A Research Study On School Improvement Plans

Change is difficult, making changes in schools can be extremely difficult. Schools have many moving components; students, teachers, parents, the community and the required curriculum. Schools have to contend with numerous outside factors that are beyond their control. With all the things that contribute to the running of a school change is not easy, making significant changes can be extremely challenging. Change cannot be facilitated if the problems or concerns are not identified. The identification of problems can be one of the most difficult steps. When identifying problems, it is best to use data to support the need for change rather than personal feelings.

around School Site a and its instructional leadership structure (Gall, Gall, & Borg, 2003, p. 437). As part of this in-depth case study, I purposely designed research that would encompass the experience of teachers, teacher leaders, school administration and district administration. Through thorough analysis, I was able to triangulate the data in order to use ?different methods with different strengths and limitations to see if they all support the same conclusions? (Maxwell, 2013, p. 102). From the findings of the data found in the in-depth case study, the Guide was created. After original creation of the Guide, a second stage of data collection took place to access the relevancy and usefulness of the Guide. Both sets of findings are included in this chapter. For ease and understanding, I have labeled the states of data collection as Stage One and Stage Two. Stage One data collection encompassed survey, individual interviews, and focus group interviews that informed the findings and analysis in this chapter. Stage two includes results from a pilot survey and twelve individual interviews around the usefulness of the Guide and suggestions for

Hypothesis is typically used in quantitative research only. Moreover, when a question poses an inquiry on the relationship between two variables, a hypothesis is a statement declarative in nature of the relationship between different variables (Pajares 2007). A researcher chooses whether to use a question or a hypothesis depending on the purpose of the research, its objectives, the methodology for the research and the preference of the audience to receive the research. A researcher must be able to interpret the final outcome with reference to the research questions or the hypothesis used (Pajares 2007). A research requires a minimum of two hypotheses namely a null and an alternative hypothesis.

4.Be sure to include a discussion of the research problem, questions, method, findings, and implications discussed by the authors.

In the literature review, process and develop a conceptual framework of the issue or problem that is being researched. This section should present a comprehensive review of the historical and current literature on the topic. The literature review should:

Results (what were the basic results of the study, how did the authors draw conclusions, how did they display their data, are their conclusions justified) (1pt)

2) The systematic design, collection, analysis, and reporting of data and findings relevant to a specific

After reading the report, one could characterize current teacher evaluation practices as little more than missed opportunities to increase the effectiveness of teachers and assure that the best teachers stayed in front of students. Practitioners generally agreed with the premise of the critique, and confirmed the identified evaluation weaknesses as both common and wide-spread among school districts. Using teacher effect research and the validity of value-added measures as a platform, and armed with the belief that the sample practices were representative of those in districts across the country, the authors of The Widget Effect urged educational leaders and policy makers to implement specific teacher evaluation reforms, many of which informed (or mirrored) those becoming increasingly prevalent in federal and state

After the training, the administrators in my building met to discuss the direction of Russell

Assessing is a major priority in the school system because this is the only way principals are aware of the progress their students and teachers are producing. It is recommended that principals meet monthly with other administrators to stay up to date on the current changes in the curriculum, instruction, and assessments. The school leadership teams must ensure that they are choosing instructional works that have high success rates for enhancing student achievement. If the data results from the assessment show that the majority of students are not producing learning gains, the school’s principal should sit down with the teacher to discuss and reevaluate the lessons that are being taught.

Schools are facing major issues due to several reasons discussed by superintendents and principals. These issues hinder the learning curriculum standards set by the government. The No Child Left Behind Act is a mandate set forth by the federal government. “The major focus of No Child Left Behind is to close student achievement gaps by providing all children with a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education.” But they still face a dilemma, they need talented leaders to meet the challenges of schools and districts. In order to fulfill the Act set forth by the government, these talented leaders are essential for schools in order to fulfill the “promise of excellence and opportunity for all children”. There are numerous issues discussed that have been found to have the most impact on school and district improvement. The first is money and mandates, not to my surprise. Insufficient funding is the biggest challenge faced by superintendents and principals. Even when the money is there, the mandates pose a problem. It’s like a circle of issues that they cannot get out of. There

Love, N., Stiles, K., Mundry, S., & DiRanna, K. (2008). The data coach’s guide to improving

In order to make improvements in one’s negotiating skills, it is necessary to determine one’s current communication skills and negotiating style. The use of tools, such as The Personal Bargaining Inventory and Communication Competence Scale questionnaires can assist one in determining these skills. Developing an improvement plan, taking into consideration the five negotiating strategies, ten best practices of negotiating skills, and current communication skills and negotiating style will provide one with a tool to assist in improving one’s negotiating skills.

Effective school leadership today must combine the traditional school leadership duties such as teacher evaluation, budgeting, scheduling, and facilities maintenance with a deep involvement with specific aspects of teaching and learning. Effective instructional leaders are intensely involved in curricular and instructional issues that directly affect student achievement (Cotton, 2003). The writer of this paper acknowledges that school principals should play the role of instructional leaders, not just a school manager. The reality is that are many demands on a principals time and management skills making it difficult for most of them to spend time in classrooms, when performing teacher evaluation. Principals often make sure that teachers

A review of the literature provides more detailed information on the chosen topic. Its purpose is to give the researcher knowledge that will form the foundation for his or her study and therefore, the information must be related to the topic. Not only does it provide basic information on the variables in the topic but also covers various relatable studies conducted in the past; how, where they were conducted, and the conclusions that the researcher(s) came to. Literature can be obtained from a wide variety of sources; newspapers, journals, databases, books, encyclopedias, digital sources, and much more. Information obtained in this section helps the researcher understand the magnitude of the problem defined in the first stage, recognize any consequences and gaps that other researchers may have not filled, and identify potential strategies to combat the problem. It serves as a secondary source of information. Based on