School Improvement

This meta-synthesis crosses international borders by analyzing successful principalship across nine countries. With careful, detailed, systematic, and analytic synthesis, it critically explores research-informed understandings of successful principal leadership over the last 20 years. The paper is an interim report of reviews of the 85 articles and 23 chapters produced by the International Successful School Principal Project (ISSPP), the largest, longest-running international research project in this field. In that project, success is defined as the principal's ability to grow and sustain students' academic, personal, and social developments and achievements over time. The results add to existing knowledge of how successful school principals achieve success by examining high-quality, published case study evidence from Australia, Cyprus, Israel, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Spain, the UK, and the US. Results suggest common sets of core values, qualities, and practices among school principals, regardless of national contexts, conditions, or cultures. Because the research design is multi-perspective and multi-layered, the case studies also show significant, context-informed differences in timing, pace, and extent of application of improvement strategies. Thus, the findings of this synthesis paint a thorough and cohesive picture of who successful principals are and what they do over time at the global level to achieve success, as they navigate values-led school success in different contexts and improvement phases within complex internal and external ecological chrono-, macro-, exo-, meso-, and microsystems.

Effective school leadership is essential for achieving academic success and continuous improvement. This study examined leadership practices and their relationship to teaching quality and student learning outcomes in a high-performing private American curriculum school in Dubai. Adopting a single case study design, data were gathered through open-ended questionnaires administered to the principal, school advisor, academic leaders, and selected teachers, complemented by analysis of two consecutive NEASC accreditation reports (2018 and 2022) and institutional records. The NEASC Learning Principles, organized across three dimensions of learning architecture, culture, and ecology, served as the analytical framework through which leadership practices were examined. The findings, reflecting teachers' and school leaders' perceptions rather than direct measurement of student outcomes, indicated that integrating instructional, transformational, and distributive leadership practices was associated with improved instructional quality, a collaborative professional culture, and enhanced student engagement. While NEASC reports provided valuable external perspectives, they were treated as institutional evaluation documents rather than independent research data. A noted contextual limitation was the virtual conduct of the 2022 NEASC evaluation during the COVID-19 pandemic, which restricted direct observation. The study offers practical implications for school leaders and policymakers in Dubai and comparable international contexts seeking to implement evidence-informed, multidimensional leadership strategies.

A parallel system of inclusive and special education persists in Ireland despite attempts to move towards integrated provision for students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) along a flexible continuum of support. Even in mainstream schools, duality exists and discrete delivery of special education continues to create ‘siloed’ approaches to education for some students. This paper outlines a research and knowledge exchange initiative involving a higher education institution and a management body for post-primary schools in Ireland attempting to develop integrated, school-wide, systematic and collaborative approaches to inclusive and special education. Theoretically underpinned by Hornby’s model of Inclusive Special Education (2015) and a conceptualisation of the SENCO role in the Irish context, a pilot process was implemented to support the development of an integrated response to a continuum of need. A year after initial implementation a review was undertaken. Fo...

Policymakers worldwide are grappling with devising robust policies aimed at enhancing adult learning, due to its growing significance in bolstering competitiveness within knowledge-based economies. However, there is scant research on adult learning strategies for improving intrapersonal or social practice approaches, particularly in work settings, and there is also limited understanding of how organisational and personal backgrounds can shape these practices. Therefore, the aim of this study is to identify adults' learning strategy profiles and examine covariates (organisational identity, work flexibility, and personal characteristics) predicting these profiles in the workplace. Using a sample of 2057 adults from PIAAC Türkiye data, we employed a Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) with covariates. Our findings reveal five learning strategy profiles: high exploration-oriented, average active, minimalist, introverted, and passive learning. Furthermore, organisational identity, rather than the other characteristics, predicts adults' classification into the high exploration-oriented or average active learning strategy profiles. This study also extends the literature by demonstrating the impact of work flexibility on adult learning strategy profiles in the workplace. We discuss key implications for policy and practice.

This study aimed to explore the cultural barriers to change in public primary and secondary schools in Türkiye. The study is based on a qualitative research approach. The participants consist of 42 school leaders working in various primary and secondary schools in Türkiye. Data originated from semi-structured interviews and observations, and content analysis was conducted during the data analysis. Regarding the characteristics of school cultures, the participants emphasised an organisational culture that is open to innovation and solidarity among individuals. Concerning the cultural barriers to change in schools, the resistance to innovation was highlighted as linked to individual behaviour. Finally, the way in which school members resist change is important. The results highlight a lack of cooperation as one of the main barriers to change. Resistance to collaboration and lack of development of professional learning networks currently inhibit school change in Türkiye. The results show that cultural factors affect the success of change initiatives in schools that are open systems, and understanding and overcoming obstacles. Starting the change process in this way can transform schools into learning and developing organisations.

This study examines the relationship between principals' proactive behaviors and teachers' sense of collective responsibility in schools. A convergent mixed-method design was employed, combining quantitative survey data from 466 teachers in public primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary schools with qualitative interviews conducted with 30 teachers. Structural equation modeling revealed that principals' proactive behaviors significantly predicted teachers' collective responsibility, with differences observed across school levels and age groups. The qualitative findings suggest that proactive leadership practices play an important role in strengthening shared accountability among teachers. The qualitative results further explain this relationship by indicating that proactive principals encourage collaboration, facilitate shared decision-making, and create supportive school environments that foster collective engagement among teachers. By integrating quantitative and qualitative evidence, the study demonstrates that proactive leadership not only influences teachers' perceptions of collective responsibility but also shapes collaborative practices within schools. These findings contribute to the educational leadership literature by highlighting proactive leadership as an important factor in promoting collective responsibility and collaborative school cultures.

This study examined the instructional leadership practices of secondary school head teachers as a basis for the co-design of an instructional leadership enhancement toolkit. Specifically, it aimed to determine how often head teachers demonstrate instructional leadership practices in defining the school mission, managing the instructional program, and promoting a positive school climate; describe their instructional leadership practices; and co-design an instructional leadership enhancement toolkit. The study employed an explanatory sequential mixed methods design with an intervention-development component. Quantitative data was gathered from 130 teachers using Hallinger's Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (PIMRS), while qualitative data was collected through interviews and focus group discussions with nine head teachers. Weighted mean, standard deviation, and thematic analysis were used in analyzing the data. Findings revealed that head teachers demonstrated instructional leadership to a very great extent across the three dimensions. Strong practices were evident in goal communication, instructional monitoring, curriculum coordination, staff participation, and recognition systems. Qualitative findings further showed that instructional leadership practices were goal-driven, data-informed, coaching-oriented, collaborative, and responsive to school contexts. The integrated findings indicate that the instructional leadership practices among secondary school head teachers is shaped by both measurable leadership practices and contextual experiences. The co-design process resulted in an enhanced instructional leadership toolkit that was practical, supportive, adaptable, and contextsensitive. The study concluded that the toolkit may serve as a useful guide for strengthening instructional leadership and school improvement efforts.

School systems in Australia, and internationally, are focused on improving classroom teaching and learning to enhance student outcomes. Middle leaders (MLs) are increasingly required to lead school-based development initiatives to improve classroom practices. Informed by previous research on middle-leading and the theory of practice architectures, a survey instrument was created to understand who Australian school MLs are (n = 199) and ascertain their perceptions of the practices central to leading teaching and learning in their school sites. Through descriptive, exploratory, and confirmatory factor analyses, this paper reports on the reported practices of Australian MLs, and, through the analysis, a revised ML practice model is proposed. The results confirm that ML practices are orientated to the people they lead in their school site, who they support, collaborate with, and advocate for, with practising leading upwards to the school principal identified as an important ML practice.

The CST is one of 7 national Content Centers in a federal network of 22 Comprehensive Centers. The U.S. Department of Education charges the centers with building the capacity of state education agencies (SEAs) to assist districts and schools in meeting student achievement goals. The goal of the CST is to provide technical assistance and to identify, synthesize, and disseminate research-based practices and emerging promising practices that will lead to the increased capacity of SEAs to support districts in turning around their lowest-performing schools.

Responding to the call for "Short Notes on the State of Educational Change and Its Future," I reflect on changes explicitly and implicitly articulated through twentyfive years of Journal of Educational Change scholarship and educational change scholarship more broadly, particularly external actors' increasing prominence in and control over educational change. I then argue we must look to educators' resistance to those private forces as a map to returning the power of change to educators.

In the Philippines and around the globe, the call for educational reforms and advancement stresses the need for a scientifically literate population ready for the challenges of working in the twenty-first century. Accordingly, this study aims to investigate the effect of the community–based learning activity packet in enhancing the three domains of knowledge of scientific literacy among grade 9 students of Palahanan Integrated National High School. Based on the results of the study, it was found that there is a significant difference between the pretest and post-test scores in the scientific literacy test of the respondents exposed to the community–based learning activity packet in terms of the three domains of knowledge of scientific literacy. Thus, it is concluded that this hypothesis is not supported by evidence. With this, the following recommendations are recommended: (1) teachers may enhance the community–based learning activity packet by providing more contextualized locale conditions, (2) teachers may also consider incorporating additional reflection and group work activities specifically designed for the improvement of the epistemic knowledge of the students, (3) teachers may also consider the use community – based learning to other areas of scientific literacy like scientific competencies and attitudes, and (4) future researchers may try to use community – based learning in elementary or senior high school in nurturing students interests in science. The development of scientific literacy among students is important, as it holds immense significance not only within the bounds of academic endeavor but also in the real world.

Project TAB 3.0 (Tanim Ko, Alaga Ko, Benta Ko) aimed to enhance learners’ agricultural literacy, entrepreneurial skills, environmental awareness, and community engagement through experiential and community-based learning. The study employed a mixed-methods research design involving junior high school learners from Grades 7 to 9 at San Gregorio Integrated School during School Year 2025–2026. Total population sampling was utilized. Data were collected through observation checklists, survey questionnaires, reflection journals, interviews, focus group discussions, and productivity reports. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used to analyze quantitative and qualitative data, while correlation analysis was applied to determine relationships among variables. Findings revealed that learners demonstrated high proficiency in agricultural practices and entrepreneurial skills. Environmental engagement and values formation were also highly evident among participants. A significant positive relationship was found between agricultural-entrepreneurial integration and learner motivation. These results indicated that contextualized, hands-on learning effectively improved learners’ competencies, engagement, and values development. The study concluded that integrating agriculture, entrepreneurship, and community partnerships fosters holistic and sustainable learning. It is recommended that schools may strengthen agri-tech integration, expand stakeholder partnerships, and incorporate similar experiential programs across grade levels to sustain and scale the initiative.

This study employed a descriptive-correlational design to examine how School Improvement Plan (SIP) strategies in 23 junior high schools affect student reading outcomes. Surveys from administrators, teachers, and parents measured how SIP elements—input, planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation—influenced reading motivation, habits, and engagement. The main finding was that integrating evidence-based SIP strategies into daily school routines, particularly through institutionalization and ongoing capacity-building, led to significant improvements in reading outcomes. Students showed increased interest and engagement in reading, but regular habits still lagged. The study found that having SIP resources alone is insufficient; integrating them into school culture and providing continuous training are essential for reading achievement. Stakeholder consensus confirmed that collaboration through SIP is vital to fostering literacy. No literature was cited in this summary. Keywords: school improvement, reading motivation, institutionalization, student engagement, evidence-based strategies, junior high schools, literacy programs

This research examined the instructional leadership and supervisory skills of master teachers, emphasizing their influence on school improvement while considering professional attributes as a moderating factor. The study aimed to analyze the connections between leadership practices, teachers' pedagogical abilities, and student performance, employing a correlational research design through surveys administered to teachers in selected public secondary schools in Sto. Tomas, Batangas.

The results indicated that master teachers exhibited strong leadership in professional development, management, and classroom support, leading to notable enhancements in lesson planning, instructional delivery, and assessment practices. The analysis identified positive correlations among instructional leadership, supervisory skills, pedagogical competence, and student outcomes, with assessment and feedback emerging as particularly significant. Although professional attributes did not significantly moderate the relationship between leadership and student performance, they did impact pedagogical competence. The study concludes that master teachers are vital in improving instructional quality and overall school performance.

The main purpose of the study was to determine principals' application of personnel and financial management practices for effective administration of secondary schools in Awka Education zone, Anambra State, Nigeria. Two research questions guided the study and two hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. Descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. The population of the study comprised 116 principals made up of 61 public secondary schools principals and 55 private secondary school principals in the zone. Instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire developed by the researchers. The instrument was validated by three experts in business education. The instrument was further subjected to reliability testing through a pilot test on 20 principals, ten from private and ten from public secondary schools in Enugu State who were not included in the population of the study. The application of Cronbach Alpha on the obtained data yielded coefficient values of 0.78 and 0.82 for the two clusters of the instrument with an overall reliability coefficient of 0.80. Data collected were analyzed using mean, standard deviation and t-test. Findings of the study revealed that principals in public and private secondary schools applied personnel and financial management practices for effective administration of secondary schools to a moderate extent, and that public and private secondary school principals did not differ in their mean ratings on their application of personnel and financial management practices for effective administration of secondary schools in Awka Education Zone, Anambra State, Nigeria. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that the Post Primary School Service Commission should organize training programmes and conferences for principals in secondary school where they will be educated on the need to understand the strategies for motivating and rewarding staff for greater performance on the job.

This study investigated the Effects of Innovations in Science Teaching
for Nurturing Curiosity and Critical Thinking on Secondary School
Students. It explored the evolving landscape of science education,
focusing on innovative pedagogical approaches that aim to enhance
students' curiosity and critical thinking skills. The study analyzes a
variety of teaching methods, including inquiry-based learning,
project-based learning, and the integration of technology in the
classroom. The quasi-experimental design was adopted in the study.
Three research questions were raised and with the corresponding
three null hypotheses. 84 SSII students were purposively selected.
The instruments used for data collection were validated by experts in
Science Education. “Students Engagement and Interest in Science
Questionnaire” (SEISQ) and Teachers’ Challenges and
Effectiveness of Teaching Methods Questionnaire (TCAEFTMQ).
Data was analyzed using Mean, Standard deviation and ANCOVA.
The findings revealed that when teachers employ innovative teaching
strategies, students are more likely to engage with the material, ask
probing questions, and develop the critical thinking skills necessary
for success in the 21st century. Recommendations based on the
findings includes among others; professional development and
training should be provided to teachers to equip them with the skills
and knowledge necessary to implement innovative teaching
strategies effectively and Curriculum developers and educators
should integrate innovative teaching methods into the science
curriculum.

Achieving sustainable success requires organizations to utilize a
variety of strategic approaches. In order to satisfy strict quality
requirements, all staff members—from top managers to frontline
personnel—are expected to exhibit outstanding performance and an
unwavering dedication to ongoing improvement. Initiatives like
Quality Circles (QCs) are established with the express objective of
increasing operational effectiveness and overall quality results.
Similarly, employees in educational institutions must consistently
perform effectively in order to lead necessary changes and
enhancements that improve the standard of service for all
stakeholders.This study explicitly examined the impact of the Teacher
Quality Circle (TQC) on teaching performance. This revealed that
while TQC effectively fostered employee involvement, team spirit,
and an improved working environment, and aided in constructing a
stronger professional knowledge base among teachers, the analysis
revealed that TQC did not have a statistically significant impact on
teaching performance. This outcome, consistent with research,
signifies difficulties in identifying and measuring the direct effects of
collaborative administrative procedures on complex classroom
outcomes. Factors such as teaching experience, current workload,
and specialized training received were likely more influential
contributors to their performance level. Notwithstanding the non-
significant impact on performance metrics, teachers rated the TQC
as "very satisfactory," indicating its value in encouraging peer
collaboration. Therefore, the proposed teacher enhancement
program is designed to build upon the TCQ’s success in fostering
collaboration. This focused intervention will significantly booster
teacher effectiveness by directly enhancing the quality of
instructional delivery in the classroom targeting instructional skill to
drive measurable performance improvement.

The issue of school improvement is complex, and although reform initiatives have emanated from positive intentions for schools, many have been detrimental to school culture. Collaborative school culture has been cited as an essential element of school improvement; thus, a need exists to better understand how principals perceive and shape collaborative school cultures. This study examined leadership approaches and workplace conditions critical to the development of collaborative school cultures. The importance of the principal’s role in shaping collaborative culture is often noted in the literature. Using a sequential mixed methods explanatory research approach, the study consisted of two phases that employed quantitative and qualitative measures. Massachusetts’ principals (1,773) were contacted by email to participate in an on-line survey, with 261 principals completing the survey, resulting in a response rate of 15%. Ten telephone interviews were conducted after survey results were...

This study investigates the role of school leaders in implementing the
School Improvement Program (SIP) in selected schools in Jigjiga
City, Ethiopia. Recognizing the importance of education as a tool for
societal development, the research aims to address the gaps in
leadership roles related to SIP execution. Utilizing a mixed-method
approach, data were collected through questionnaires, interviews,
focus group discussions, document analysis, and observations
involving teachers, principals, and educational experts. The findings
reveal that the majority of respondents are young and possess first-
degree qualifications, with a notable representation of male leaders.
The study indicates that while school leaders demonstrate moderate
involvement in planning and coordination during the preparation
stage of SIP, their effectiveness in assessment procedures and
instructional supervision is limited. Consequently, this inadequacy
hampers the overall success of SIP implementation.
Recommendations include enhancing stakeholder participation,
prioritizing critical issues in SIP planning, and providing targeted
training for school leaders to foster effective teaching methodologies.
The study underscores the necessity for improved leadership
practices to elevate educational quality and achieve the objectives of
the School Improvement Program.

Australia's largest schooling system, the NSW Department of Education, is in a period of unprecedented change as the Department of Education initiates a range of reforms. One critical reform occurred in 2014 when the Department of Education and the New South Wales Teachers' Federation agreed to link teachers' salaries with accreditation. For the first time, all Department of Education principals, executives and teachers must complete an annual Performance and Development Plan. This article describes the work of a team of academics from the School of Education, Southern Cross University, and the Department of Education school leaders in northern NSW, exploring opportunities to accomplish school improvement through the "North Coast Initiative for School Improvement" (NCISI). The impetus for this initiative is based on the work of Alberta academics and researchers, Dr. David Townsend and Dr. Pamela Adams. The approach is based upon small teams, comprising a member of a school district's central office, a district principal and university academics, who once a month visit the leadership team of a school in order to build instructional leadership. This process involves the use of a guiding question, generative dialogue and a collaborative inquiry methodology. Early findings indicate the NCISI's approach is having positive impact leadership growth, through collaboration. Key elements of trust and professional identity have developed within teams. The very positive reaction of school communities to the project in its early stages is heartening and shows that there is a strong desire by school leaders to draw upon collaborative support in order to grow professionally. The project also demonstrates a strong level of commitment from a regional university to build productive relationships with schools.

A nonformális tanulás közben a tanulási folyamatot keretek közé szorító tudományos határok feloldódnak, megváltozik a tanulók tudáshoz és tanuláshoz való viszonya, sikereket és közös élményeket szereznek, önbecsülésük és önismeretük magasabb szintre lép.

This manuscript reports on the initial findings from a study of two district's efforts to improve the instructional leadership of principals, and lead teacher coaches in collaboration with an external support provider who provided learning-focused professional development for the districts' leaders. Researchers collected pre-and postintervention data on forty-four (44) principals and district coaches from within the two districts, one a mid-sized urban district in Southern California, and the other a small town district from northwest Washington State, engaged in a strategic partnership with an external support organization that provided coaching and professional development sessions focused on improving leaders knowledge and skills to analyze instruction and lead instructional improvement. The study specifically inquired whether leaders' ability to analyze a videotaped lesson segment changed over the course of one year's work in this process. Leaders viewed a brief lesson segment on two separate occasions, approximately one year apart, and wrote narrative responses about what they observed that were analyzed by researchers. A research-based rubric for assessing responses was developed featuring thirteen sub-dimensions of instructional practice. Analysis of leaders' responses indicate that statistically significant improvements occurred in their individual abilities to critically analyze instruction over the course of the study, suggesting leaders in the context for study improved in their ability to analyze instruction and consider ways that their analysis informed comments to teachers and shaped potential decisions about professional development.

THE NOTION of a gifted leader of change conjures up powerful and enduring icons. Images of founding fathers, presidents, CEOs, and leaders of sweeping social reforms are institutionalized in our collective consciousness. The field of education has celebrated its share of individuals exercising this kind of leadership. From Horace Mann's leadership of the common school movement in the 1840s, through to examples of modern day school reformers like Deborah Meier, the educational literature is replete with extraordinary people of vision and action, who have led their respective schools, districts or systems to achieve good results for children, often despite overwhelmingly difficult circumstances. Such cases of singular greatness in educational leadership, compounded by remarkably enduring early 20th century theories about managing schools , subtly perpetuate a collective myth. This myth promotes the expectation that the solutions to the myriad educational woes found in districts and schools across America is tightly wrapped up in finding the right persons to fill those formal roles at or near the top of the education hierarchy-principals, district ad-

Acknowledgement I thank Lakselv High School for agreeing to be named and featured in this article. I especially thank Sylvi Josefine Johnsen, Principal of Lakselv High School for her willingness to share insights and experiences as well as providing access to school documents

The purpose of this study was to explore and contextualize leadership development practices of secondary school principals in Oromia National Regional State using a parallel mixed research design. Data were collected from 48 principals and four education officials via questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and qualitative data through thematic categorization. The findings of the study revealed that the majority (68.8%) of public secondary school principals were assigned to principalship positions without any form of leadership preparation and, hence, were found to be underqualified to lead at this particular level. Exacerbating the problem, a considerable number of them had no appreciable experiences in school principalship. The study further indicated that professional development opportunities were scarce, mostly consisting of self-initiated activities such as unstructured daily experiences and reading guidelines. Education office-led initiatives were also sporadic and unsystematic, focusing on experience sharing, school visits by supervisors, and occasional meetings at the Woreda level. Despite the Federal Ministry of Education's efforts to establish policies for professionalizing educational leadership, there remains a significant gap between policy and practice, implying that these initiatives have not been effectively implemented on the ground.

As a diagnostic intervention for schools failing to meet school improvement goals, Kentucky used a scholastic audit process based on nine standards and 88 associated indicators called the Standards and Indicators for School Improvement (SISI). Schools are rated on a scale of 1-4 on each indicator, with a score of 3 considered as fully functional (Kentucky Department of Education [KDE], 2002). As part of enacting the legislation, KDE was required to also audit a random sample of schools that did meet school improvement goals; thereby identifying practices present in improving schools that are not present in those failing to improve. These practices were referred to as variance points, and were reported to school leaders annually. Variance points have differed from year to year, and the methodology used by KDE was unclear. Moreover, variance points were reported for all schools without differentiating based upon the level of school (elementary, middle, or high). In this study, we established a transparent methodology for variance point determination that differentiates between elementary, middle, and high schools.

As a diagnostic intervention (Bowles, Churchill, Effrat, & McDermott, 2002) for schools failing to meet school improvement goals, Ken-tucky used a scholastic audit process based on nine standards and 88 associated indicators called the Standards and Indicators for School Improvement (SISI). Schools are rated on a scale of 1–4 on each indicator, with a score of 3 considered as fully functional (Kentucky De-partment of Education [KDE], 2002). As part of enacting the legislation, KDE was required to also audit a random sample of schools that did meet school improvement goals; thereby identifying practices present in improving schools that are not present in those failing to improve. These practices were referred to as variance points, and were reported to school leaders annually. Variance points have differed from year to year, and the methodology used by KDE was unclear. Moreover, variance points were reported for all schools without differentiating based upon the level of school (ele...

Scottish policy developments in initial teacher education, professional standards and careerlong professional learning reflect a growing understanding of the leadership role teachers can play, particularly in curriculum and pedagogy, in improving the experiences and outcomes of pupils. In the policy rhetoric of re-professionalisation, unpromoted teachers liberate their professional creativity, leading ‘bottom-up’ approaches to school improvement. However, there are policy and conceptual tensions in the construction of ‘teacher leadership’, the related term ‘teacher leader’ and the practice realities experienced by teachers seeking to play this leadership role in their professional settings. This article explores these tensions in a small-scale mixed methods study of teachers participating in Masters-level ‘leadership development’ programmes. The study considers the policy and practice environments, motivations, supports and barriers that faced these Scottish teachers seeking to deve...

The butterfly's wings are always flapping. In education, our responsibility is to notice them early, to ask what might seem invisible, to explore what isn't written down, and to plan not only for implementation, but for interaction with the local environment. The key is to begin with outcome clarity. If the destination is shared and understood, then variation in the journey should not be feared, rather it should be expected. Every school's pathway to improvement will be different, shaped by its people, culture, and leadership ecology.

W.H. Auden's 1939 poem, "Epitaph on a Tyrant," serves as a concentrated psychological and political biopsy of the dictatorial ego. Written on the precipice of World War II, the poem identifies the "perfectionist" impulse and the manipulation of "human folly" as the primary engines of global catastrophe. This article argues that Auden's diagnostic remains hauntingly applicable to the 21st century. By analysing the "easy poetry" of contemporary propaganda and the systemic complicity of modern "senators," we can discern the literary echoes of the 1930s in today's geopolitical tensions. The study posits that the road to a Third World War is paved with the same aesthetic and moral failures Auden identified nearly a century ago: the transition from human apathy to systemic violence, especially after being outnumbered by those who clap for tyrants.

Os estudos publicados no campo da inovação educacional têm procurado mais disseminar experiências do que compreendê-las na sua complexidade. Narram, em geral, experiências educativas, a partir de alguns indicadores de qualidade, mas geralmente não se ancoram em marcos teóricos desenvolvidos sobre o conceito de inovação em educação. Por sua vez, a retórica da inovação parece fazer parte do discurso educativo predominante, chegando alguns autores a considerar que se tornou mesmo numa trendy buzzword e a alertar para que, na corrida para se tornarem inovadores, escolas e sistemas podem mascarar de consumismo a pedagogia. Este artigo faz uma revisão de literatura de tipo narrativo e exploratório, não sistemática (Ferenhof e Fernandes, 2016), que se insere numa investigação de doutoramento em curso sobre inovação educacional numa rede de escolas, em Portugal. Visa contribuir para dar consistência à pesquisa a empreender e clarificar os conceitos em torno da inovação em educação: compreen...

Social studies is seen as a more digestible integrated or interdisciplinary subject by the mode at which its contents are drawn from certain numbers of subject disciplines. This study seeks to determine the perceptions of teachers about the concept of integration in social studies curriculum. This descriptive study was carried out with 80 social studies teachers at the junior secondary schools level in Ekiti state, Nigeria. An instrument was used to establish the extent at which the concept of integration is perceived by social studies teachers. The results of the study showed that majority of the social studies teachers are not knowledgeable about the concept of integration, therefore, making its application in the teaching of social studies difficult. The researchers concluded that teachers should be resourceful and innovative in order to make learning more relevant for the benefit of the child being taught in the classroom and the nation as a whole.

As instructional leaders, master teachers and department heads are equally important in harnessing commendable scholastic performance for both teachers and students. This paper explored the case on how science master teachers and department heads practice on science instructional leadership, thereby creating an in-depth description and analysis of their ideals and realities. An electronic open-ended survey questionnaire and semi-structured individual interviews with six participants were used to collect data. Findings revealed that the practices of master teachers and department heads on coordinating the science curriculum dimension include fostering professional development among science teachers, providing technical assistance to science teachers, and organizing programs, projects and activities related to science. Meanwhile, ensuring instructional competence of science teachers and performing classroom observation as prescribed by Department of Education are their practices under supervising and evaluating science instructions. For monitoring student's progress, participants' practices include focusing diverse assessment strategies towards science process skills. This study also unveiled that the participants faced dilemma in their role as instructional leaders because of additional tasks aside from the prescribed duties and responsibilities of science master teachers and department heads expected from them. Moreover, documentary analysis disclosed that the instructional leadership of science master teachers and department heads significantly influences the school performance. Further study on the relationship between instructional competence of school leaders to its performance indicators is warranted.

This study investigates stakeholder engagement and the challenges faced in implementing the School Improvement Program (SIP) in selected secondary schools in Jigjiga City, Ethiopia. Utilizing a mixed-method approach, data were collected through questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, document analysis, and observations. The study population included 311 teachers, 4 principals, 4 vice principals, and various education office experts, with a sample comprising 160 teachers and key stakeholders. The analysis focused on identifying the roles of stakeholders in SIP implementation and the challenges faced by school leaders. Findings revealed that while school leaders exhibited low levels of engagement in strategic management and community involvement, challenges such as financial constraints, poor communication, and limited stakeholder participation significantly hindered effective implementation. The results highlighted the necessity for enhanced collaboration, better resource management, and increased commitment among stakeholders to overcome these challenges. Recommendations include fostering parent partnerships, improving communication strategies, and implementing a structured monitoring and evaluation program to support SIP initiatives. This study aims to inform educational stakeholders about the critical areas needing attention to facilitate the successful execution of SIP in secondary schools.

Kathryn Parker Boudett, Elizabeth A. City, and Richard J. Murnane (editors). Data Wise: A Step-by-Step Guide to Using Assessment Results to Improve Teaching and Learning. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press. 2005. 212 pages. $29.95. Companion volume: Data Wise in Action: Stories of Schools Using Data to Improve Teaching and Learning. 2008. 220 pages. $29.95. Both available from Harvard Education Publishing Group. 888437-1437. www.hepg.org.

Exploring how to use the Blueprint for Maryland's Future to accelerate improvement and systemic change Three Stories from Allegany County Public Schools October 2025 This Spotlight Practices Brief provides case narratives describing how three schools implemented and piloted collaborative teaming structures, new leadership and teacher roles, and approaches to improving core and tiered instruction. The Brief describes the accomplishments and challenges in each school and is intended to inform district-level planning and implementation of Blueprint policies.

Exploring how to use the Blueprint for Maryland's Future to accelerate improvement and systemic change Four Stories from Calvert County Public Schools November 2025 This Spotlight Practices Brief provides case narratives describing how four schools are organized to improve teaching and learning, focusing on collaborative teaming structures, leadership and teacher roles, and multi-tiered systems of support. The Brief intends to inform district-level planning and implementation of Blueprint policies.

Suele atribuirse la condición de Comunidad Profesional de Aprendizaje a aquellas instituciones donde el aprendizaje colaborativo entre docentes estimula la reflexión sobre la enseñanza y alienta el compromiso del profesorado con la mejora. El objetivo de la investigación consiste en identificar, describir y comprender las prácticas de liderazgo vinculadas al desarrollo de CPA en dos escuelas donde se promueven aprendizajes colaborativos a través de la experimentación y la reflexión colectiva. Optamos por un estudio de casos instrumental de corte etnográfico en el que intentamos identificar las prácticas de liderazgo que promueven el aprendizaje colectivo entre profesores. Encontramos que estas directoras desarrollan estrategias y condiciones similares en sus centros: la creación de tiempo y aprendizajes sintonizados, la colaboración estratégica, las conversaciones pedagógicas y el desarrollo de liderazgos docentes. Además, ostentan un liderazgo confiable, ejemplar y sostenible. Cons...

We have a system that is unable to keep students excited about their own learning and educational performance. In light of this situation it is the responsibility of educators to make a broad and global reflection on what must be changed and how this change may be managed. We believe that change is possible and there is no objective more necessary for society than investing in its future project. This paper proposes an exhaustive analysis of the current situation of the secondary school teachers and from there on justifies the change through the teaching practice based on innovation and with a better training in pedagogical and didactical issues.

Introduction/Purpose/Conceptual Framework Over the decades, the US Federal Government has invested billions of dollars, intellectual resources, and human capital to assist partners globally with addressing challenges related to development and human welfare. This support has reached across many sectors, including agricultural and food security, human rights and governance, health, water and sanitation, and education (USAID, 2018). Accordingly, federal agencies have sought efficient models for accomplishing the work in light of an increasing world population relying on finite resources.