Purpose: This study examines how resources and organizational decisions within seven geographically diverse elementary schools shape instructional coordination for Tier 2 interventions within the Response to Intervention (RtI) framework. Research Methods: This work is part of a larger, multiple-case study examining how schools support academic…

In 2022, 8% of all 4th grade black or African American students in Wisconsin scored proficient or advanced in reading on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP, 2023). As disparities in achievement are perpetuated across the state of Wisconsin as well as the nation, it is becoming increasingly important for elementary principals to…

The current brief provides an overview of the 2021-2022 school year student-to-school psychologist ratio for every United States territory, using the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) counts of school psychologists. In addition to this, data are presented on the percentage change in student-to-school psychologist ratio from the…

This paper examines national, state, and local factors impacting the creation of a new dual language immersion program (DLI) program in a Midwestern school district, a relatively understudied regional context. Using a critical bifocal lens and an ethnographic case study methodology, we examined two main questions: first, why was the DLI program…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore caregiver experiences at a community elementary school in suburban Wisconsin. The community school strategy aims to ensure all students flourish in thriving school communities, establishing partnerships among school staff, caregivers, and the community (Community Schools Forward, 2023). Given…

This non-experimental quantitative study aimed to examine the relationship between principal coaching and principal job satisfaction. The study had two research questions: Is there a relationship between the coaching from central office administrators and principals' job satisfaction? Which coaching practices from central office administrators, as…

Teacher collaboration is a key factor in improving instructional quality and promoting student achievement. Though research attests to the importance of school contextual elements for the work of teachers, few studies investigate how these factors interact to enable or constrain collaboration. This study examines teacher perspectives on…

Drawn from interdisciplinary perspectives of special education, critical geography, and education policy, in this study, we examined the spatial patterns of residential areas, school attendance zones, and school discipline rates of an urbanizing school district in Wisconsin to understand the construction of spatial "Other." We measured…

In this year-long study of an academically low-performing, diverse, public elementary school in Wisconsin, I interviewed and observed teachers and school leadership to evaluate the effectiveness of race- and equity-focused teacher professional development on teacher practice. Results of the qualitative study were compared against quantitative data…

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events occurring in the household or community that hold painful or distressing outcomes for children immediately and in their future (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019). School counselors work with children and young adolescents suffering from negative mental health…

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine six Wisconsin public elementary school principals' perceptions of their implementation of policies and practices aligned with the Learning to Teach for Social Justice -- Beliefs scale and the WI DPI's "Model to Inform Culturally Responsive Practices." Principals chosen…

With many states facing budget cuts over the last ten years, reconfiguration and school closings have been an unfortunate reality for public school districts. Building trust is a critical component in creating, leading a learning organization and being an effective cultural change agent (Tshannen-Moran 2015). This article tells the story of how a…

This paper examines the experiences of 18 teachers in Wisconsin during the COVID-19 pandemic to address two questions: (1) What do teaching conditions look like during the COVID-19 pandemic? (2) How have educators adapted during the COVID-19 pandemic? This research offers a snapshot of the varied delivery models, safety and mitigation practices,…

Fidelity of implementation of school practices is crucial to student outcomes. Several types of tools, including self-assessments, are available for measuring fidelity, but little is known regarding the relation of self-assessments of fidelity to fidelity instruments completed with the support of external experts, specifically, during the first…

States can--and must--create report cards that meet the needs of parents, communities, and taxpayers. Getting people the data they need is essential because when families and communities have the right information to make decisions, students excel. Every state is required by federal law, and sometimes state law, to produce report cards detailing…