The present study surveyed high school personnel regarding high school start times, factors influencing school start times, and decision making around school schedules. Surveys were analyzed from 345 secondary schools selected at random from the National Center for Educational Statistics database. Factors affecting reported start times included…

This research was designed to examine the effects of the use of individualized, learning-style based homework prescriptions on the achievement and attitudes of middle level students. Sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade students from an urban, parochial school in New York City were provided either learning-style-based homework prescriptions or…

This paper presents a model for implementing and sustaining standards-based curricular reform and seven recommendations for principals that are grounded in the results of a comprehensive, longitudinal study. The study examined the characteristics of five schools through data from principals, teachers, students, and external observers over a 6-year…

Supervision based on collaboration, participative decision making, and reflective practice is the hallmark of a viable school improvement program that is designed to promote teaching and learning. Action research has gradually emerged as an important form of instructional supervision to engage teachers in reflective practice about their teaching…

Investigators randomly selected principals from Virginia's public schools to investigate the significant relationship that exists between principal quality and student achievement. Two persons supervising each principal were asked to complete the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC)-based questionnaire about the principal. State…

This investigation sought information about principals and their relationship with computer technology. Several questions were fundamental to the inquiry. Are principals prepared to facilitate the attainment of technology's promise through the integration of computer technology into the teaching and learning process? Are principals prepared to use…

A study was conducted on a junior high school campus in the Midwest to evaluate the influence an assistant principal can have on classroom instruction. The study included 489 ninth-grade students and was conducted over an 18-week period. It examined the effect of assistant principals' visibility on classroom behavior. The results indicate that an…

This inquiry is directed at understanding the factors related to recruitment and retention of urban secondary teachers. Data were collected via selected response questionnaires from 815 public high school teachers in a large Midwest city. The findings provide implications for urban centers in the U.S. educational system from the classroom…

The role of interdisciplinary teaming in the induction of new teachers was examined at two middle level schools through the perceptions of three participant groups: new teachers, mentors, and principals. Data collected through a mixed-method design indicated that participants perceived inter disciplinary teams as an integral part of the induction…

Although the successful middle level school was designed to address both the affective and cognitive development of young adolescents (NMSA 2003), academic achievement is the outcome of paramount importance in the current political context of accountability, high-stakes testing, and the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. In their efforts to reform,…

Although much has been written recently about gaps in the achievement of different groups of students, the problem has been with us for many years. This manuscript presents a historical perspective of the problem, viewing it as one of reducing variation in students' achievement. Specifically, it reviews the work of renowned educator Benjamin S.…

Special education is defined as specialized instruction for students with disabilities. Sometimes, however, legal requirements as well as the day-to-day demands of teaching secondary students with disabilities cloud the real intent of special education. This article acknowledges some poor practices occurring in secondary special education and…

What makes high schools successful in a high-stakes accountability environment? This case study used documents, interviews, and site visits to create profiles of 11 diverse North Carolina high schools with records of high performance on state assessments. Profiles were analyzed by themes or patterns of success recurring in the data. The analysis…

Although bringing a personalized learning environment to a small school is challenging in its own right, it is much easier than personalizing the environment of a large school. This article describes the interventions used in one suburban school with over 3,700 students to move the learning environment toward a more personalized climate. The…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the salience of collaborative cultures relative to student achievement. School culture data was collected from the faculties of 81 schools in Indiana during the spring semester of the 2002-03 school year using survey methodology. The data from these schools provided scores on six factors found in the…