Most people are keenly aware that every student is different and that today's classrooms challenge educators to build safe and successful learning communities comprising students whose races, languages, cultures, experiences, assets, and dreams vary greatly. This book offers K-12 teachers both the foundations for differentiating their instruction…

This paper provides an analysis of one state's Response to Intervention (RTI) model, bringing to light two predicaments that plague efforts to address disproportionality and support learning: (1) That RTI may continue to perpetuate disproportionality, both in the model's tiers of support as well as in the placement of students in special…

Billions of dollars are spent every year on teacher professional development (PD) programs (Fermanich, 2002; Odden et al., 2002; TNTP, 2015; U.S. Department of Education, 2014). The few rigorous evaluations of PD programs that have been done usually report a null effect on student achievement, leading many scholars to conclude that teacher PD…

We reviewed three existing reviews of literature: two related to cultural and linguistic diversity in well-regarded special education research outlets including "Advances in Special Education," and the third regarding constructions of culture, race, disability, and risk in early childhood and early childhood special education (ECSE)…

This dissertation examined possible factors that preservice teachers encounter during initial teacher preparation programs that may impact their attitudes towards the inclusion of students with disabilities in the general education classroom, their efficacy regarding teaching students with disabilities and their epistemological development. This…

This report describes how Connecticut took steps to collect consistent attendance data by learning mode -- remote, in-person and hybrid -- and publicly released data in a timely manner during the pandemic. For example, the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) agreed upon a standard definition of attendance -- showing up to school for…

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) is committed to the cognitive, linguistic, and socio-emotional development of all children in Illinois. ISBE's Multilingual Department is focused on ensuring that students with diverse linguistic repertoires and those who may benefit from additional support have equitable access to academic instruction…

Although there is evidence to suggest that parent involvement (PI) in children's education positively impacts their academic success, the mechanisms of this effect are less well studied. One potential mechanism is a set of student-level motivational and behavioral factors labeled approaches to learning (ATL). The purpose of the current study was…

The study examined seven early literacy classrooms to determine whether they mirrored the diversity in the classroom and community. Upstate New York has experienced double-digit increases in diversity indices since the 1980s. Instruction must keep apace. Analysis of observation and interview data using Constant Comparative Analysis and Classical…

The aim of this research is to determine the opinions of teachers working in the city of Kastamonu towards inclusive education and to investigate what inclusive education practices are. For this purpose this research was conducted from a qualitative perspective. The study group consists of thirteen teachers from various branches working in the…

This evaluation brief describes how Wisconsin is implementing an equitable multi-level system of supports (MLSS) framework, also known as a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS), and how schools implementing this framework with both a behavior and reading focus have shown positive outcomes for all students. The data analyzed in this brief were…

The American Educator Panels (AEP) are nationally representative samples of teachers, school leaders, and district leaders across the country. In the main report, "Job-Related Stress Threatens the Teacher Supply: Key Findings from the 2021 State of the U.S. Teacher Survey," (ED613590) that accompanies these appendixes, the authors draw…

In March 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic caused schools to close for the remainder of the school year, all Pennsylvania school districts and charter schools were required to "make good faith efforts to implement continuity of education plans for the duration of the 2019-20 school year." RFA analyzed these plans for each of the 43…

The purpose of this evaluation was to determine the impact of the Houston Independent School District (HISD) Literacy Empowered (LE) initiative on the reading, literacy, and performance in core courses among high school students. Literacy Empowered is a districtwide initiative that provides support for high school students through the expansion of…

Teachers want to do their best for every child, but worry about causing offence and often shy away from troublesome issues. The classroom situations and strategies presented here will help teachers negotiate their way through complex situations and bring about constructive change. This book clarifies concepts and value differences and the subtle…