Literature on school reform has emphasized the need for principals to expand beyond their traditionally administrative role and become instructional leaders. This article examines the relationship between the practice of site-based instructional leadership and the professional development that teachers received in the context of a district-wide…

As a growing number of schools and districts are found to be underperforming under the requirements of NCLB, school and district administrators are increasingly searching for research-based whole school improvement programs, including comprehensive school reform (CSR) models and education service providers (ESPs), in order to create dramatic…

The current education policy environment places a heavy emphasis on scientifically based research. This article examines how whole school improvement models approach the development of a research agenda, including what influences and challenges model providers face in implementing their agenda. Responses also detail the advantages and…