Research suggests that educators' use of resources influence the ground-level effects of policy. However, we know very little about educators' utilization of policy resources. This study employs a mixed-methods research design to provide empirical evidence of the policy resources available to education policy implementers and the ways in which…

From 2000 to 2001, Andy Hargreaves produced a series of publications introducing the concept of distinctive emotional geographies of teaching. The concept addressed how teacher emotions are situated within the context of their work and influence interactions with students, colleagues, administrators, and families. Hargreaves contended that…

According to No Child Left Behind (NCLB), the definition of a highly qualified teacher includes three components: obtaining a bachelor's degree; having full licensure as defined by the state; and demonstrating competency, as defined by the state, in each subject taught (U.S. Department of Education, 2004). However, NCLB does not specifically…

The present study is an initial investigation of the concurrent validity of a new assessment, the Classroom Strategies Scale (CSS version 2.0) for Elementary School--Observer Form. The CSS assesses teachers' use of instructional and behavioral management strategies. In the present study, the CSS is compared to the Classroom Assessment Scoring…

Administrators and teachers in several large districts nationwide have cheated on standardized tests to make achievement levels look better than they actually were. The offenses range from giving students advance answers to questions on standardized tests, to erasing and changing unsatisfactory answers. As a result of district and state…

Teacher incompetence and the identification of incompetent teachers have become major educational issues. With the implementation of No Child Left Behind (NCLB), every student is expected to be taught by a "highly qualified" teacher. Although "highly qualified" does not guarantee competent teaching, the two often go…

This qualitative study of teachers in three low-performing elementary schools in Chicago reveals that transformational leadership behaviors were important to teacher motivation, affecting whether they believed that they could improve student performance as the accountability policy required. The findings suggest that principal leadership is…

Pressure to meet federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB, 2002) mandates, show Adequate Yearly Progress, and stem the tide of academic underachievement have provided critical challenges for American schools. Due to these challenges, many schools may practice a controversial curricular design commonly known as tracking. The purpose of this study…

The purpose of the study was to uncover the cultural beliefs and values that underlie American and Russian teachers' representations of their professional identities and their understanding of power in education in the context of globally disseminated education reforms and current educational mandates--the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB)…

Current legislation has exerted tremendous influence on the instructional methods used by reading teachers. Historically, however, neither mandated curriculum nor forced change has proven consistently successful in helping sustain long-term change in teachers' instructional practices or student achievement gains. Using theories of motivation and…

We develop a simple model of teacher behavior that offers a solution to the ''class size puzzle'' and is useful for analyzing the potential effects of the No Child Left Behind Act. When teachers must allocate limited classroom time between multiple instructional methods, rational teachers may respond to reductions in class size by reallocating…

An ever growing body of research indicates that parental involvement is a key factor in the success of children in school. Studies have shown that children whose parents take an active interest in their education benefit in a number of ways. These children generally have higher academic achievement, better attendance, a sense of well-being, a…

Researchers examined roles and actions of members of "co-teaching" teams including a special educator and a regular educator in a public high school. Observational data were collected using momentary time sampling procedures. Results indicated that regular educators presented material to students in 29.93% of observed intervals; special…

This article explores the impact of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) on the behavior of teachers and school leaders, specifically the centralizing, standardizing tendencies of the legislation, and juxtaposes their reactions to the types of teaching and leadership required to lead 21st-century schools. The authors argue that the isomorphic…

The purpose of this paper is to present select findings from a case study of a single suburban middle school. The purpose of the investigation was to explore and describe teachers' and students' perceptions of the caring leadership practices that seventh grade teachers used in their classrooms and the differences between those perceptions. The…