Paraprofessionals are critical to special education service delivery in inclusive classrooms where they are used to support teachers in reading instruction. This qualitative case study examines the use of paraprofessionals in reading instruction in an adolescent reading program. The study focuses on their roles, training, and the feedback…

The findings of this study expand current knowledge regarding principals' perceptions of school counselors. School principals play a key role in school counselors hiring or dismissal, and their perceptions of school counselors' roles and functions may influence their decisions. Reflecting on their views may also assist school principals in…

Researchers have been challenged to find school-level characteristics that make a difference in student achievement. This study focused on a diverse sample of 24 middle schools to examine differences between schools rated Exemplary, Recognized, Academically Acceptable, and Academically Unacceptable on four performance indicator dimensions:…

This study, conducted in the Southwestern United States, investigated teacher and student uses of tablet laptop computers in a one-to-one initiative involving fifth grade through eighth grade students and their teachers. The campus initiative led to higher than expected technology integration and student-teacher and student-student collaborations.…

What are middle school students' attitudes toward digital cheating and plagiarism? To answer the question, an empirical study was conducted in three middle schools using multiple focus groups and interviews. Students participated in the focus groups, and teachers, and parents participated in interviews. The study found that peer culture…

The purpose of this study was to explore the characteristics, core beliefs, and activities of successful middle grades programs. Schools in Florida are held to standards of accountability under the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), the Florida System of School Improvement and Accountability, and the Florida Secondary Schools Redesign Act.…

From time to time critics of the middle level publish works that suggest that our philosophy is too much "feeling good" and not enough academic substance. Confusing this debate is the current trend of districts (especially large urban ones) to reconfigure their schools to K-8 neighborhood schools. In this article the author takes a long look at…

Recent reexaminations of adolescent literacy have expanded previous cognitive psychological models of reading to include views of the social and cultural aspects of literacy. The term critical literacy refers to approaches that focus on the social forces that influence the creation and interpretation of texts. When applied to the study of literary…

This article addresses the difficulty of engaging middle school students who don't seem to care about learning. Several classroom vignettes illustrate practical, classroom-based dilemmas generated from a university classroom management course. Three positive engagement principles are proposed to address the challenge of the reluctant learner: get…

This article describes what is known about ways in which middle and secondary school educators have improved curricula, instruction, and assessment practices and reorganized to achieve increased collaboration and responsiveness for all students' needs. It describes seven prominently used instructional strategies and four reorganization strategies…

This study explores principals' roles in a large, urban, standards-based induction program. Principals from eight high schools, four middle schools, and 42 elementary schools were surveyed. Five case study schools were investigated using interviews of principals, novice teachers, and focus groups for mentors and site induction coordinators.…

Describes personal experience with using the Internet to administer a teacher-motivation and job-satisfaction survey to elementary and secondary teachers. Concludes that advantages of Web-base surveys, such as cost savings and efficiency of data collection, outweigh disadvantages, such as the limitations of listservs. (Contains 10 references.)…

Asks 710 middle and high school teachers to respond to several questions including their overall level of job satisfaction, teacher motivation in general, and performance incentives. Finds differences in job satisfaction based on gender, age, and career stage. Also discusses gender and location (suburban, urban, rural) differences in knowing…

Compares high-school dropout rates for boys versus girls in 45 schools with grade spans of 7-12, 9-12, or 10-12. For all three grade spans, boys had higher dropout rates than girls. Highest rates were in the 10-12 grade span; the lowest were in 7-12 districts. (Contains 13 references.) (MLH)

Urban schools' success depends on their responsiveness to student, parent, and community needs. Responsive programs include alternative high-engagement, remedial, or "last-chance" schools; charter schools; full-service schools providing health and social services; immersion programs for single-gender African-American students;…