Reading coaches have become a strategic tool to impact student achievement in elementary schools. Understanding the effectiveness and the necessity of coaches is critical as schools are facing greater accountability. Are reading coaches impacting student achievement scores effectively and are they necessary within today's elementary school? This…

This article focuses on a multicultural, low socioeconomic, intermediate school that over the 4 years of this longitudinal, qualitative, case study made substantial positive shifts in developing a more effective learning environment and improving students' reading achievement. The study found that the factors appearing to have the most influence…

This dissertation was designed to explore the impact of the identified responsibilities of the principal, as an instructional leader, within the professional development model of Reading First. Specifically, the research focused on the principals' use of the Observation and Constructive Feedback Processes as well as five specifically defined…

There is a significant body of international research indicating that reading instruction does not consistently occur in the final years of primary schooling and progress drops-off as students move through the schooling system. This paper uses case study research to investigate the interactions and the self-perceptions of five literacy leaders,…

Bringing together leading experts, this book presents the principles of effective literacy leadership and describes proven methods for improving instruction, assessment, and schoolwide professional development. The book shows how all school staff--including reading specialists and coaches, administrators, teachers, and special educators--can play…

Although literacy skills needed to engage in the economy and public life have grown, the literacy skills of many adolescents remain low. One popular approach to improving student literacy is using school-based reading coaches; however, there is little empirical evidence regarding the nature of coaching and its effectiveness in changing teacher…

Despite recent progress in reading achievement among children in primary grades, many children are not moving beyond basic decoding skills to fluency and comprehension as they go on to higher grades. To address this problem, many policymakers suggest that reading coaches -- master teachers who offer ongoing on-site instructional support for…

The results of a statewide survey of the professional preparation and current leadership practices of middle and intermediate school principals in relation to reading programs are described in this paper. The first section of the paper describes the survey questions in the areas of professional preparation of middle school principals, current…

The lack of interest in the development of competent principals who can serve as instructional leaders of reading programs is apparent in three areas: (1) lack of clearly defined research on the role of the principal in the reading program (2) lack of involvement of reading professionals in setting standards for evaluating, certifying, and…

This collection of research reports is intended to advance the understanding of schools through empirical study and theoretical analysis. The reports are as follows: "The Punctuated Equilibrium of National Reading Policy: Literacy's Changing Images and Venues" (Celia Sims and Cecil Miskel); "Productive Campus Leadership Responses to…