While there are many measures of anxiety, there are few measures or descriptions of confidence. This study considers students' perceptions of what it means to be or to look confident during undergraduate presentations. Findings show students placed high value on effective posture as the most common behavior that was causally connected to a…

This large-scale study used a survey to collect data on K-12 world language program leadership and instructional practices in Massachusetts public schools, investigating associations between the presence of a program leader or primary evaluator who is a world language specialist and instructional practices, curriculum, and assessment. The study…

Accountability mechanisms and processes have evolved with changes in statute. State Education Agency (SEA) accountability systems may exhibit characteristics of compliance- and/or improvement-focused systems in light of requirements under the "Elementary and Secondary Education Act" (ESEA) and its reauthorizations under the…

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that when students' social and emotional well-being are poor, their engagement in instruction is profoundly affected. That revelation and the national mobilization for social justice sparked in 2020 have heightened public awareness is heightened that inequitable structures and policies--in school and out--have been…

This dissertation seeks to explore whether and how organizational structures of school (educational infrastructure) influence teacher belief alignment and self-efficacy as they relate to school improvement strategies. Within the context of an autonomous network of schools, this study leverages differences in educational infrastructure and…

Preparation and professional development can help principals be more effective leaders, but little research has examined what specific approaches are most useful. A study of 462 California principals and the teachers and students in their schools shows that high-quality preservice preparation for principals is associated with stronger teacher…

The COVID-19 pandemic caused schools worldwide to suddenly close their doors to in-person learning and transition to distance learning for students. This unprecedented experience provided an opportunity to examine how school administrators respond to crises through their decisions and collaborative efforts. This phenomenological case study…

The 21st century public school principal is faced with complex challenges and issues as would be expected to befall a key influencer of student success. Among others, these challenges include accountability demonstrated through high stakes testing, data-driven decision making, effectively incorporating innovative technology, recruiting and…

With the sudden transition to emergency distance learning during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, special educators' experience and challenges in teaching students with autism are relevant and even urgent. This study documents the challenges and experiences of special educators with distance learning for students with autism in urban…

Educators use an increasingly wide range of data to inform decision-making, performance management, and accountability at various levels of the education system. Studies emphasize the impact of data-use cultures in schools, a data-rich environment, although little is known about how educators use data. Therefore, this exploratory study examined…

Disparate turnover among teachers of color remains a persistent educational challenge, yet little research explores the link between school leadership, peer teaching staff, and turnover disparities. This study explores whether principal and peer teacher demographics predict teacher turnover in New York City, and whether they do so differently for…

Objective: To analyze the scope of realization of professional learning communities with teachers and management teams who implemented that intervention during two years in a high school in the south of Chile. Methodology: In this applied research, teachers participated in phases of diagnosis of training needs for professional development. Based…

This article features a case study from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), a large, public, urban, research university, in which challenges in administering financial aid for study abroad early in the COVID-19 pandemic led the Education Abroad and Student Financial Services teams to revisit practices and protocols. This article describes…

Hardships of educators can be evaluated in line with the environmental conditions they work and live in. In particular, the hardships experienced by classroom teachers who work in villages are noticeable. In addition, the difficulties faced by female teachers grow even more during their Professional life. This study aims at analyzing the problems…

As principals navigate numerous priorities to lead their school, crises continue to seize principals' attention. We collected and analyzed qualitative data to comprehend how principals responded to the influx of Puerto Rican students into New York City public schools post-Hurricane Maria. We attend to how these principals' leadership activities…