In the study reported on here we explored the experiences of primary school principals in the implementation of educational policy change from an educational policy implementation (hereafter, EPI) theory perspective. With the study we aimed to provide a deeper understanding of the challenges, facilitators, and complexities encountered by school…

In the study reported on I investigated how empowering school management teams through a revised learners' code of conduct can improve school discipline management. Using a quantitative research methodology with an exploratory design, data were gathered from 127 respondents across 50 selected schools in the Vhembe district of the Limpopo province,…

The "IDRA Newsletter" serves as a vehicle for communication with educators, school board members, decision-makers, parents, and the general public concerning the educational needs of all children across the United States. The focus of this issue is "School Safety." Contents include: (1) Students Demand Safe, Supportive Schools:…

English as a medium of instruction (EMI) is commonly adopted as a strategy for higher education internationalisation. While there are numerous studies on the teaching practices of EMI programmes, the relationship between EMI and structural inequalities has been less investigated, especially in "universal" higher education systems. To…

This dissertation consists of three papers. In each paper, I use applied econometric methods to study the interaction between immigration policy and the postsecondary policy. The findings offer insights about how immigration policy can influence the education outcomes of undocumented individuals. In my first paper, I explore the effect on…

In response to persistent inequities in the education of English learner-classified (EL-classified) students, scholars have increasingly called for the preparation of educators who are able to disrupt dominant hierarchies of language and knowledge in schools. One concept that has been developed to describe what it takes to disrupt these…

The CTF/FCE Research and Professional Learning team undertook an extensive document analysis project to understand the scope of anti-racist policies and commitments in education across Canada. This research project involved a pan-Canadian environmental scan of policies and procedures at the ministerial and school board levels. The current report,…

This study explored the role of Equity Leadership in implementing the Community School Policy Framework in California, focusing on addressing systemic inequities. Using a qualitative approach, this research drew on six in-depth interviews with public sector leaders in the California Community School Partnership Program (CCSPP). Findings…

Students pursuing postsecondary education opportunities are increasingly considering the return on investment that these opportunities provide, seeking higher wages and additional career opportunities that are associated with the accumulation of human capital. With limited human and financial resources, states need to be selective in which student…

State higher education governing agencies in the United States are uniquely positioned between the state government and public postsecondary sector. However, few studies have considered how this organizational characteristic influences these agencies' role in the policy process. The current study seeks to contribute to this gap in the literature…

This paper revisits and reassesses the influence of the context of production on the origin, development and use of the term 'policy sociology' in research in the sociology of education in the UK from the 1980s to the contemporary period. Starting with the first use of the term 'policy sociology,' and its definition as 'rooted in social science…

Educational leadership scholars are unanimous in their appreciation of the importance of context. As a concept, however, context is not unproblematic and, while being scarcely theorised, the recent growing interest around the topic has shown fundamental differences in the way that it is approached with repercussions on how the field progresses.…

How do literacy coaches function as policy actors? Using a case study of literacy coaches in a small, rural South Carolina school district, this dissertation explored the ways coaches act as policy actors, the policies coaches create, and how they institutionalize policy. This study focused on literacy coaches as policy actors. The South Carolina…

Inclusive educational reforms have important policy shift implications. This paper examines an educational policy reform from Chile, which focuses on transforming grade retention practices. Before this policy, grade retention in Chile was a common practice, largely unchanged over decades. Effective in 2020, the reform marked a significant shift…

The Impact Agenda, introduced with Research Excellence Framework 2014 (REF), constituted a revolution in research evaluation in the UK. 'Research impact' (impact of scholarly work outside of academia) became one of three profiles under which research quality is evaluated. This shift in the British evaluation system was followed, and often…