abstract: Increasing public criticism of traditional teacher evaluation systems based largely on classroom observations has spurred an unprecedented shift in the debate surrounding educational accountability policies, specifically about the purposes for and measures used to evaluate teachers. In response to growing public demand and associated federal mandates, states have been prompted to design and implement teacher evaluation systems that use increasingly available, statistically complex models (i.e., value-added) intended to isolate and measure the effects of individual teachers on student academic growth over time. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of school administrators and teachers within one of the largest school districts in the state of Arizona with regards to the design and implementation of a federally-supported, state policy-directed teacher evaluation system based on professional practice and value-added measures. While much research has been conducted on teacher evaluation, few studies have examined teacher evaluation systems in context to better understand the standards of effectiveness used by school administrators and teachers to measure system effectiveness. The perceptions of school administrators and teachers, considering their lived experiences as the subjects of the nation's new and improved teacher evaluation systems in context, must be better understood if state and federal policymakers are to also better recognize and understand the consequences (intended and unintended) associated with the design and implementation of these systems in practice. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Educational Leadership and Policy Studies 2014

Esta dissertação analisa o processo de implementação da reestruturação curricular do ensino médio ocorrida no estado do Rio Grande do Sul entre os anos 2012-2014, pelo qual se instituiu o Ensino Médio Politécnico. A partir da perspectiva construcionista social do currículo sugerida por Ivor Goodson, se considera a análise curricular em três dimensões: préativa, escrita e ativa. Apresenta-se, primeiramente, as principais reformas do ensino médio da Era Vargas até a atualidade. Ao longo da história, as reformas expuseram diversas disputas sociais que envolviam a relação entre educação e trabalho. Na dimensão pré-ativa do currículo, consideramos que a apresentação da proposta de reestruturação pela Secretaria de Educação do Rio Grande do Sul gerou controvérsias e expectativas nos meios acadêmicos e na opinião pública. Na dimensão do currículo escrito, verificamos que as leis e documentos criados para subsidiar a reforma do ensino médio no Brasil e no Rio Grande do Sul expressam uma tentativa de conciliar a histórica dualidade entre educação e trabalho no país. Na dimensão ativa do currículo se observou que os atores envolvidos no processo de reforma percebem a reestruturação de diferentes maneiras, persistindo uma visão positiva do processo, apesar da identificação de diversos problemas. A reforma do ensino médio ocorrida no Rio Grande do Sul é uma política de reestruturação curricular que se insere em um contexto maior de reforma deste nível de ensino abrangendo a esfera nacional. Todavia, a reforma se mostrou problemática, pois grande parte dos professores e gestores escolares não compreendem bem os conceitos e fundamentos estruturantes desta política, manifestando práticas pedagógicas organizadas sensorialmente, principalmente no que se refere a nova disciplina, Seminário Integrado, se diferenciando da organização referenciada no campo científico como a proposta da Secretaria Estadual de Educação se apresenta. / This thesis analyses the process of implementation of the curricular restructuring of high school conducted in the state of Rio Grande do Sul between the years 2012-2014, by which the Ensino Médio Politécnico (Polytechnical High School) was implemented. Based on the social constructionist perspective of the curriculum suggested by Ivor Goodson, the curricular analysis is considered in three dimensions: pre-active, written and active. Firstly, the main high school reforms from the Vargas Age until today are presented. Throughout history, the reforms highlighted many social disputes involving the relation between education and work. On the pre-active dimension of the curriculum, we consider the presenting of the restructuration proposal by the Secretariat of Education of Rio Grande do Sul has generated controversy and expectation in the academia and in the public opinion. On the written dimension of the curriculum, we verified that the laws and documents created to subsidize the high school reform in Brazil and in Rio Grande do Sul express an attempt to conciliate the historical duality between education and work in the country. On the active dimension of the curriculum, it was observed that the actors involved in the reform process perceive the restructuring in different ways, maintaining a positivistic view of the process, despite the identification of many problems. It is believed that the high school reform which has taken place in Rio Grande do Sul is a curricular restructuring policy, inserted in a larger reform context of this level of schooling encompassing the national sphere. However, the reform has proven problematic, for the great part of teachers and school managers do not understand well the concepts and structuring fundaments of this policy, manifesting sensorially organized pedagogical practices, chiefly concerning the new discipline, Seminário Integrado (Integrated Seminar), differing from the organization referred in the scientific field as the proposal of the State Secretariat of Education presents.

Esta dissertação analisa o processo de implementação da reestruturação curricular do ensino médio ocorrida no estado do Rio Grande do Sul entre os anos 2012-2014, pelo qual se instituiu o Ensino Médio Politécnico. A partir da perspectiva construcionista social do currículo sugerida por Ivor Goodson, se considera a análise curricular em três dimensões: préativa, escrita e ativa. Apresenta-se, primeiramente, as principais reformas do ensino médio da Era Vargas até a atualidade. Ao longo da história, as reformas expuseram diversas disputas sociais que envolviam a relação entre educação e trabalho. Na dimensão pré-ativa do currículo, consideramos que a apresentação da proposta de reestruturação pela Secretaria de Educação do Rio Grande do Sul gerou controvérsias e expectativas nos meios acadêmicos e na opinião pública. Na dimensão do currículo escrito, verificamos que as leis e documentos criados para subsidiar a reforma do ensino médio no Brasil e no Rio Grande do Sul expressam uma tentativa de conciliar a histórica dualidade entre educação e trabalho no país. Na dimensão ativa do currículo se observou que os atores envolvidos no processo de reforma percebem a reestruturação de diferentes maneiras, persistindo uma visão positiva do processo, apesar da identificação de diversos problemas. A reforma do ensino médio ocorrida no Rio Grande do Sul é uma política de reestruturação curricular que se insere em um contexto maior de reforma deste nível de ensino abrangendo a esfera nacional. Todavia, a reforma se mostrou problemática, pois grande parte dos professores e gestores escolares não compreendem bem os conceitos e fundamentos estruturantes desta política, manifestando práticas pedagógicas organizadas sensorialmente, principalmente no que se refere a nova disciplina, Seminário Integrado, se diferenciando da organização referenciada no campo científico como a proposta da Secretaria Estadual de Educação se apresenta. / This thesis analyses the process of implementation of the curricular restructuring of high school conducted in the state of Rio Grande do Sul between the years 2012-2014, by which the Ensino Médio Politécnico (Polytechnical High School) was implemented. Based on the social constructionist perspective of the curriculum suggested by Ivor Goodson, the curricular analysis is considered in three dimensions: pre-active, written and active. Firstly, the main high school reforms from the Vargas Age until today are presented. Throughout history, the reforms highlighted many social disputes involving the relation between education and work. On the pre-active dimension of the curriculum, we consider the presenting of the restructuration proposal by the Secretariat of Education of Rio Grande do Sul has generated controversy and expectation in the academia and in the public opinion. On the written dimension of the curriculum, we verified that the laws and documents created to subsidize the high school reform in Brazil and in Rio Grande do Sul express an attempt to conciliate the historical duality between education and work in the country. On the active dimension of the curriculum, it was observed that the actors involved in the reform process perceive the restructuring in different ways, maintaining a positivistic view of the process, despite the identification of many problems. It is believed that the high school reform which has taken place in Rio Grande do Sul is a curricular restructuring policy, inserted in a larger reform context of this level of schooling encompassing the national sphere. However, the reform has proven problematic, for the great part of teachers and school managers do not understand well the concepts and structuring fundaments of this policy, manifesting sensorially organized pedagogical practices, chiefly concerning the new discipline, Seminário Integrado (Integrated Seminar), differing from the organization referred in the scientific field as the proposal of the State Secretariat of Education presents.

Response to Intervention (RTI) is a data-based decision-making framework of service delivery that has the potential to improve educational outcomes for all students. Preliminary data appear to bolster this claim. However, it is as yet unclear whether RTI will be able to close the gap in educational outcomes that exists between students of different racial groups. Drawing on theories such as culture of policy (Stein, 2004) and deficit thinking (Valencia, 2010), this study explored the experiences of six White elementary teachers using RTI while working with Black students receiving Tier 2 or Tier 3 instructional supports. Using theoretically driven constant-comparative analysis, I illustrated how teachers’ personal worldviews as well as local contexts informed their different interpretations of RTI as well as their similar interpretive lens: racialized deficit-based thinking while talking about the causes of the racial gap in schooling outcomes as well as while talking about specific Black students in their classrooms. While speaking about specific students, teachers drew on deficit thinking to explain the roots of problems (e.g., low motivation, lack of parental involvement), and paid comparatively little attention to problems in instruction, curriculum, or other contextual factors. Findings are discussed in light of Stein’s (2004) work showing how the culture of policy operates at the school level, and how even equity-oriented policies can be negated by deficit-oriented perspectives and practices.

This study examined the relationships between leadership practices of principals and strength of schools as sustainable professional learning communities. Strength of schools as professional learning communities was measured using the Professional Learning Communities Assessment; leadership practices were measured using the Leadership Practices Inventory both Self and Observer protocols. Findings indicated that neither principal's self-perceptions of their leadership practices nor teachers' assessments of their principals' leadership practices were related to strength of schools as professional learning communities. Findings did indicate ten specific leadership behaviors of principals that appear to be more highly related to strength of schools as learning communities. Further analysis which focused on the two strongest learning community schools and the two weakest learning community schools indicated that three specific leadership behaviors within Kouzes and Posner's practices of modeling the way and enabling others to act appear to be the most strongly related to reculturing schools as sustainable professional learning communities. Principals who set a personal example of what they expect of others are most likely to lead schools that function as strong learning communities. Additionally, principals who build consensus around a common set of values are also most likely to lead strong learning communities. Finally, principals who develop cooperative relationship with co-workers are most likely to lead schools that function as strong learning communities.

During the nineteenth century the liberal ideals were spreading across large parts of mainland Europe, and the Swedish parliament of 1840-41 is sometimes considered to be the first one embossed by the ideology. Liberal ideas such as the prison reform, the poor relief reform and the school reform were all on the agenda. The state was composed of the king and four political orders tasked to represent each respective social group, the peasantry, the town folks, the clergy and the nobility. All of these with different rates of representation and policies. Sweden had also for the last decades experienced an increase in crime, poverty and drunkenness. The before mentioned reforms were all made in an attempt to better the situation and make way for a better future. In this study we will look at the parliamentary debates of two of the four political orders, the peasantry and the clergy for the parliament previously mentioned. Our goal is to find out what the two orders thought about the establishment of the first national grade school, that would mean considerable changes for both parties which is partly why they are specifically chosen for this study. The two sides frequently had their differences and would not often cooperate with one another. Although liberalismen was a big part of the reason the king proposed the changes, we will instead focus mostly on Michel Foucault’s theory of biopower (or biopouvoir in French) and social discipline. What general themes can be found in the debates? What was the purpose of the grade school? And lastly, are there any similarities and differences between the reviewed orders? What we can see at the end of the study is that the two orders have different focuses. While the peasantry mainly focused on implementing a school to steer the younglings in the “right” way, the clergy emphasised a spiritual teaching that would foster the individual.

State and regionally recognized New Jersey teachers struggle to use their professional knowledge in their schools and districts in roles other than teaching. The purpose of this study was to discover the perceptions of highly recognized New Jersey teachers who were interested in taking on additional roles and responsibilities in schools. Guided by Sergiovanni's concept of school communities, DuFour's vision of school culture, and Lieberman's professional development practices, this study examined the connection among these 3 concepts and explored approaches to the creation of trusting communities of teachers who work collaboratively to improve schools. The research questions focused on teacher leaders' perceptions of teacher leadership roles and the skills, knowledge, and dispositions they most valued. The participants were 12 state teachers of the year in New Jersey with 3 or more years of teaching experience. A case study design was used to capture the insights of participants through interviews, online discussions, and a focus group. Emergent themes were identified from the data through open coding, and findings were developed and validated. The key results were that teacher leaders have a desire to engage with school leaders to find ways to share their knowledge and skills with colleagues, and that they value big-picture thinking, fearlessness, and a clear commitment to their students. A project of customized content was designed to guide interested classroom teachers who aspire to be teacher leaders in order to develop the awareness and capacity to take on new roles in schools. Implications are that teachers will be empowered to become more deeply involved in school leadership and that school administrators will foster a culture that supports emerging teacher leaders.

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to identify student progress during the 9th grade year by evaluating student data prior to and after the implementation of a 9th grade academy in 2 east Tennessee high schools. The testing variables included the number of core credits earned, the number of elective credits earned, number of absences, and grade point average. Grouping variables included all 9th grade students and 9th grade students by gender prior to and after implementation of the 9th grade academy. Data were collected over 5 years (2005-2010). Paired-samples t-tests were used to make comparisons prior to and after the implementation of the 9th grade academy for each variable for the high schools. Independent-samples t-tests were used to make additional comparisons between gender on each variable prior to and after implementation of the 9th grade academy. An additional analysis was conducted to determine how many 9th grade students were enrolled in basic math or Algebra I prior to and after the implementation of the 9th grade academy. Based on the findings of this study, more core and elective credits were earned after the implementation of the 9th grade academy, but there was very little difference in GPA. Number of absences improved in 1 school after the implementation of the 9th grade academy and not in the other school. Additionally, there was little positive impact in Algebra I credits earned after the implementation of the 9th grade academy.

Because of disunity among prominent professional learning community (PLC) authors, experts, and researchers, the literature was studied to develop a ten-element model that represents a unified and reconceptualized list of characteristics of a PLC. From this model, the Learning Community Culture Indicator (LCCI) was developed to measure professional learning community (PLC) implementation levels based on the ten-element model. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed to determine the structural validity of the LCCI. Factor analyses provided successful levels of fit for the models tested in representing the constructs of the LCCI. Reliability measures also indicated high levels of internal consistency among the responses to the survey items. Although some items and elements had moderate levels of fit and need additional revisions and validity testing, the LCCI produced substantial evidence that this survey was a valid and reliable instrument in measuring levels of PLC implementation across the ten elements. Because this research validated the LCCI, school leaders can implement, monitor, and diagnose elements of PLCs in their schools. The LCCI also provides a method in which future research can be conducted to empirically support the influence of PLCs and student achievement. Potential uses and recommendations for further research and consideration are presented. A call for more empirical research is made in connecting the PLC reform model to improved student learning. The theory of PLC is at a point of substantiation and growth. The LCCI is recommended as potential tool for studying and facilitating the implementation of PLCs in schools.