High-stakes school accountability policy has assumed a prominent place at the forefront of educational policy debated in the US and in other Western liberal democratic nations such as the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Sweden.
In the US, intense political attention has been focused on accountability, on standardised testing and on the equity effects of both accountability and testing. The great majority of recent debate about educational equity and accountability in US education policy circles has failed to attend to either the dynamism or complexity of these issues, and has, instead, been carried out in a dualistic, good versus evil, fashion. In contrast, the scholarship collected in this edited book moves beyond the prevailing dualism and pushes the discourse about accountability, testing, and educational equity in public schools usefully forward and thus, provides a much-needed resource for researchers, policy makers and practitioners.
After decades of such 'inputs' as how many books are in the school library and the number of computers in the classroom, American education is shining a spotlight on results.

Contents:
1. Introduction, Linda Skrla and James Joseph Scheurich Part 1: The Equity and Accountability Conversation 2. Thinking Carefully about Equity and Accountability, James Joseph Scheurich, Linda Skrla, and Joseph F. Johnson, Jr. 3. Let's treat the Cause, Not the Symptoms: Equity and Accountability in Texas Revisited, Richard Valencia, Angela Valenzuela, Kris Sloan, and Douglas Foley 4. Continuing the Conversation on Equity and Accountability, James Joseph Scheurich and Linda Skrla Part 2: The Effect of Accountability Policy on Educational Equity 5. Accountability for Equity: Can State Policy Leverage Social Justice?, Linda Skrla, James Joseph Scheurich, Joseph F. Johnson, Jr., and James W. Koschoreck 6. Response to Skrla et al. The Illusion of Educational Equity in Texas: A Commentary on "Accountability for Equity", Walter Haney 7. Response to Skrla et al: Is There a Connection Between Educational Equity and Accountability?, Stephen P. Klein 8. Complex and Contested Constructions of Accountability and Educational Equity, Linda Skrla, James Joseph Scheurich, Joseph F. Johnson, Jr., and James W. Koschoreck Part 3: Equity-Focused Research and Responses to Accountability 9. Displacing Deficit Thinking in School District Leadership, Linda Skrla and James Joseph Scheurich 10. Can State Accountability Systems Drive Improvements in School Performance for Children of Color and Children from Low-Income Homes?, Edward J. Fuller, and Joseph F. Johnson, Jr. 11. Accountability and Educational Equity in the Transformation of an Urban District, James W. Koschoreck 12. Using an Aligned System to Make Real Progress for Texas Students, Susan Sclafan 13. Statewide Assessment Triggers Urban School Reform: But How High the Stakes for Urban Minorities?, Laurence Parker 14. Promoting Educational Equity in a Period of Growing Social Inequity: The Silent Contradictions of the Texas Reform Discourse, Gary L. Anderson 15. Polar Positions on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS): Pragmatism and the Politics of Neglect, Henry T. Trueba Part 4: Critiques and Commentaries on the Equity-Accountability Debate16. Educational Accountability for English Language Learnersin Texas: A Retreat from Equity, Bill Black and Angela Valenzuela 17. The Unintended Consequences of the Texas Accountability System, Kathryn Bell McKenzie 18. Intersections in Accountability Reform: Complexity, Local Actors, Legitimacy, and Agendas, Andrea K. Rorrer 19. Accountability for Special Education Students: Beginning Quality Education, Antoinette F. Riester 20. Conclusion: Keeping Equity in the Foreground, Linda Skrla and James Joseph Scheurich

This book makes a distinction between the "principal" - the man or woman who occupies the position - and the "principal ship", the entire leadership function which, although overseen and coordinated by the principal, also includes activities of assistant principals, teachers, counsellors, and others. It explains and applies the 21 domains recommended by the National Policy Board and demonstrates how they relate to the ISLLC standards.

This book makes a distinction between the "principal" - the man or woman who occupies the position - and the "principalship," the entire leadership function which, although overseen and coordinated by the principal, also includes activities of assistant principals, teachers, counselors, and others. It explains and applies the 21 domains recommended by the National Policy Board and demonstrates how they relate to the ISLLC standards.

This introductory text provides a clear, readable description of critical theory research and how to use it in educational settings. Critical theory has evolved since the early days of the Frankfurt School. It no longer addresses only issues of capitalism, culture, class, and ideology, but also challenges issues of race, sexual orientation, gender, ability, ethnicity, and more. In the zeitgeist of today, these issues are on the debate stage. This timely guide is divided into three main sections: Background of Critical Research in Education, Intersectional and Identity-Based Critical Research in Education, and Additional Types of Critical Research in Education. For each critical approach, the authors provide background, important terminology and concepts, notable researchers and theories, as well as how to design and conduct a study using examples of published articles. Doing Critical Research in Education is a must-have for anyone who wants to engage in critical research to assist them in understanding and addressing some of the most pressing issues in education today, as well as all areas in which there is oppression or marginalization of students and their communities. Book Features: Offers a thorough yet accessible overview on how to employ critical theory in research. Provides a rich explanation of difficult foundational knowledge with examples of how to apply the concepts in education settings. Includes a user-friendly format appropriate for students, professors, researchers, and practitioners.

This introductory text provides a clear, readable description of critical theory research and how to use it in educational settings. Critical theory has evolved since the early days of the Frankfurt School. It no longer addresses only issues of capitalism, culture, class, and ideology, but also challenges issues of race, sexual orientation, gender, ability, ethnicity, and more. In the zeitgeist of today, these issues are on the debate stage. This timely guide is divided into three main sections: Background of Critical Research in Education, Intersectional and Identity-Based Critical Research in Education, and Additional Types of Critical Research in Education. For each critical approach, the authors provide background, important terminology and concepts, notable researchers and theories, as well as how to design and conduct a study using examples of published articles. Doing Critical Research in Education is a must-have for anyone who wants to engage in critical research to assist them in understanding and addressing some of the most pressing issues in education today, as well as all areas in which there is oppression or marginalization of students and their communities. Book Features: Offers a thorough yet accessible overview on how to employ critical theory in research. Provides a rich explanation of difficult foundational knowledge with examples of how to apply the concepts in education settings. Includes a user-friendly format appropriate for students, professors, researchers, and practitioners.

Schools and districts are seeing unprecedented numbers of students and families living without residential stability. Although the McKinney-Vento Act has been around for over two decades, many district- and site-level practitioners have a difficult time interpreting and implementing the Act's mandates within their local contexts. This book provides much-needed guidance to help educational leaders support students who are homeless and highly mobile students who face significant barriers related to access and academic success. The authors employ several different strategies to help translate complex state and federal policies into effective practices. They include policy analysis, examples of successful approaches, tools for training staff, youth experiences, and address the role of school districts in serving marginalized students. Serving Students Who Are Homeless can be used as a professional development tool at the local and district level, and as a textbook in higher education settings that prepare entry-level and advanced-credential administrators, counselors, school psychologists, and curriculum leaders.