Statewide school accountability systems have been required by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) for more than 20 years. However, many states implemented school accountability systems well before federal requirements, demonstrating a recognition of their role in supporting school improvement. As a new administration takes office…

The U.S. Department of Education (Department) allocates funds to States through statutory formulas based primarily on census poverty estimates and the cost of education in each State. To receive funding, a State plan that includes a description of its accountability system must be submitted to the Department for review and approval. For the…

Since at least the 1960s, federal and state policymakers have debated how best to hold public schools accountable for producing graduates who are prepared to fully participate in our democratic society. Since that time, reform efforts have led to Texas' current test-based A-F accountability system. This qualitative case study explored how one…

In this article we explore the experiences of principals and school governing body (SGB) members about the implementation of internal financial processes to manage school finances. To avoid the mismanagement of school funds, SGBs are compelled to design and implement internal financial processes. However, many SGB members lack the necessary…

The Local Control Funding Formula, executed in part through the Local Control and Accountability Plans, allows California school districts to allocate funds based on their needs as identified through goals and action items. This research project sheds light on the extent to which the funds have been utilized in the classroom and at the school…

The U.S. Department of Education (Department) allocates funds to States through statutory formulas based primarily on census poverty estimates and the cost of education in each State. To receive funding, a State plan that includes a description of its accountability system must be submitted to the Department for review and approval. For the…

Boston Public Schools (BPS) serves approximately 49,000 students across 119 schools and is dedicated to providing equitable, high-quality education for every student, regardless of background or circumstance. While schools create improvement plans, they can struggle to use them as an adaptive tool. Central office leaders often collect these plans…

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the perspectives of central-office and building-level administrators in Carbon County regarding social and emotional learning (SEL), implementation of SEL programming, and possible policy guidance and support administrators would desire from the State of Wyoming. This study utilized the…

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, K-12 schools are under immense pressure to meet the diverse needs of students. But policies and practices have not evolved quickly enough to meet those needs -- and as a result, the system continues to fail far too many young people. In "Levers of Change: How State Policies Support District…

The Wake County Public School System's AIG 2019-22 Plan is designed to meet the academic, intellectual, social, and emotional needs of gifted and advanced learners with a focus on providing equitable access to AIG programming. To examine progress towards achieving the plan's goals, a descriptive study utilizing a variety of data sources was…

Every student in Hawai'i's public school system -- regardless of their geographic location, background, economic standing or whether they are in English or Hawaiian language pathways -- must have the opportunity to discover and pursue their passions and see first-hand how their interests can translate into successful and meaningful careers that…

The Competency-based Education (CBE) Collaborative was developed in 2012. Ten school districts initiated CBE implementation as part of the Collaborative. With CBE implementation in Iowa only occurring for a few years, very little information is available. The purpose of this qualitative dissertation in practice case study is to examine and analyze…

Policymakers and researchers often talk about "autonomous schools" as if there's a single, agreed-upon definition of what that means. In reality, there's no standard design for autonomous school policies, and school autonomy can mean a lot of different things. The policies that states have enacted vary widely in terms of their goals, the…

Policymakers and researchers often talk about "autonomous schools" as if there's a single, agreed-upon definition of what that means. In reality, there's no standard design for autonomous school policies, and school autonomy can mean a lot of different things. The policies that states have enacted vary widely in terms of their goals, the…

The "Brown" v. Board of Education ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court brought hopes of long-denied freedom to Black communities and their inhabitants. However, implementation of Brown ushered in more misery than a mandate for equality. The "Brown" v. Board of Education ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court brought hopes of long-denied…