This case adds to a lack of research that considers the intersection of queer identities and educational leadership. The case narrative demonstrates the complex nuances of two negotiated professional queer identities. In addition, the case considers the consequences of queer erasure on the existing heteronormative culture of schooling. The…

When professional development in diversity is provided to educators in the field, it usually targets classroom practice with the intent of closing the achievement gap. These efforts are critical. But work should not stop there because culture underlies every policy, practice, and procedure in the school and influences every thought, interaction,…

This report presents the findings from a rigorous national survey of charter school authorizers conducted in 2011 by the National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA). This is the fourth time NACSA has conducted this type of national survey. As in years past, the vast majority of authorizers (90 percent) are school districts and they…

From the outset, President Obama placed teacher quality at the center of his Education Plan. The president and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan have focused on teacher evaluation as the means of securing the best teachers for American students. This is evident from the push to use student achievement data in teacher evaluation in Race to the Top…

Purpose: One bad hiring decision can lead to low student achievement. Research supports that teachers are the most influential factor in student success. As a result, principals' current practice of hiring teachers based on intuition and likeability must change. Given the current high stakes era, principals need reassurance that the teachers they…

Responses from 1,695 (out of 5,213) surveyed Texas employers provided information, presented in rank order, in the following categories for entry-level jobs: sources for obtaining applicants, reasons for rejecting applicants, causes for terminating employees, employment preparation areas in which improvement is needed, and goals for public…

This study, conducted by Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas examined the perceptions of 104 school administrators regarding the use of career advancement portfolios in the hiring process. The study occurred in rural, suburban, and urban school districts in the greater Houston, Texas area. Participants completed a four-question…

An analysis of questionnaire responses from school personnel administrators in 311 Texas districts sought to determine if a correlation existed between personnel selection procedures, school district size, and the identification of successful teachers (defined as those granted a continuing contract or tenure). The study also investigated…

These student materials are designed to accompany the Economic and Societal Factors Instructional Guide. Page numbers are consistent with the numbering in that guide. The guide's nine units deal with the following topics: (1) job acquisition (sources of employment, job application, completing the application form, resume, job interview, follow-up…

A 1-credit career orientation course at Texas A&M University was evaluated based on 5 years of entry and exit surveys and student performance. Students strongly preferred peers to introduce outside speakers and gain experience in communication, compared with having a faculty member lead the class. Outside assignments--involving resume…

This document is the Spanish language version of the student materials component designed to accompany the Economic and Societal Factors Instructional Guide. Page numbers are consistent with the numbering in that guide. The guide's nine units deal with the following topics: (1) job acquisition (sources of employment, job application, completing…

This occupational investigation guide contains learning activities for instruction in economic and societal factors. Activities included in the guide focus on areas such as (1) locating employment sources, (2) locating salaries in classified ads, (3) selecting suitable jobs, (4) learning about the services of the Texas employment commission, (5)…

Developed by Project BASICS, this guide contains a basic training workshop that teachers in high schools could use to teach students job-seeking skills. The book contains learning activities that actively involve students. The activities are presented in a format in which the left side of the page contains the time length, rationale, materials,…

This guide presents a new approach to the teaching of the behaviors relating to job skills and the maintenance of successful employment for handicapped persons, in particular the mentally retarded. The manual is divided into three major learning areas: those of skills, knowledge, and attitudes. Unit 1 on skills contains two subsections that deal…