Scholars have argued against a post-COVID return to normality on the grounds that the pandemic offers an opportunity to break with the past and imagine a different, more just future. In this analysis of pre-kindergarten teachers' reflections on teaching during COVID-19 in the state of Michigan, we take up the notion of the pandemic as a portal to…

Parental perception of the importance of science education and parental perceptions and use of active learning and inquiry-based practices in the context of homeschool science education represent a clear gap in the existing literature. This quantitative survey research study was designed to discover, analyze, and quantify parents' perceptions of…

The SEL Innovations series aims to help the field imagine new, more expansive and equitable approaches to SEL and wellness to ensure that all children, adolescents, and adults feel safe, supported, and seen so that they can thrive. This report focuses on the conditions and guiding actions to foster authentic school-family partnerships. Research…

In March 2020, COVID-19 dramatically and indelibly altered the U.S. educational landscape. Drawing on data from interviews with 30 Michigan preK teachers, Bethany Wilinski, Alyssa Morley, and Jamie Heng-Chieh Wu describe the centrality of family engagement in their pandemic preK education and the practices that contributed to stronger home-school…

Caregivers play an integral role in a child's academic development, including their literacy development (Compton-Lilly et al., 2019; Cunningham, 2021; Edwards, 2004; Edwards, 2016; Smith, 2020; Volk, 2021). One way caregivers have supported their children's literacy development is by assisting them with school activities at home. While some…

This article employs the comparative case study (CCS) approach to examine how four public pre-kindergarten (pre-K) teachers in Michigan enacted a state-mandated parent involvement policy. Using CCS, we trace policy enactment from the policy text, through mid-level administrators, and into the classroom context. We demonstrate how teachers used…

Purpose: Prior research shows wide variation in student learning across contexts during the COVID-19 pandemic, but less is known about "why" such variation occurred or how particular response strategies may help districts navigate future crises. Research methods: Drawing on crisis leadership and organizational theory, we conducted a…

Purpose: Prior research shows wide variation in student learning across contexts during the COVID-19 pandemic, but less is known about "why" such variation occurred or how particular response approaches may help districts navigate future crises. Research methods: Drawing on crisis leadership and organizational theory, we conducted a…

How engaged families are in their children's lives, whether at home or in school, predicts child success in school and in life. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to identify activities, opportunities, and barriers to engaging families within Wayne County, Michigan for children and their families with and without Individualized Education…

The Coalition for Community Schools (Coalition), as an alliance of national, state and local partners that advocate for community schools, wanted to provide support and a space for community school leaders to share their challenges and successes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Beginning March 17, 2020 through the present, the Coalition conducted…

This study is the first systematic examination of how school counselor multicultural counseling competence (MCC) is addressed in state licensure examinations of school counselors. Results offer preliminary support to the notion that state licensure examinations indeed address some important aspects of MCC, as identified by Holcomb-McCoy (2004).…

The start of kindergarten signifies the beginning of elementary school and everything that may come with it: a new building, new teachers, new expectations, and a different routine and culture. These new students transition into kindergarten from different settings, bringing with them a variety of assets and experiences. From a holistic…

The community college is an excellent place for the creation of a special, more empowering learning context. Unlike the university, where students are supposed to adjust to the world of scholarly erudition, the community college is the crazy academic brother that has the freedom to be different and to liberate students to build upon their own…

Communication is an integral component for establishing a strong school community. Learning management systems (LMSs) present new opportunities for communication and collaboration among teachers, students, and parents. This study examined parents' and teachers' perceptions and use of a newly adopted LMS for school-home communication in a rural…

Research demonstrates that human development and student learning are highly dependent on interpersonal relationships and positive learning environments (Eccles et al., 1993). However, school improvement efforts often focus on students' mastery of academic skills with much less emphasis on students' social and emotional skills, which are integral…