Across the country, education budgets are being slashed while legislatures are passing laws that mandate the inclusion of increasing numbers of educational programs in schools. The reality: schools must do more with less. School administrators, especially building-level principals, must take a serious look at spending in their schools. The…

Helping principals understand the importance of organizational justice is the first step in enhancing learning outcomes for all learners, regardless of their social class, race, abilities, sex, or gender. In schools, organizational justice may be defined as teachers' perceptions of fairness, respect, and equity that relate to their interactions…

During the past decade, thousands of schools have adopted response to intervention (RTI) frameworks as the means of improving educational outcomes for all students, including those with disabilities. Planning, implementing, and sustaining those frameworks requires organizational changes that affect staff members and underlying school structures…

The most successful principals recognize the importance of improving instruction and the value of working with all teachers--the most skilled and those in need--to think about, analyze, and reflect on their practice. In this article, the authors discuss a three-step supervisory model (pre-observation conference; observation; post-observation…

This article features Woodbridge Middle School, a middle school in Woodbridge, Virginia, which has always celebrated a tradition of excellence. Today's Woodbridge Middle School in no way resembles the school that existed in 2005. Then, the students were mostly White and few qualified for the free and reduced-price meals program; today, there is no…

At its most basic level, service learning integrates community service activities with intentional learning components to enhance students' understanding of subject content and to meet identified community needs. Although service learning is similar to other active learning pedagogies--such as project-based, problem-based, inquiry-based, and…

Communication and professional dialogue are essential elements of a high-quality education environment in which all students can succeed. Such an environment is especially important for the success of students with special needs. Unfortunately, collaboration between special educators, general educators, and other professionals is often hindered by…

When teachers and administrators talk about leadership with their students and hang leadership banners on the school walls, the assumption is that leadership is grounded on an ethical framework and that leaders will have the strength to go against the tide of popular opinion. The author argues that such an assumption is a mistake. In this article,…

Campuses are often in flux. When school leaders seek immediate solutions for problems, the status quo gives way to the next big thing. The new program brings excitement and hope yet some anxiety as teachers scramble to learn and apply it successfully. In a few short months, however, when things are not working quite as they should, teacher resolve…

Resistance to change is a major obstacle in developing and implementing effective instructional programs, yet it is rarely considered, discussed, or addressed. The school leaders who are responsible for improvement frequently feel that their efforts are being blocked or thwarted. For the most part, they are correct, but they may not realize that…

A school leader's most visible role is the manager of the day-to-day operations of a school. A less visible but far more important role is that of an instructional leader who works with teachers and other staff members to ensure that every student has a high-quality, rigorous academic experience. Ensuring that schools and classrooms are rigorous…

Supporting teachers begins with designing professional learning that is responsive to their needs. Gone are the days of one-size-fits all professional development. Principals cannot ensure that all teachers are effective in the classroom if they don't create learning opportunities that move all teachers toward expertise with teaching. In this…

This article shares the author's experience in writing a school improvement plan. The author and other department chairs were charged to develop a plan that would guide their decision making and professional development throughout the school year. They were also charged with developing department goals and working with individual teachers to…

Slow learners, such as students with borderline intellectual functioning, represent one of the most challenging student populations for administrators and teachers. Standard systems and supports are often ineffective--even counterproductive--because they fail to meet students' specific learning needs and instead create a cycle of failure. This…

As every principal knows, working with parents can be very stressful and many teachers do not have the experience or the skill to work with them effectively. Principals must train their teachers to ensure that they have the know-how to conduct successful parent-teacher conferences. These skills can be developed one-on-one or in a staff development…