems around the world, planners and policymakers are calling for more attention to whole-system improvement. To best address teaching and learning outcomes, teachers and head teachers need whole-system support to build professionalism and improve their practice. The middle tier of education systems, composed of professionals…

The purpose of this systematic literature review of empirical studies was to analyse the results of 20 years of research, related to education reform, to identify factors that support or hinder change efforts. An electronic search identified a total of 160 relevant primary studies published between 2000 and 2020 that were included in the review.…

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are the foundation for discovery and innovation. STEM skills are increasingly important for all Americans to succeed in the workplace and in their everyday lives. To develop these skills, the Nation must engage in a collaborative effort to ensure that all Americans have access to…

In this paper we connect the concepts of distributed leadership (DL) and educational change by asking: How do different practices of DL relate to change in schools? We answer this question by studying 12 schools in Switzerland during the implementation of the "Education for Sustainable Development" concept. In an embedded mixed methods…

"It's Not Rocket Science - A Guide to the School Improvement Cycle: With Examples From New Zealand and Australian Schools" presents an easy-to-read, practical guide to effectively leading school improvement. It walks leaders through each step of 'The School Improvement Cycle' developed by Bendikson and Meyer, providing case studies,…

This qualitative case study provides insight on the organizational changes and experiences that teachers, administrators and support staff at one elementary school in Rhode Island have had with the implementation of a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Framework. The Burke and Litwin (1992) Causal Model of Organizational Performance and Change…

This research study evaluated the effects of the Comprehensive Supports and Improvement (CSI) program on the performance of fifty-six participating schools after one year of school improvement technical assistance. Specifically, it investigated whether the geographic locations of schools, the percentage of inexperienced teachers, and school…

Educational reforms fail again and again. One reason for the failure is that educational reform stops just outside the classroom door. During the last 25 years, the dominant educational reform initiatives in the US have operated under the misguided conventional wisdom that the educational system is loosely coupled. With this model in mind, decades…