Principals are essential in any institution of learning. Great schools do not exist in the absence of a great principal, which demonstrates the importance of strong leadership. However, due to complexities and the demanding nature of their jobs, there has been an increasing deficiency in the supply of these professionals. Schools have recorded…

In this work, we present the design, implementation, and initial outcomes of the Climate Academy, a hybrid professional development program delivered through a combination of face-to-face and online interactions, intended to prepare formal and informal science teachers (grades 5-16) in teaching about climate change. The Climate Academy was…

This brief focuses on the potential role of County Offices of Education (COEs) in bridging the state's vision for college and career readiness with the implementation needs of local districts and schools. After summarizing the work of 10 COEs that are known for supporting districts in increasing college and career readiness, the brief raises…

The central message of this report is that principals across the United States understand how fundamental social and emotional learning (SEL) is to the development of students and their success in and out of school, but they need more guidance, training, and support to make solid and effective school-wide implementation a reality. Principals…

Mobile learning (mlearning) is an emerging trend in schools, utilizing mobile technologies that offer the greatest amount of flexibility in teaching and learning. Researchers have found that one of the main barriers to effective mlearning in schools is the lack of teacher professional development. Results from a needs-assessment survey and a…

This study reports on an innovative version of adaptive primary literature (APL) that we call Science Behind the Scenes used during a summer professional development (PD) program. Classroom teachers read and discussed papers from the primary literature, and created translations of these papers relevant to their own classroom needs. We randomly…

This article is concerned with exploring the ways in which head teachers' leadership for social justice is understood and enacted within the context of inclusion. Head teachers' leadership praxis is influenced by individual understandings of social justice, as well as dominant institutional realities and policy priorities that indicate the extent…

In this article the authors collected numerous forms of data to better understand the perceptions of a joint conference from the various stakeholders. From the detailed survey and interview responses, the researchers found that administrators/supervisors had fewer reservations in regards to holding a joint conference. One reason for this may due…

Since 2012, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation has supported educational enrichment in rural areas by awarding over $3.3 million in grants to six outstanding organizations operating in Iowa, Indiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. In this report, the authors combine the experiences of these organizations with findings from the…

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation has provided over $3.3 million in grants to outstanding providers of educational enrichment in rural areas since 2012. In extensive interviews, rural education experts in our grantee organizations shared their practical knowledge of the best ways to identify academically talented students in rural areas, provide…

Within the California K-12 education setting, Latino students make up 53% of the child population, totaling over 3.3 million students (California Department of Education, 2016). Many of these Latino immigrant youth face challenges, including living in poverty, exposure to violence, and acculturation stress, all of which lead to a need for mental…

As the Professional Learning Community (PLC) process becomes embedded within schools, the level of district support has a direct impact on whether schools have the ability to re-culture and sustain highly effective collaborative practices. The purpose of this article is to share a professional learning community conceptual framework from the US,…

The concept of instructional leadership has emerged as a vital characteristic of the role of school principal. Yet there remains a lack of a universally accepted definition for instructional leadership within the research literature. Concepts such as transformational leadership, shared instructional leadership, integrated leadership, and balanced…

The Common Core State Standards in Mathematics (CCSSM) represent a major attempt in a long line of attempts to reform the American Education system surrounding Mathematics. These standards aim to establish a nationwide set of curriculum, seeking to ensure equity for all students in the U.S.A. Some of the standards included are new to all teachers…

Cultural proficiency is defined as the wherewithal to understand and possess the skills and behaviors to relate effectively with individuals from various cultures and backgrounds (Cross, Bazron, Dennis and Isaacs, 1989). A culturally proficient leader values difference and the growth that occurs from increased knowledge about those who are…