Charter schools are the most popular alternative to traditional public schooling in the United States. The majority of research indicates positive effects of charter schools on student performance in traditional public schools. Most studies use the share of charter school students enrolled as a measure of the competitive pressure of charter schools. We contend that competitive pressure on traditional public schools also comes from an alternative teaching environment provided by charter schools. A teacher may be attracted to the freedom that a charter school provides, which can empower them to be innovative. These changes can spill over to traditional public schools. We empirically examine the impact this choice for teachers has on student performance in traditional public schools. We measure student performance by the percentage of 8^th-grade students that attain proficiency level and above on National Assessment of Educational Progress exams. Our results indicate a positive relationship between teacher freedom in charter schools and the performance of traditional public school students.

This study investigates the utility of existing measures of Oral Reading Fluency (ORF), reading retell, and language proficiency for predicting reading achievement among Spanish speaking English language learners in the United States. Consistent with previous findings, ORF predicts a large proportion of the variance in reading achievement. Additionally, retell and language proficiency are significant predictors above and beyond ORF. These findings support the potential utility of using existing measures for monitoring the reading progress of students who are second language learners within a district. Implications for policymakers are discussed.

All students should feel safe and included in educational contexts.  Mission and values statements typically reflect this sentiment, but national, state, and local surveys indicate that some student groups continue to experience marginalization.  Through these surveys, LGBTQIA+ students report that they perceive the school environment to be hostile.  They do not experience equitable access to education.  In recognition of this inequity, one public high school district in California initiated a task force to develop greater inclusivity in its schools.  This paper analyzes their efforts from an ethical perspective and a focus on leadership.

Schools across America are losing teachers at an alarming rate.  Changing workforce demographics forecasted some level of loss decades ago.  More recently, however, it has been noted declines are now reaching a crisis level across parts of the United States for a variety of reasons.  Today the prevailing professional literature addressing public education largely identifies financial limitations as the primary force behind these teacher shortages.  Research has only recently started to include other alternative factors such as working conditions and personal satisfaction in the conversation surrounding potential reasons for the ongoing loss of teachers.  This article introduces findings from a newly completed study in Arizona that confirmed classroom conditions, and most notably student discipline concerns, appear to be important considerations for teachers who are contemplating leaving their current positions. These findings contribute to the scope of the existing literature.  They also advance practical implications about implementing initiatives to advance school improvement and in particular to combat teacher attrition.  Finally, the article advances possible policy considerations and modifications in professional practice that could be targeted to improve classroom climate and contribute to teacher recruitment and retention successes.

While the bond between teachers and students continues to remain at the center of any quality education, of late technology has played an expanding role in reshaping instruction, daily operations, facilities management, as well as communication within and outside of schools. As it would happen, much of the innovation education increasingly relies upon is actually driven by designers and distributors largely responding to market forces more so than educational pedagogy, research or policy. This research-based policy-centered article concerns itself with how well educational leaders have kept up with technological innovation, including how communication has or has not been addressed from a school governance standpoint. Specifically, it presents direct findings from a newly completed study in Arizona that focused on parent perceptions and the implications of digitally-based communication efforts between schools and home. This original research was limited to Arizona, though it revealed multiple areas where policy may easily overlook important elements of the bond between educators and parents in addition to legal requirements tied to federal funds. Ultimately this article advances important policy and practice considerations aimed at helping to ensure a quality working relationship with parents and guardians.