Powerful learning environments (PLEs) are based on a social constructivist theory of learning, providing a stimulating, resource-rich and inquiry-supportive environment for student self-regulated learning. Fidelity of implementation (FOI) for such PLEs is dependent on several factors, the most critical factor being the teacher's belief system,…

Introduction: Youth with intellectual disabilities (ID) demonstrate higher rates of disruptive behavior disorders (DBDs) than youth with typical development (TD). DBDs such as oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) predict higher rates of delinquency during adolescence. Yet, few studies have examined risk-taking and delinquency among youth with ID.…

Two paradigms inform responses to active shooting situations: a traditional lockdown approach where individuals find cover in a classroom and lock the door, and a multi-option approach where individuals evacuate the area, create barricades, and, in last resort situations, actively resist the gunman. While a majority of schools conduct active…

This review and synthesis of relevant literature considers the nature of boredom and boredom proneness in general terms before focusing on how the academic boredom experienced by undergraduates at university is sufficiently different from other known types to warrant a unique and important field of study. Derived from within the literature itself,…

This book reviews timely, pragmatic interventions and strategies to support LGBTQ students in K-12 schools. Where formal programs affirming diversity of gender expression and sexual orientation are not yet in place, contributors provide insights and practical tips for creating a positive, safe school environment. Topics include how stigma based on…

Across the country, educators need ways to assess student learning that can also support students' higher-order thinking skills, help improve teachers' instructional practices, and ultimately allow students to demonstrate college and career readiness through a culminating assessment--such as a graduate capstone or senior portfolio defense. In…

Performance assessments are part of a robust assessment system in which students show what they know by writing an essay, curating a portfolio of work, or conducting original research. Ultimately, performance assessments can allow students to demonstrate college and career readiness through a culminating assessment--such as a graduate capstone or…

Open inquiry and engagement with a diverse range of views are long-cherished and central tenets of higher education and are pivotal to innovation and knowledge creation. Yet, free inquiry on American campuses is hampered by a climate that constrains teaching, research, and overall discourse. In "Unassailable Ideas," Ilana Redstone and…

It is the position of the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) that access to a registered professional nurse (hereinafter referred to as a school nurse) all day, every day can improve students' health, safety, and educational achievement. Student acuity and school community indicators should be assessed to determine appropriate staffing…

This chapter outlines a generalisable framework of critical success factors (CSFs) for inclusive education. An initial model of inclusive education and its implementation at multiple levels of the education system is proposed at the beginning of the research process, based on previous studies and a qualitative analysis of inclusive education…

School climate is an intricate and multifaceted construct comprised of many variables. School climate has been connected to student academic outcomes, achievement outcomes and the social emotional development of youth. Research asserts that positive school climate can beneficially influence the academic outcomes of student and reduce achievement…

This article firstly addresses the methodological challenge in drawing on imaginative literature as a source in understanding bullying. This is followed by a general survey of the profile of bullying in literature. Two key insights from literary accounts of bullying are then explored, namely, its cyclical nature and its roots in childhood.…

School climate measurement is an increasingly important component of data-driven school improvement efforts. The present study involved the development of the School Climate Walkthrough Assessment (SCWA), a measure for evaluating environmental indicators and oral student reports of school climate alongside the Georgia Elementary School Climate…

The present study seeks to develop a situated construct of learner engagement within an instructional experience. Despite compelling potential benefits to instructional practice, extant learner engagement research has been limited to either within-the learner constructs or adding a simplistic behavioral component to a model and largely discounting…

Positive school climate has been consistently associated with many desirable student outcomes in both middle and high schools. However, there has been little work comparing the perceptions across these two school settings. The U.S. Department of Education conceptualized a three-factor model for school climate consisting of safety, engagement, and…