While the importance of principals has long been recognized by educators and researchers, empirical studies on the effectiveness and distribution of principals have been undermined by the lack of data to study principals, their complex work, and their impact on school outcomes. In fact, "little systematic evidence exists about the…

Lack of accountability is a leading topic in today's workforce. It costs corporate America billions of dollars each year and has financial impact on educational institutions as well. From employee theft to poor production of product and inefficiency, it is a serious problem. Facilities leaders need to take ownership and strive to implement…

Edmond Holmes was His Majesty's Chief Inspector of Elementary Schools from 1905 to 1910. No full biography of Holmes has been published nor any detailed critique of his contribution to the theory and practice of education. Yet his post-retirement observations on education were widely quoted and, in some quarters, very influential. They remain…

Four years ago, Learning Forward established "affecting the policy context" as the first of five strategic priorities that would guide its efforts through 2011. Learning Forward believes that good policy promotes good practice and that laws and policies that promote and support effective professional development are needed to achieve the…

Although the law requires the employer to assess the risks, the person who knows the circumstances of the lesson well enough to do this is the science teacher. Only the teacher knows what s/he plans to do and can make a judgement about her/his own skills and the experiences, skills and potential behaviour of the classes taught. Although the…

The authors explore the place of tension in understanding narrative inquiry as a relational research methodology. Drawing on a narrative inquiry into children's, teachers', and families' experiences in schools shaped by achievement testing practices that flow from accountability policies, the authors show how attending to tensions is central to…

An important criticism of high-stakes testing policies--policies that reward or sanction schools based on their students' performance on standardized tests--is that they provide schools with an incentive to focus on those subjects that play a role in the accountability system while decreasing attention to those subjects that are not part of the…

When 16 finalists come to Washington next week to make their final pitches in the $4 billion Race to the Top competition, most can expect to go home empty-handed. U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, in announcing the finalists last week, said that no more than $2 billion will be divided among "very few winners" when the awards are…

In the 1990s, most US states adopted new forms of performance-based accountability, e.g., performance-based budgeting, funding, or reporting. This study analyzed changes in institutional performance following the adoption of these new accountability standards. We measured institutional performance by representative education and research…

The pressure for accountability in higher education is extremely high. Some advocate accountability systems that use standardised measures of student learning and non-cognitive outcomes; others argue that locally developed measures provide a better fit with the unique mission of institutions. We first describe a general "proof of…

Michael Slote proposes a rethinking of moral education from the perspective of a normative ethics of care combined with his distinctive sentimentalist metaethics. I raise questions concerning the role of empathy in Slote's picture and argue that empathy is related to respect and sentiments through which we hold ourselves and one another…

The standard epistemology requires the use of hard science to gain knowledge and discover the truth. In contrast, Deaf epistemology relies heavily on personal testimonies, personal experiences, and personal accounts to document knowledge. In recent years, a number of deaf schools have adopted deaf-centric policies shaped by Deaf epistemology in an…

The Chilean national learning outcome assessment system (Sistema de Medicion de Calidad de la Educacion, SIMCE) has carried out census-based assessments since 1988 and publishes the results at both the national and school levels. During its 20 years of existence, SIMCE has experienced changes in its institutional framework, objectives,…

The capacity for schools to improve student learning represents an important area of scholarship for policymakers, schools, and scholars. In understanding how to support student learning, the notion of school leadership has emerged as a key area of research interest. Understanding the influence of this literature in schools is important. As such,…

In pursuit of innovative educational opportunities, district administration piloted competency-based education in their alternative program. This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews with school personnel to document perspectives of the programmatic shift. Analyses found local and national mandates, a catalyst, and a common moral…