Alternative and flexible education settings may come in different forms, but they generally have in common a focus on young people who have been disengaged from conventional schooling. One challenge of these settings, therefore, is to change the way education is offered in order to better engage these students. Much of the onus for this changed…

Research demonstrates that human development and student learning are highly dependent on interpersonal relationships and positive learning environments (Eccles et al., 1993). However, school improvement efforts often focus on students' mastery of academic skills with much less emphasis on students' social and emotional skills, which are integral…

Continued competition for precious resources in higher education, along with the simultaneous increasing expectations of higher education by parents, students, and other stakeholders, has forced institution administrators to look for significant alternatives for funding. In conjunction with these pressures, the U.S. Congress is pressing colleges…

In challenging economic times, student affairs administrators need to employ creative tactics seeking fiscal resources for their efforts to support student learning and student services. The cost of higher education has increased as government support wanes. Transferring the cost to students and their families is often unworkable and can put…

This qualitative study explored the conditions that support assessment practice and the impact of the accreditation process on assessment practice in student affairs divisions at three small colleges and universities in the southeastern U.S. Findings indicate that the role of the senior student affairs officer directly impacts staff perceptions of…

Your school has plans and protocols in place to respond to fires, severe weather, medical emergencies, fights and weapons possession. But what about school incidents like those listed above that involve bigotry and hate? Are plans in place to respond to a bias incident or hate crime? Too often these plans are created in the moment during the…

Student affairs organizations must deal with the reality that if offering high-quality and innovative programs for students is a priority, then identifying and soliciting outside funding sources is essential. If the vice president for student affairs has decided to establish a development office in the division of student affairs in a large public…

This article features an overview of two case studies, each featuring a successful literacy coach and the context of the urban elementary school in which she worked. The article describes improvements in reading and writing instruction and improvements in overall school culture that study participants attributed to the influence of these coaches.…

"Building Institutional Capacity for Data-Informed Decision Making" is the third installment of the Cutting Edge series, which aims to help colleges engage faculty, scale successful interventions, and create a strong culture of evidence through use of data to strengthen their institutional change and student success efforts. Though the…

Youth violence is widely recognized as a critical problem in the United States, and many approaches to prevention and intervention have been developed in recent years. Although children are safer in school than anywhere else, school violence remains a serious concern, and schools have proven to be among the most accessible nexuses for prevention…

Used by hundreds of schools and school districts across the country, the Whole-Faculty Study Group (WFSG) System is a student-driven, holistic process for facilitating major staff development and schoolwide change. While providing a step-by-step methodology for the development and implementation of successful WFSGs, this newest edition of Murphy…

Emotionally charged, often disgruntled, and occasionally abusive parents--sound familiar? This newly revised, second edition of Elaine McEwan's bestselling classic will help manage the most difficult audience, adding several new features and examples that will give the confidence and skills needed to handle such situations, including: (1) Over two…