Policy Into Practice: Understanding State Writing Resources

Although research suggests that teachers turn to their state departments of education for curricular resources, little is known about the resources teachers find on state websites and the recommendations these resources make, especially for teaching writing. We analyze state-provided resources focused on writing ( n = 123) for their type, standard(s), and sponsor(s). We also analyze a subset of 40 resources to describe the epistemologies about writing instruction reflected in these resources. We find that just over half of states provide writing resources, that literacy and policy organizations are named about the same number of times as resource sponsors, and that resources tend to foreground structural and ideational epistemologies over social practice. This work helps identify the extent to which states focus on writing instruction, the types of resources states are providing, and the visions of writing instruction communicated through state-provided curricular resources.

A Review of Web-Based Special Education Resources Provided to Parents by State Departments of Education

Parents who are knowledgeable of special education are more likely to engage in their child’s education. Parents seek information about special education from a number of sources including State Departments of Education (SDEs). However, little is known about the web-based special education resources SDEs provide to parents. We sought to address this gap by conducting a comprehensive review of SDE websites and special education resources. Two-thirds of SDEs provided special education resources in a parent-designated section of their website. The number of resources provided varied greatly by state and the majority of resources were specific to conflict/dispute resolution. Future research should explore how information provided can best support increased parental knowledge to improve parental engagement. Limitations and implications are discussed.

Leading school-wide improvement in low-performing schools facing conditions of accountability

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to advance a framework that identifies three key domains of work and a set of more nuanced considerations and actions within each domain for school leaders seeking to improve school-wide student learning in low-performing schools facing conditions of accountability. Design/methodology/approach – Review of literature. Findings – Drawing from the work of Robinson et al. (2008), the authors identify and discuss a set of nuanced considerations and actions for school leaders seeking to improve school-wide student learning in low-performing schools facing conditions of accountability. These considerations and actions fall into three broad domains of leader work: first, goal setting and planning for goal achievement; second, promoting and participating in teacher learning; and third, planning, coordinating, and evaluating teaching and curriculum. Practical implications – This paper generates implications for school leaders, and school leader developers, school districts, and state departments’ of education. The authors detail two key implications for school districts and/or state departments’ of education as they seek to offer guidance and support to low-performing schools facing conditions of accountability. It also generates a testable framework that can be drawn upon to examine school improvement and the work of school leaders in low-performing schools facing conditions of accountability. Originality/value – The analysis reveals unique challenges and considerations situated within each of the three domains of leader work found by Robinson et al. (2008) to have moderate to strong effects on student outcomes. These issues motivate an assortment of more nuanced leader actions and considerations in each of the three domains of leader work of consequence to student learning. The analysis provides an important accounting of an assortment of nuanced actions and considerations likely to be necessary if leaders are to support the improvement of student learning in these uniquely challenged settings.