<p> The Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EHA) was signed into law on November 29th, 1975 by Republican President Gerald Ford and as he signed it, he acknowledged that while the intent of the law was a step forward, the aspirations were complex. The law was renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1990, and has undergone updates and revisions roughly every five years since its inception. Despite these continual modifications, the academic and social outcomes for students with disabilities lags far behind that of their regular education peers. In 2012, the Office of Special Education Programs initiated Results-Driven Accountability (RDA) to measure and improve the efficacy of Special Education programs. </p><p> In contrast to previous iterations of IDEA monitoring, RDA is not based solely on procedural compliance but makes a critical shift to evaluating special education services by also weighting student outcome based indicators. The literature traces the data that led to the practical and philosophical change to RDA and points to the critical role of State Education Agencies (SEAs) in the success of this initiative. SEAs, long expected to offer training, technical assistance, support and monitoring to all districts with special education programs, are now tasked with the implementation of RDA. </p><p> Through this qualitative case study, the researcher sought to investigate the efforts of a SEA in leading the implementation of RDA by focusing on the initial phases of that process with select Local Education Agencies who are participating in the pilot program. Seven school districts were involved in that program and three of those participated in semi-structured, one-on-one interviews with the researcher. During the interviews, participants were asked to reflect on the process of the RDA pilot program, known as the State Identified Measurable Result (SIMR), and how, in the perception of each district representative, the SEA had best assisted with the implementation scheme. Those interviews were analyzed for recurrent themes about the implementation process and the role of the SEA as perceived by each district. The researcher then conducted a comparative document review to triangulate the information from the interviews with the written plans from the SEA to check for congruency and response to the concerns and perceptions of the initial implementers. </p><p> The researcher concluded that the SEA, in providing a designated literacy coach and instructional strategy assistance through the implementation process, helped to create an environment for improved educational outcomes for students with disabilities in the schools that were part of the pilot program, and that the SEA did incorporate the SIMR LEA&rsquo;s input on areas of challenge in the implementation of RDA. </p><p> The researcher also concluded that LEAs face many barriers to the implementation of RDA, and although most of the barriers are not directly under the control of the SEA, they cannot be ignored as the SEA prepares for a state-wide implementation of RDA.</p><p>

<p> The purpose of this study is to investigate the existing influences faced by today&rsquo;s urban inner-city elementary school principals that impact the successful implementation of reform strategies as measured by student achievement data. The study examines dynamics such as the characteristics and qualities, leadership style and behavior, instructional leadership, school community, and political influences encountered by principals assigned to low-income urban inner-city schools and the impact of these forces on student achievement in South Los Angeles elementary schools. It utilizes a mixed method design phenomenological approach. The quantitative phase entails the use data from the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ)-5X from Mind Garden Institute and the Principal Instrumental Management Rating Scale (PIMRS) authored by Hallinger (1982). Information was collected from interviews with principals, assistant principals, and approximately 30% of classroom teachers at two underperforming schools. Grounded within the Coherence Framework by Fullan and Quinn (2015) and the Public Education Leadership Project (PELP) Coherence Framework by Childress, Elmore, Grossman, and King (2011), the study provides an insight into the effectiveness of the principal position and its impact on school reform efforts. The findings of this study revealed the transformative style of leadership is most preferred as it allows stakeholder voice in decision-making. Data also verified that urban innercity principals devote the least amount of time in their day to instructional leadership activities. These activities are focused on framing the school&rsquo;s goals and coordinating the school curriculum and require emphasis on engaging in the behaviors that develop the school&rsquo;s learning climate. Moreover, several themes emerged from the study. These included (a) teacher &ldquo;voice&rdquo; in school-wide decisions impacts reform efforts; (b) the school community severely impacts the principal&rsquo;s decision-making towards school improvement; (c) the principal&rsquo;s style of leadership influences teacher commitment; (d) the political/district influences can limit reform efforts.</p><p>

<p> This study, <i>Teacher Insight: The Implementation of the Common Core State Standards in California School Districts</i> was designed to glean teacher voice on the large-scale reform. With a need for a global workforce in a 21st century society the existing education system is undergoing a tremendous change in order to prepare students for college and career. The purpose of this sequential explanatory mixed methods study was fourfold: (a) to determine how the implementation of the Common Core State Standards is changing teacher practices related to curriculum, instruction, and assessment; (b) to investigate the concerns and challenges faced by teachers as they implement the Common Core State Standards; (c) to determine what types of professional development teachers have been offered regarding the Common Core State Standards and what they perceive has been most beneficial; and (d) to determine what teachers still need from their site leadership to make the implementation successful. Additionally, this study was performed with surveys and interviews administered in three California school districts. Upon examination of the responses from teachers, this study yielded four conclusions. First, implementation of the Common Core State Standards has changed teacher instructional practices. With the fusion of the 21st century skills into the Common Core State Standards teachers are challenged with teaching the new academic standards and simultaneously providing instruction with 21st century skills. Second, implementation of the Common Core State Standards has generated concerns and challenges of teachers. Third, teachers state that collaboration is the most beneficial form of professional development. Fourth, the implementation has created needs from teachers of site leadership. The study also yielded four recommendations. First, it is recommended that school districts provide teachers with professional development on 21st century skills. Second, it is recommended that school districts allocate funding for the purchase of Common Core State Standard resources that have both rigor and relevance. Third, it is recommended that collaboration be the type of professional development that districts utilize, as teachers state it is the most beneficial. Fourth, site leaders are advised to address the needs of teachers by providing them with resources they need for the implementation.</p><p>

<p> In education, mentoring is pivotal in the early development and long-term success and self-directed efficacy of new teachers. With increasing acknowledgment of the importance of mentoring as the preferred means of induction support for new teachers, mentors can serve to positively impact the overall quality of teaching and learning. Yet, like the induction protocols in other professional occupations, the nature of induction programs in education has taken a variety of forms in more recent years. For mentors, these experiences create added obligations and time away from their own professional responsibilities. Although previous research points to the importance of mentoring and its effectiveness in supporting novices, giving voice to the induction mentor as related to the most effective practices for high quality induction mentoring merits further investigation and an obligation to those who lead them. </p><p> The purpose of this study was therefore to contribute to the body of knowledge and literature pertaining to high quality mentoring experiences, specifically as related to the lived experiences and perceptions of effective practices for preparing, developing, and retaining K-12 teacher induction mentors. The participants in this study consisted of K-12 teacher induction mentors at a teacher induction program in Southern California. This study was made possible through the utilization of a phenomenological method, namely through a qualitative phone interview approach. </p><p> The findings led to the following five conclusions: (1) prior life and professional experience are pivotal to the manner in which situational learning is acquired and internalized, strongly influencing the way mentors engage in future action; (2) induction mentor preparation and support are crucial to the success of the mentor in their service to new teachers and in their own professional development as educators; (3) time is pivotal to the formulation of and reaping of quality induction experiences; (4) the value of required induction projects is key to the significance of the induction work; and (5) meaningful reflective practices are fundamental to the internal motivation and transformation of the mentor as a professional learner. Implications for policy and recommendations for additional research are discussed at the end of the study.</p><p>

<p> Private sector businesses employ performance pay compensation plans in order to incentivize increased employee effort. Legislation offers opportunities for school districts to experiment with performance pay plans in an attempt to encourage teacher effort, productivity, competition, and recruitment. Despite the potential benefits of performance pay, providing a task-contingent reward for an interesting activity has the tendency to undermine an individual&rsquo;s intrinsic motivation for a task. This study sought to assess psychological ownership as a potential moderator for the undermining effect, which may shield an individual&rsquo;s feelings of autonomy, competence, and relatedness, allowing for intrinsic motivation in light of a task-contingent reward. This study analyzed data from 127 undergraduates and graduate students enrolled at Long Island University, CW Post Campus and an additional 27 teachers from Brooklyn, New York. Full and trimmed path analyses were conducted on a series of Likert-type scales to test three primary hypotheses. The findings confirmed that a task-contingent reward undermined intrinsic motivation for an interesting task. This study&rsquo;s psychological ownership intervention and the combination of the intervention with a task-contingent reward also negatively effected intrinsic motivation. Job-based psychological ownership, a measurement of feelings of possession, however, did positively effect intrinsic motivation providing evidence that feelings of psychological ownership lead to feelings of intrinsic motivation. This study contributes to the fields of psychological ownership theory and self-determination theory by presenting empirical evidence connecting these two theories. Recommendations are offered for the improvement of teacher motivation, job design, compensation and educational policy. </p><p>

<p> The opportunity for the nation&rsquo;s students to secure gainful employment and economic stability is becoming increasingly tied to the attainment of postsecondary education (OECD, 2016). Student postsecondary success is tied to students&rsquo; level of college and career readiness, which can be partially attributed to the quality of education received in their K-12 studies. Current standards-based reform policy connected to the Common Core State Standards has been developed to promote college and career readiness through the provision of equitable standards for all students. The introduction and successful implementation of the CCSS requires teachers to shift their instruction to assist students with mastering the standards. As these changes are implemented across the nation, it becomes imperative that teachers understand the changes required of students as well as instruction tied to the standards, and can implement them, enabling students to master the concepts and skills associated with their grade and preparing them for the postsecondary studies needed to assist with the attainment of educational equity and a foundation for postsecondary success (Rothman, 2011). The CCSS are now 7 years old, and Louisiana educators have been using them as a basis for instruction for the past 5 years. Are Louisiana teachers fully aware of what instruction aligned to the standards truly means, and their role in advancing equal educational opportunities for students and the achievement of postsecondary success? </p><p> This phenomenological case captures data regarding teachers&rsquo; experiences with and understanding of the CCSS, the types of thinking required of college and career ready students, the instructional shifts needed for students to successfully access the standards, and the roles of teachers and of the standards in advancing equal educational opportunities for students. Based on the analysis of data from interviews and focus group discussion, the researcher found that (1) teachers are aware of the types of thinking and instructional shifts required of the CCSS, but are still experiencing a steep learning curve, and (2) although equity and equal educational opportunity are the intent of the standards, it may not be the reality. The reality is that the teacher makes the difference and provides the opportunity.</p><p>

<p> The current mixed method study explored the job satisfaction perceptions and retention plans of 241 secondary science teachers from seven North Texas school districts. For the current study, an email questionnaire was sent to seven districts across 83 secondary campuses, which included 51 middle schools and 32 high schools. The current study intended to find reasons why secondary science teachers continue to teach or decide to leave the profession. The participants&rsquo; perceptions and intentions to continue teaching were gathered through an online survey which gathered data across seven job satisfaction domains. Demographic and retention responses provided additional data on each participant. Through a quantitative analysis of Likert type survey responses and qualitative analysis of open-ended retention responses, the current study explored secondary science teachers&rsquo; perceptions and intentions to stay teaching. The quantitative analysis of survey data found significant differences in almost all of the job satisfaction domains for all teachers. There were also significant differences across some demographic groups as well. Through a qualitative analysis, motivation to teach was the leading predictor for retention. On the other hand, school culture and compensation were the top reasons for teachers planning to leave the classroom. </p><p>

<p> Though much is known about the school environments that increase students&rsquo; access to opportunity, the process for developing conditions that presage such outcomes remains a pertinent area of study. The reality that widespread school performance has yet to realize the promise of true educational equity, particularly in urban settings, attests to the challenge. In the search for solutions, one response across decades has been to grant schools autonomy, a trend that continues today. The goal of this research study is to understand the process by which a school in such a context builds its capacity to improve student outcomes. With capacity seen as a function of available information, the relationships and organizational structures are given particular attention knowing that such mechanisms serve as conduits for information exchange in organizations. It is seen the presence of strong relationships and strong organizational structures are necessary but not sufficient for productive information exchange. In order to realize their full utility, leadership must cultivate relational trust and manage expectations of their duties as leader. Moreover, organizational activity must align to the school&rsquo;s desired direction and capitalize upon available capabilities. Finally, the importance of clear communication about autonomy&rsquo;s multiple dimensions related to schools is seen. The results of this case study suggest that relationships and organizational structures can illuminate the complex work of serving students in the context of a school granted autonomy while calling for greater nuance in the idea&rsquo;s conceptualization as a means for school improvement.</p><p>

<p> The principal is ultimately responsible for decisions regarding the master schedule at the elementary level of education (Canady &amp; Rettig, 2013; Young, 2008), and these scheduling decisions are influenced by multiple factors (Benamati, 2010; Harris, 2013; Howard &amp; Rakoz, 2009). Although principals have become increasingly aware of the need to use data to make informed decisions (Holcomb, 2012; Marzano, Waters, &amp; McNulty, 2005; O&rsquo;Neal, 2012), data pertaining to the relationship between scheduled opportunities for students to participate in physical activity and academic achievement is limited. The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of principals&rsquo; scheduling decisions regarding how much time is designated for daily physical activity for third grade students in Virginia and the relationship between these decisions and academic performance. </p><p> A survey of public school principals was used to collect information regarding scheduling decisions, as well as the role of accountability, wellness legislation, and other factors that may possibly influence decisions. This survey collected scheduling information regarding the opportunity for students to participate in physical activity as part of the scheduled curriculum. These data were compared to each school&rsquo;s academic achievement, which was measured by students&rsquo; performance on Virginia&rsquo;s Standards of Learning (SOL) exams in third grade reading as reported by school leaders. </p><p> Based on the results of this study, school leaders identified multiple factors influencing their scheduling decisions pertaining to opportunities for students to participate in physical activity. These factors of influence were coded into six categories: accountability demands of the SOLs, student health, autonomy limitations, time limitations, resource limitations, and liability risks. School leaders reported accountability demands of the SOLs as having the greatest influence on their scheduling decisions. </p><p> Based on the data reported by school leaders, there is a significant positive correlation between the daily duration of scheduled physical activity and the academic performance of the school on the Grade Three Reading SOLs. Adjusting for socioeconomic status using the percentage of students receiving free or reduced priced meals, the scheduled duration of physical activity was a better predictor than the duration of reading instruction in predicting academic performance.</p><p>

<p> Municipalities, administrators, and teachers have faced the challenge of school violence since public education began. In some states, legislatures have passed special legislation granting specific benefits to teachers who are injured by violence while on duty. Louisiana&rsquo;s teacher assault pay statute provides that a teacher who is away from work due to an assault by a student or other person is entitled to full pay without any deductions from the teacher&rsquo;s accumulated sick leave. However, the meaning of that statute has been disputed in litigation between teachers who suffered injuries and Louisiana school boards that seek to limit their responsibility for paying teachers who are on leave due to workplace violence.</p><p> As a matter of public policy, teachers who are injured in the workplace by acts of violence should receive special compensation, whether the violence was perpetuated by a student or any other person. And teachers who are harmed by a violent incident deserve special compensation whether or not the teacher was the intended victim of a violent act.</p><p> This study analyzed Louisiana appellate court decisions that interpreted the Louisiana teacher assault pay statute, as well as the teacher assault statutes that have been adopted in twelve other states. Based on this analysis, the researcher drafted a proposal for a model teacher assault pay statute that codifies the public policy considerations in favor of compensating teachers for injuries caused by workplace violence. The model statute grants injured teachers up to one year&rsquo;s compensation without reduction in accumulated sick leave, and the statute clarifies that a teacher victimized by violence is entitled to the benefits of the teacher assault pay statute, regardless of whether the teacher was the intended victim.</p><p>