Because researchers know so much more about the brain and development than they did when the 20th-century U.S. education system was designed, this knowledge can now be used to design a system in which all individuals are able to take advantage of high-quality opportunities for transformative learning and development. This playbook suggests a set…

This study explores features of professional learning community (PLC) models in the educational contexts in Bahrain and Oman. Findings based on the case studies of PLCs in two private schools in Bahrain and Oman, and theoretical input from international PLC literature has implications for policy and practice. Study recommends promoting PLC…

The AIM process is a strategic planning process for school districts to create Comprehensive Health and Wellness Plans (CHWPs) aligned with the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model. The purpose of this study is to describe results of this process as it was implemented with 21 rural school districts. An 81-item survey was completed by…

The California Department of Education's Project Cal-Well aims to promote awareness of student mental health and improve access to mental health services for youth, families, and school communities. This brief introduces a series of Project Cal-Well Legacy Briefs that highlight successes achieved by Project Cal-Well partners. WestEd developed the…

The Community School Manager (CSM) in Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) integrates a school's partnership work with its academic mission. The CSM collaborates with principals to: (1) identify school goals; (2) align partners and resources to those goals; and (3) build relationships with families, students, and the community. At mature OUSD…

Positive creativity involves creative ideas and products that are beneficial to humanity. This paper discusses the importance of fostering positive and transformational creativity in PK-12 and college settings, and concrete classroom strategies for nurturing positive creativity through a service learning pedagogy. A brief history of service…

As editors Sara L. Hartman and Bob Klein acknowledge, rural places have long experienced systemic inequities that decrease rural students' access to education, yet many rural schools and communities have found creative means to make up for the dearth of outside resources. "The Middle of Somewhere" brings to light a wide variety of…

This article explores the development and evaluation of the Building Leadership Team Assessment Tool (BLT-AT), designed to measure Professional Learning Communities' (PLCs') use of effective school improvement practices. The BLT-AT is grounded in Ohio's inclusive instructional leadership model, which emphasizes the improvement of teaching and…

Australian Aboriginal learners have a long history of underrepresentation in gifted and talented education. This results, at least in part, from cultural differences in the way giftedness is understood, as well as variance in the practices and processes used to develop talents. Perhaps a co-constructed both-ways model could go some way to…

This study explores the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in K-12 student assessment practices, focusing on educators' use of AI tools. Through content analysis of active Facebook groups dedicated to AI in education, the authors examined how educators integrate AI into assessment across various grade levels and subjects. Using the Technology…

Teacher leaders can play an important role in school improvement efforts, but require district support to effectively lead their peers. Partnering with outside organizations is one way that districts can deepen their capacity to support and sustain teacher leadership. In the current landscape of rigorous standards implementation, teacher…

Background: Developing collective professional capacities in schools is important for school improvement, and principals can initiate such developments. That is, by initiating and leading professional group discussions on teaching and learning, principals can influence teaching practices and, thereby, indirectly affect student outcomes and school…

Developing collective professional capacity in schools is viewed as important for improving schools. Furthermore, principals are seen as being in a key position to promote the development of collective capacity. Although an array of studies report on what principals can do to support capacity development, such as by facilitating collective…

This study presents a unique educational partnership combining the Children's Defense Fund (CDF) Freedom Schools Program with a concentrated iteration of civic education via iEngage Action Civics in order to provide an opportunity for a localized curriculum that featured specificity to the urban community demographic. Participants were asked to…

This document provides guidance for establishing a levels of services (LoS) model for gifted and advanced learners. The Advisory Council on the Education of Gifted and Talented Students recommends that all Missouri public school districts, regardless of size, provide varied and multiple services to meet the needs of gifted and talented learners.…