Collaboration among teachers is an important vehicle for teacher development, shared leadership, improving student achievement, building school culture, and attracting and retaining effective teachers. However, if professional collaborative environments are not truly diverse and inclusive or marginalize individual teachers or groups of teachers…

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to determine what preparational experiences are necessary for assistant principals to effectively transition to the principalship. Fifteen principals completed a 21-item survey and answered seven interview questions to better understand how the North Carolina Standards for School Executives aligned with…

School leaders, specifically principals, play a pivotal role in shaping student learning outcomes. The benefits of strong leaders extend beyond academic achievement, such as reductions in absenteeism and exclusionary discipline. While quality principals are critical for creating and sustaining quality schools, the staffing pipeline is facing…

This transcendental phenomenology study was designed to examine the phenomena of the paid internship portion of the North Carolina Principal Fellows Program (NCPFP) through specific graduates of the universities that offer the scholarship. The study aimed to answer the following research question: How does the paid internship experience from the…

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the lived leadership experiences of Black women principals in Title I schools in North Carolina. The theories guiding this study are Black feminist thought and Intersectionality which amplify and center the voices of Black women. The central research question for this study was "What…

The North Carolina General Assembly, in 2013, mandated that the state use test scores, academic growth measures, and other outcome-based measures to create an A-to-F performance grading system for all public schools in North Carolina. The annual results are published via the North Carolina School Report Card, which indicates specific school,…

This article shares the results from a quasi-experimental mixed-methods study of a promising transition-focused professional development approach. The 12-week team-based intervention resulted in positive outcomes among intervention group participants' knowledge and capacities. The intervention group exhibited statistically significant changes in…

Black and non-White Latinx children have historically been diagnosed with autism at a later age and with more significant impairments than White peers. This study aimed to gather insights from members of the autism service provider workforce on current barriers and facilitators to achieving equity in early childhood autism evaluation, referrals,…

This article details the creation and features of the Aspiring Principals Program, an intentional, mutually beneficial partnership between the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

Despite various efforts to reduce disparities in discipline referrals among African American males in schools, the gap continues to persist. African American males are disciplined at a higher rate than any other demographic in the United States. What might be the root cause? Could the perceptions of adults in the classroom be a major contributing…

Many of today's new school librarians wonder how they can demonstrate their ability to lead in schools when they tend to have various roles and responsibilities within their schools. Beginning school librarians can establish leadership by assessing the needs of the school, attending grade-level planning meetings, mentoring new teachers, presenting…

An organization's ability to accomplish its mission is often contingent upon its collective capacity to execute projects and/or initiatives in a timely and organized manner. Project management has a critical role in the delivery of projects within designated timelines, budgets, and defined quality. Duke University, in its entirety, comprises both…

Among all in-school factors that impact student learning, teachers carry the most weight -- but school leaders are not far behind. Decades of research have proven the positive influence principals can have on student achievement, school climate and teaching quality. New evidence suggests that their impact may be even greater than previously…

This brief offers a case study focused on Guilford County Schools (GCS), a public school district in North Carolina, to illuminate the role of continuous improvement through a "research-practice partnership" (RPP). RPPs offer a unique collaborative experience with a dual benefit: practitioners get the chance to collaborate in research…

High schools hold great potential as contexts within which educators implement evidence-based practices shown to change post-school outcomes for youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Unfortunately, educators feel unprepared to use transition and disability-focused evidence-based practices. Coaching, as an essential feature of effective…