The Issue: School improvement policy for the past few decades has been characterized by mandated lists of activities--both well intended and research based--designed to stimulate a dramatic turnaround in student achievement. However, this prescriptive approach to policy, particularly federal policy, has not resulted in the systemic changes needed…

California and the nation are at the crossroads of a major shift in school accountability policy. At the state level, California's Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) encourages the use of multiple measures of school performance used locally to support continuous improvement and strategic resource allocation. Similarly, the federal Every…

"Leadership in Behavior Support: Administrator's Guide (2nd Edition)" supports building administrators in the important responsibility of guiding and shaping the attitudes and actions that influence school culture and climate. The goal is to create and sustain a safe and productive school environment that fosters growth, encourages…

The most urgent problem of training competitive specialists in higher educational establishments in the conditions of socio-economical dynamics of transformation of Ukraine and its entry into the world society has been considered. On the basis of professional requirements' analysis the row of contradictions and disparities among the specialists in…

Inspired by Whitehead and McNiff's "living theory" approach and the "Thinking Schools International" programme, this paper focuses on issues surrounding self-evaluation practices in schools and research aimed at school improvement, with specific consideration given to grounded theory and action research. Specifically, the…

Silver Run Elementary School in the Millville Public School District is facing a major challenge. Last year's New Jersey State standardize test scores suggested a considerable gap in achievement in special education and African American populations. As a result, Silver Run School has been labeled a Focus School by the State of New Jersey. To meet…

For decades, American policy leaders have focused efforts on improving opportunities for ALL students, including the most disadvantaged. Educators work tirelessly to ensure that every student grows into a self-sufficient, contributing member of society--no matter his or her starting point. This charge becomes increasingly complex for American…

Reforms of the size and scale to which Race to the Top States have committed, require unprecedented planning, oversight and problem solving to implement. Although many factors influence the outcomes of these reform efforts, performance management is a key structural element in realizing "sustainable reforms" that are durable and…

In the wake of a White Paper on Education Reform, published in 2014 by the Icelandic Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, the minister launched a national initiative to improve literacy education in Icelandic compulsory schools. The White Paper and the national initiative came as a reaction to the disappointing performance of 15-year-olds…

The work team of the Postgraduate Studies Centre (henceforth CEDEP) of Pablo de Olavide University (henceforth UPO) has submitted a questionnaire in order to identify the training needs of the directors of the master's degrees which are implemented in The UPO during the academic year 2016/2017. This article aims to analyze how the lessons are…

Measuring of performance for lecturers' has become a popular event not only in the Botswana academic environment but in many parts of the world (16). Being charged with responsibilities as an AAT Team Leader the researcher was interested in getting feedbacks for faculty members in his department. This study focused on the relationship between…

Consistent with quality enhancement, we report on how we used a continuous improvement cycle to formalise and embed an academic development and support programme for our School's sessional staff. Key factors in establishing and maintaining the programme included: local change agents supported initially by institutional project funding; School…

Improving low-achieving schools is a critical challenge facing urban education. Recent national policy shifts have pressed states to take an expanded role in school improvement efforts. In 2009, a federal grant competition called Race to the Top (RttT) compelled states to improve their capacity to implement ambitious education reform agendas.…

In Ethiopia, as elsewhere in the world, action research is recognized as a valuable and cost-effective form of inquiry to improve classroom and school practices. It has been given due consideration, both by the Ministry of Education and teacher education institutes of the country. Nevertheless, studies conducted on the practice of action research…

The common characteristics among Arizona districts and charters with high academic outcomes for student disabilities were identified in a qualitative study involving site visits and interviews. In 2014, the Arizona Department of Education examined over three years of state testing data to identify districts and charter schools that closed the…