{"title":"Grading Principles in Pandemic-Era Learning: Recommendations and Implications for Secondary School Leaders","authors":"M. Townsley","doi":"10.32674/JSARD.V5IS1.2760","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.32674/JSARD.V5IS1.2760","url":null,"abstract":"As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded in K-12 education, school leaders quickly pivoted from prioritizing continuous instruction and technology access to the output, grades. In response to these unprecedented times, secondary schools utilized “do no harm” grading methods, such as freezing previous grades and replacing letter grades with pass-fail. The purpose of this essay is to describe grading principles that secondary school leaders should consider during future pandemic era learning, and to suggest implications based upon previous literature.","PeriodicalId":36489,"journal":{"name":"Journal of School Administration Research and Development","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46252010","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Leading Through a Pandemic: Adaptive Leadership and Purposeful Action","authors":"Jack Bagwell","doi":"10.32674/JSARD.V5IS1.2781","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.32674/JSARD.V5IS1.2781","url":null,"abstract":"As the coronavirus pandemic continues to reshape education, schools have had to adapt to a teaching reality that is increasingly more complex and uncertain. School leaders who take an adaptive leadership approach and leverage key leadership practices can support their schools in navigating the challenges of uncertain educational environments in adaptive ways.","PeriodicalId":36489,"journal":{"name":"Journal of School Administration Research and Development","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44942480","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Considering Standards-based Grading","authors":"M. Townsley","doi":"10.32674/jsard.v4i1.1941","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.32674/jsard.v4i1.1941","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 \u0000Rather than awarding points for a combination of worksheet completion, quiz performance, in-class participation, and essay writing, standards-based grading separates academics from non-academic factors and communicates students' progress towards mastery of course or grade-level standards. Some secondary schools are moving towards standards-based grading (SBG) in an attempt to produce more consistent grading practices, however the empirical evidence resulting from this change is mixed. The purpose of this article is to describe principles of standards-based grading, empirical support of SBG, and several common challenges secondary school leaders may face when considering this philosophical shift. Future research recommendations include exploring the perspectives of college students who graduate from high schools using SBG to understand the longer-term successes and shortcomings of the grading system. \u0000 \u0000 \u0000 \u0000","PeriodicalId":36489,"journal":{"name":"Journal of School Administration Research and Development","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-07-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49547122","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Editor's Note","authors":"J. Kunnath","doi":"10.32674/jsard.v4i1.1937","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.32674/jsard.v4i1.1937","url":null,"abstract":"I am pleased to present the Summer 2019 issue of the Journal of School Administration Research and Development (JSARD), our fourth volume. JSARD publishes scholarly research articles, essays and best practices articles, and commentaries on educational leadership for an audience of K-12 educators, university researchers, and policymakers from around the world. In this new issue, we continue our efforts to maintain a balance between the practical and theoretical this time in the form of one research article, two essays, one best practice article, and one commentary. These articles address various elements of educational leadership from multiple perspectives, but they all address methods of leading a school community to increase student learning.","PeriodicalId":36489,"journal":{"name":"Journal of School Administration Research and Development","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-07-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46413428","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Benefits of Teacher Diversity","authors":"C. Nevarez, Sarah M. Jouganatos, J. Wood","doi":"10.32674/jsard.v4i1.1940","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.32674/jsard.v4i1.1940","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 \u0000This essay articulates the benefits of teacher diversity by illustrating six themes: a) leading for social justice through local and global civic engagement; b) developing an inclusive school culture; c) culturally relevant pedagogy; d) cultural translators and transformers; e) role models; and (f) benefits accrued by White students. The authors draw from evidence in supporting arguments surrounding the benefits accrued when teacher diversity reflects the demographics of students served and the role educational leaders can play in advancing efforts to recruit and retain a diverse faculty pool. They challenge readers to consider the benefits accrued when deliberate efforts to increase teacher diversity are made in light of advancing student academic success. \u0000 \u0000 \u0000 \u0000","PeriodicalId":36489,"journal":{"name":"Journal of School Administration Research and Development","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-07-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44010116","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Systems Thinking for Principals of Learning- Focused Schools","authors":"H. Shaked, Chen Schechter","doi":"10.32674/jsard.v4i1.1939","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.32674/jsard.v4i1.1939","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 \u0000Systems thinking involves attempts to understand and improve complex systems, examines systems holistically, and focuses on the way that a system's constituent parts interrelate. This essay provides examples of how systems thinking can enable principals to demonstrate instructional leadership and nurture learning-focused schools in the current era of complexity, diversity, and accountability. These examples illustrate how systems thinking contributes to developing school curriculum, empowering professional learning communities, and fostering performance data interpretation. Overall, systems thinking offers a comprehensive way of both conceptualizing and practicing leadership for learning within the entire school setting, which leads directly to enhancing the quality of instruction and raising students' achievement. \u0000 \u0000 \u0000 \u0000","PeriodicalId":36489,"journal":{"name":"Journal of School Administration Research and Development","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-07-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44647915","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Teacher Evaluations and Contextualized Self- Efficacy","authors":"Rebeca Mireles-Rios, J. Becchio, Shadi Roshandel","doi":"10.32674/jsard.v4i1.1938","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.32674/jsard.v4i1.1938","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 \u0000Teacher feedback from administrators can play an important role in continuous teacher development, especially in making the classroom safe, challenging, and engaging for all students. In this study, interview data was collected from 28 high school teachers from three different comprehensive high schools within the same school district in Southern California to examine teachers' perceptions of feedback from administrators in the areas of classroom management, instructional feedback, and student engagement. Results indicated that teacher feedback from administrators can play an important role in increasing teachers' self-efficacy. Types of feedback varied depending on the context (classroom management, instructional strategies, and engaging students), individual teacher needs, and the population served. For this reason, feedback from administrators may need to be tailored accordingly. Implications are discussed and may be useful for administrators to conduct teacher evaluations with a set of concrete solutions for teachers in specific areas. \u0000 \u0000 \u0000 \u0000","PeriodicalId":36489,"journal":{"name":"Journal of School Administration Research and Development","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-07-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43006481","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Value in Pursuing the EdD","authors":"John B. Stark","doi":"10.32674/jsard.v4i1.1942","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.32674/jsard.v4i1.1942","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 \u0000With the pressure to continue professional development in the P-12 environment, typically via additional educational degrees, many have exhausted the masters degree-level training and are looking at the doctoral level of degrees. However, considerations of the amount of time and effort involved in pursuing doctoral-level degrees, the financial costs of the work, and confusion around which type of degree to pursue, have combined to create barriers in moving forward. This article is meant to assist in making this decision by talking about the differences between PhD and EdD programs and by advocating for a choice of the EdD. The advantages and value of EdD programs are discussed. \u0000 \u0000 \u0000 \u0000","PeriodicalId":36489,"journal":{"name":"Journal of School Administration Research and Development","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-07-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42002578","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Teacher Absences in the Commonwealth of Virginia","authors":"D. L. Eagle, William J. Glenn","doi":"10.32674/jsard.v3i1.1930","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.32674/jsard.v3i1.1930","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 \u0000The purpose of this study was to analyze selected variables for public schools and districts in Virginia to determine the relationship of school and policy characteristics to teacher absences. This study included two research questions: What is the relationship between certain school district policy provisions and teacher absenteeism? What is the relationship between certain school characteristics and teacher absenteeism? The analysis for this study involved computing descriptive statistics, correlating continuous variables, and running multiple regressions for each dataset (school and district for each year) to determine the predictors of the dependent variable, chronically absent teachers. Although the school models were significant, neither was a particularly strong predictor of chronically absent teachers, only accounting for 15.2% of the variation (2011-2012 model with R2 = .152) and 9.6% of the variation (2013-2014 model with R2 = .096) that is predicted by the independent variables. Nevertheless, there were independent policy and school variables that were significant predictors in both school years. The most prominent variables included total leave, personal leave maximums, income protection provisions (sick leave banks, short-term disability), free and reduced lunch population percentage of a school, pupil/teacher ratio of the school, and the grade level of the school (elementary, middle, and high). \u0000 \u0000 \u0000 \u0000","PeriodicalId":36489,"journal":{"name":"Journal of School Administration Research and Development","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46570752","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Understanding the Stages of Concerns","authors":"M. Abadie, K. Bista","doi":"10.32674/jsard.v3i1.1932","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.32674/jsard.v3i1.1932","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 \u0000This study investigated the initial implementation processes of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in public and private schools in a single Loui- siana district. Results suggested participants’ high level of concern in many aspects of the implementation of the CCSS in public schools related to the timeline and instability of curriculum decisions, which negatively affected teachers’ confidence levels. Private school teachers experienced greater stability in their curricula, a more feasible timeline of implementation, positive professional development, and positive experiences with CCSS implementation, affecting their teacher identity and impact on students. However, public school teachers reported instability in their curricula, difficult timelines of implementation, unsupportive professional development, and overall negative experiences, affecting their teacher identity and impact on students with the implementation of the CCSS. \u0000 \u0000 \u0000 \u0000","PeriodicalId":36489,"journal":{"name":"Journal of School Administration Research and Development","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49511376","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}