More than 75 school districts in Texas are experiencing a rapid increase in student enrollment. This necessitates the selection of principals to open new campuses. The present study aims to explore the challenges of fast-growth, how principals are selected to open new campuses in fast-growth districts, and what traits hiring personnel desire in…

The purpose of this study was to explore preservice music teachers' (PSMTs) perceptions of teaching contexts. Specifically, I examined the experiences and beliefs PSMTs (n = 91) had related to rural, urban, and suburban settings for student teaching and future employment. Findings revealed that most PSMTs preferred teaching contexts that were…

This study focused on factors that suburban principals could perform to increase teacher retention. A suburban school district in the southwest area of Texas was selected to participate in this research. Principals were chosen and interviewed. Teachers from the selected school district were chosen to participate in a focus group. This qualitative…

Assistant principals typically begin their careers as teachers and transition to the role of assistant principal after completing a certification program that characteristically focuses on the principalship. Once they move into the role of assistant principal, many feel unprepared as the job responsibilities, assigned by the principal, usually…

Leading school communities during the pandemic impacted elementary and middle school principals and brought about reflection of their leadership practices. School principals were forced to reassess leadership priorities like those set forth by the National Policy Board for Educational Administration (NPBEA) in 2015. This study looks at information…

Participation in school sports has a variety of benefits for students. But not all students are able to participate in school athletics programs. In this column, Robert Kim explores the different levels of access suburban, urban, and rural students have to sports programs. And he considers whether students, regardless of where they live, have a…

This was a basic qualitative study conducted by partnering with participants from two suburban school districts. This study examined the perceptions of technology-focused professional development on teachers' confidence and focused on individuals' perceptions of professional development activities. Data were collected using selective sampling, a…

We analyze the relationship between residential populations, school attendance zone boundaries (AZBs), and school enrollments in two large, countywide suburban districts, Fairfax County, Virginia, and Montgomery County, Maryland, from 1990 to 2010. A steep decline in white, school-age children and an increase in black, Hispanic, and Asian children…

Introduction: Supportive principals are essential to the successful development of professional learning communities in schools, and student achievement is also significantly impacted by school leadership. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to examine principals' actions, beliefs, and perspectives related to the development of…

There is continued concern over the inequitable distribution of highly experienced and effective teachers among historically marginalized student populations. Using longitudinal data from Tennessee, this study assesses whether students of racially/ethnically minoritized and economically disadvantaged backgrounds have unequal exposure to teachers…

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed-methods research is to understand leader stressors, the impacts of stress, self-care strategies used to mitigate stress, and gender-related differences. Research Methods: School and district leaders in a suburban school district in the northeastern United States (n = 33) completed a mixed-methods survey.…

The purpose of this mixed methods case study was to examine the disproportionate distribution of substitute teacher coverage in a case study district and learn why substitute teaching jobs may be filled in some schools more than others. Utilizing an explanatory sequential design, the researcher aimed to determine why the variance in substitute…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore caregiver experiences at a community elementary school in suburban Wisconsin. The community school strategy aims to ensure all students flourish in thriving school communities, establishing partnerships among school staff, caregivers, and the community (Community Schools Forward, 2023). Given…

Researchers have long recognized that common hiring practices are racially biased (Avery, 1979; Bertrand & Mullainathan, 2003). However, in education, few studies examine the hiring and placement policies and practices for school principals at the district level (Palmer & Mullooly, 2015). Equitable hiring practices are essential for…

Background: The benefits of delaying school start times for secondary students are well-established. However, no previous study has considered how changing school start times impacts sleep and daytime functioning for K-12 teachers. Methods: Teachers in a large suburban school district completed 3 annual surveys (pre-change n = 1687, post-change n…