This important book expands the concept of inclusion to include students who are English language learners, students with refugee status, children who are LGBTQ, children who live in poverty, and other underrepresented populations. Employing real-world vignettes and up-to-date research findings, this hands-on resource provides strategies that school leaders can employ to improve teaching and learning in their school or classroom for all students. Contributors offer a wide variety of perspectives from the fields of early education, elementary education, special education, educational leadership, testing and assessment, social and psychological foundations, and reading. Book Features: A multidimensional framework for how school systems can adopt effective inclusive leadership practices. Lessons learned from discrete subgroups of students who are often marginalized in schools. An exploration of the role of data with implications for systemic decision-making. Research-based practices and assessment tools for the school and classroom. Engaging vignettes from diverse classrooms and schools.

'This is the best nuts-and-bolts guide for improving teaching and learning in our schools. Carr and Harris have been successful in every school district they have consulted in. Now we have access to their insight and experience in a book that is perfectly laid out with examples and worksheets to guide successful instructional improvement. If you're serious about instructional leadership, this is the one book you need on your desk'-Kenneth W. Eastwood, Superintendent , Middletown City School District, NY Although schools and districts across the country have made notable strides in their instructional programs, educators continue to struggle with developing curriculum that addresses each learner's needs and strengths, is aligned to instruction and assessment, supports standards-based learning, and results in increased student learning. In this book, the authors provide a curriculum and improvement process that not only shows school leaders how to design a strong, coherent curriculum but also leads the reader through the critical processes of implementing and then evaluating that curriculum for instructional improvement. This resource is packed with ready-to-use tools that can be tailored to meet site-specific needs and includes examples from schools and districts, proven strategies, guidelines and worksheets, graphics and vignettes that illustrate key points, and questions that promote reflection. The book addresses key issues, including - How is curriculum put together? - Who should be involved and what should be included? - How should we go about it and how long will it take? - What should be considered during implementation? - How is curriculum evaluated? Whether you are experienced or just getting started, Improving Standards-Based Learning provides an accessible framework with numerous tools for developing a curriculum that can generate substantive improvement in teaching and learning.

'This is the best nuts-and-bolts guide for improving teaching and learning in our schools. Carr and Harris have been successful in every school district they have consulted in. Now we have access to their insight and experience in a book that is perfectly laid out with examples and worksheets to guide successful instructional improvement. If you're serious about instructional leadership, this is the one book you need on your desk'-Kenneth W. Eastwood, Superintendent , Middletown City School District, NY Although schools and districts across the country have made notable strides in their instructional programs, educators continue to struggle with developing curriculum that addresses each learner's needs and strengths, is aligned to instruction and assessment, supports standards-based learning, and results in increased student learning. In this book, the authors provide a curriculum and improvement process that not only shows school leaders how to design a strong, coherent curriculum but also leads the reader through the critical processes of implementing and then evaluating that curriculum for instructional improvement. This resource is packed with ready-to-use tools that can be tailored to meet site-specific needs and includes examples from schools and districts, proven strategies, guidelines and worksheets, graphics and vignettes that illustrate key points, and questions that promote reflection. The book addresses key issues, including - How is curriculum put together? - Who should be involved and what should be included? - How should we go about it and how long will it take? - What should be considered during implementation? - How is curriculum evaluated? Whether you are experienced or just getting started, Improving Standards-Based Learning provides an accessible framework with numerous tools for developing a curriculum that can generate substantive improvement in teaching and learning.

"Moral schools are founded on authenticity, integrity, and democracy. This is an essential guide for educators who are committed to closing the gap between what we believe and what we do as teachers and leaders." -Daniel Baron, Co-director and Senior Fellow National School Reform Faculty Become a more authentic educator by applying your personal values in your professional life! Teachers and administrators can achieve professional growth by discovering who they are on the inside and using that knowledge to effectively meet challenges on the outside. Developed through the authors' extensive experience, this insightful resource presents a comprehensive model for fostering reflection, exploration, and action. The authors synthesize the work of great thinkers in education, including Michael Fullan, Parker J. Palmer, Thomas J. Sergiovanni, Lee G. Bolman, Terrence E. Deal, Robert Nash, and Peter M. Senge, and help educators: View professional challenges as opportunities to learn and grow Act with greater conviction and confidence Celebrate accomplishments Teaching and Leading From the Inside Out provides vignettes, questions, and practical strategies for implementing individual and schoolwide practices to connect internal beliefs and aspirations to external action.

No matter how many times you weigh a pig, all you learn is how much it weighs. If you want to learn something else, you need a different assessment. This sensible book demonstrates the power of classroom assessments to improve both teaching and learning. In clear, straightforward language, the authors explain how well-constructed assessments provide data that is essential to the development of learning opportunities for all students, regardless of their backgrounds. This is an insightful overview of a subject that has, until now, generated far more heat than light. With contributions from teachers and teacher educators, this pragmatic book features: a highly readable overview of a subject that is often over-complicated; concise chapters, illustrated with vignettes from real life in the classroom; directions for integrating assessment results, curriculum expectations, and individual student's learning needs; alternative approaches that have been proven to be useful in assessing the needs of a wide range of students; and, examples of successful collaborations among school staff, based on assessment results, in creating cultures that support teachers and learners.

"Moral schools are founded on authenticity, integrity, and democracy. This is an essential guide for educators who are committed to closing the gap between what we believe and what we do as teachers and leaders." -Daniel Baron, Co-director and Senior Fellow National School Reform Faculty Become a more authentic educator by applying your personal values in your professional life! Teachers and administrators can achieve professional growth by discovering who they are on the inside and using that knowledge to effectively meet challenges on the outside. Developed through the authors' extensive experience, this insightful resource presents a comprehensive model for fostering reflection, exploration, and action. The authors synthesize the work of great thinkers in education, including Michael Fullan, Parker J. Palmer, Thomas J. Sergiovanni, Lee G. Bolman, Terrence E. Deal, Robert Nash, and Peter M. Senge, and help educators: View professional challenges as opportunities to learn and grow Act with greater conviction and confidence Celebrate accomplishments Teaching and Leading From the Inside Out provides vignettes, questions, and practical strategies for implementing individual and schoolwide practices to connect internal beliefs and aspirations to external action.

No matter how many times you weigh a pig, all you learn is how much it weighs. If you want to learn something else, you need a different assessment. This sensible book demonstrates the power of classroom assessments to improve both teaching and learning. In clear, straightforward language, the authors explain how well-constructed assessments provide data that is essential to the development of learning opportunities for all students, regardless of their backgrounds. This is an insightful overview of a subject that has, until now, generated far more heat than light. With contributions from teachers and teacher educators, this pragmatic book features: a highly readable overview of a subject that is often over-complicated; concise chapters, illustrated with vignettes from real life in the classroom; directions for integrating assessment results, curriculum expectations, and individual student's learning needs; alternative approaches that have been proven to be useful in assessing the needs of a wide range of students; and, examples of successful collaborations among school staff, based on assessment results, in creating cultures that support teachers and learners.