This article presents critical reflections on a teacher professional development initiative in Kakuma refugee camp and Kalobeyei settlement in Kenya. Drawing on critical development studies, it examines the successes and limitations of efforts to facilitate a community-based participatory process that aims to respond to local refugee teachers'…

This study's purpose is to extend our understanding of school leadership for student learning by identifying high-leverage teacher evaluation practices that improve teaching. A partnership with a state education agency administered a teacher questionnaire regarding evaluation practices multiple times in one semester, then linked teacher responses…

Teachers are the most important school-specific factor in student learning. Yet, little evidence exists linking teacher professional development programs and the strategies or activities that comprise them to student achievement. In this paper, we examine a fellowship model for professional development designed and implemented by Leading…

Professional development is vital to PK-12 teachers' growth and student learning, contributing to school improvement (Barghani, 2021; Bredeson, 2000; Darling-Hammond, 2000; Snow-Renner & Lauer, 2005). Yet, with all the systems that have been put into place by NCLB (2001), and ESSA (2015) to provide PK-12 teachers with effective professional…

Teacher leadership can be an important intervention for improving classroom instruction across K-12 public schools. Many researchers, policy-makers, and educators are calling for more teacher leadership. Yet, enhancing the impact of teacher leadership, in part, depends on a clearer understanding of the teacher leadership process. The ways in which…

This multiple case study explored the relationship between school district and school site environments and the character of instructional coaching. Across the US billions of dollars are spent every year on professional development for teachers, and over the last few decades, coaching, as a form of professional development, has grown in…

There is renewed interest around including performance assessments in state and local assessment systems to spur positive changes in classroom instruction and student learning. Previous research has identified the external conditions that mediate the role of assessment in changing instructional practices. We extend that work by focusing on the…

Most school districts lack a coherent, actionable strategy for improving teaching and learning across the system. Current instructional improvement strategies enacted in many districts could best be described as hire and hope, where districts focus on hiring great teachers and then hope those teachers will develop themselves. During the 2021-22…

Teachers who lack the professional development needed demonstrate less self-efficacy. Teacher pedagogical and content understanding are important factors related to the impact on student engagement and achievement. This study was designed to attempt to understand teachers' perceptions of the impact of professional development and which format…

As the complex responsibilities of principals and teachers expand, the need for effective professional development (PD) is greater than ever. This quantitative study examines the PD needs of schools and the relationship between PK-12 and Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs), as perceived by principals, identifying areas for collaboration.…

The quality and effectiveness of teaching are a constant subject of discussion within the profession and among the broader public. Most of that conversation focuses on the question of how teachers should teach. In "The Enduring Classroom," veteran teacher and scholar of education Larry Cuban explores different questions, ones that just…

This study explores how Norwegian school leaders develop their capacity for instructional leadership, a leadership style that is strongly related to school effectiveness and school improvement across a range of national school systems. The concept captures important aspects of Norwegian school leaders' task preferences. To gain further insight…

This study assessed the effectiveness of a professional development program for junior high school mathematics teachers in the Philippines and analyzed their achievement test results in Mathematics. The study aimed to identify the factors affecting the quality of mathematics instruction and propose solutions to these challenges. The study found…

To address today's numerous goals and challenges, K-12 schools need transformational leaders--leaders able to substantively enhance and improve educational systems and educator practices in order to achieve better, longer-lasting outcomes for all students. This practical resource is for superintendents, principals, and other education leaders who…

This brief is one in a series aimed at providing K-12 education decision-makers and advocates with an evidence base to ground discussions about how to best serve students during and following the novel coronavirus pandemic. It offers design principles to improve practice with instructional coaching based on a review of research. Links to research…