The study examined the relationship between expenditures and student achievement in Ohio school districts for the years 2015 through 2019. Data were analyzed for categorical district expenditures correlated to student achievement. Operating and instructional expenditure categories, along with typology demographics, comprised the independent…

As schools continue to battle with calls for reform and restructuring, understanding important aspects of change leadership is needed in explaining factors that facilitate successful implementation of planned changes in schools. Certain personal and school district characteristics have been reported in the literature as having impact or influence…

This present study utilized a phenomenological design to investigate administrators' perceptions of barriers to student attendance, current approaches to mitigating or removing those barriers, and the extent to which those approaches were effective. This study utilized interviews with area administrators where they were able to provide detailed…

Local education governance has allowed neighborhood schools to offer community-oriented curricula and activities, and public schools have been operated to serve only residents' children within the defined areas. The rise of neoliberalism may, however, undermine political foundations of the traditional political systems. This article explores how…

This dissertation contributes to the discussion of what contributes to school district rankings in the state of Ohio. It uses Latent Profile Analysis to explore different variables at the contextual and district level as they correspond to Ohio's Performance Index academic measure and Value-Added academic measure. Results show that contextual…

The National Center for Rural Education Research Networks (NCRERN) seeks to increase opportunity for rural students through the power of actionable data and evidence. NCRERN partners with networks of rural school districts to generate and evaluate strategies for improving student outcomes. For more information about NCRERN's work, see the…

Ohio Revised Code 3302.038 requires the Department of Education and Workforce ("the Department") to submit a report regarding the effectiveness of the school district and building report cards by Dec. 31, 2024. The statute requires the Department to study data from the Ohio School Report Cards for the 2021-2022, 2022-2023, and 2023-2024…

Influenced by current legislation calling for full alignment to the science of reading, literacy instruction in Ohio has started shifting. Additionally, Ohio has devoted funds for literacy coaching to improve students' literacy achievement outcomes on state assessments. This correlative study analyzed the relationship between school districts that…

Civics education continues to gain national importance, especially in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election and with recent debates about the teaching of history that addresses the legacy of racism and discrimination in the United States. Despite the increasing interest in strengthening civics education, states continue to differ in…

The Region 8 Comprehensive Center collaborated with the Indiana Department of Education to evaluate the obstacles many districts face in the teacher hiring process. The brief further discusses the importance of hiring timelines, benefits and barriers of early hiring, and recommendations and strategies for revising hiring timelines.

This quantitative study was designed to investigate whether a relationship existed between reading achievement and instructional modality during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the fall of 2020, school districts developed return-to-school plans that outlined if they would provide in-person, hybrid, or remote instruction to students following the state…

This study builds on previous research investigating management organizations (MOs), charter school locations, and closure by examining the effects of MO type (EMO, CMO and freestanding schools), racial enrollment, student achievement, and the community characteristics surrounding each charter school in Ohio's eight largest counties with the…

Ohio's commitment to student success is stronger than ever. Earlier this year, Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted, with the support of the general assembly, signed into law historic investments for Ohio's students. These investments expand on the Ohio Department of Education's priorities outlined in Future Forward Ohio to strengthen…

High-quality K-12 instructional materials can meaningfully improve teaching practice and student achievement, especially when paired with professional learning support. Yet state policymakers have usually left ultimate authority for textbook selection to school district leaders. Consequently, the quality of materials across U.S. classrooms and…

The purpose of this cross-case study is to explore educational leaders' understanding and practice of ethical preparedness in two riparian school districts located along the Ohio River in counties determined by the Appalachian Regional Commission to be at-risk and distressed. As a cross-case analysis study, this research was conducted in the…