ABSTRACT We designed both univariate and multivariate multilevel frameworks to examine the issue on the degree of agreement between principals and teachers in their perceptions of three leadership practices (general principal leadership, orientation for school renewal, and school renewal principles and practices). Data involved 2,243 teachers nested within 109 principals (schools) in the United States. We found that both univariate and multivariate approaches produced quite similar measurements (means) on teachers’ ratings of each leadership practice. Both approaches confirmed positive and statistically significant agreement between principals and teachers across leadership practices. Analytical discrepancies occurred between univariate and multivariate approaches in the estimation of the degree of agreement between principals and teachers. Methodologically, the multivariate approach is preferred over the univariate approach because the univariate approach tends to overestimate the degree of agreement. Under a methodologically more appropriate multivariate approach, the degree of agreement is quite consistent across leadership practices.

ABSTRACT While networking for school turnaround has been widely discussed, how networking benefits turnaround schools is underresearched, and research on complex networking approaches’ systematic effects on school turnaround is scarce. Referencing Shanghai and Chongqing, China, this qualitative study found six mechanisms through which networking improves turnaround schools: providing multilevel professional guidance, connecting policy requirements and school needs, propelling teachers’ self-directed improvement, widening teachers’ and students’ development opportunities, changing teachers’ thinking and practice, and enhancing schools’ popularity and reputation. Analyses suggest networking as an extrinsic–intrinsic-oriented facilitation instrument for school turnaround. Specifically, networking by receiving help facilitates turnaround mainly through extrinsic-oriented mechanisms that focus on drawing external investment and impetus; conversely, networking by giving help facilitates turnaround mainly through intrinsic-oriented mechanisms that focus on driving internal comprehension and effort.

ABSTRACT There is an ongoing literacy crisis within the US. One practice that supports reading comprehension growth is the use of student-centered routines. However, teachers often face challenges in integrating them into their instructional contexts. Networked improvement communities (NICs), combining organizational routines of improvement science with the coordinated effort of networks, could help teachers meet this integration challenge. Teachers have found value in NICs, but district leaders are seeking evidence of their impact. To help teachers advocate for this approach, this study analyzes 2 years of student outcome and teacher implementation data in a 13-school US-based NIC that focused teachers on a set of student-centered routines. Students with a higher implementing teacher showed benefits comparable to a typical 2.5 months of learning at the national scale. This study also uses an equity-focused lens to study the impact of instructional change efforts on specific student groups without requiring a formal experimental study.

ABSTRACT The persistence of teacher effects is a crucial aspect in value-added models, especially when it comes to high-stakes decisions. This study compared various assumptions of persistence (generalized, variable, complete, and zero) regarding their model fit and consistency of estimates. Longitudinal data from assessments in mathematics, science, social sciences, and Turkish subjects were analyzed. Results indicated that the model with the variable persistence assumption demonstrated superior fit in three out of four subjects for teacher value-added score estimates. The correlation between the estimates for models with generalized and variable persistence assumptions was notably high. However, substantial variances were observed in estimates regarding their magnitude and corresponding rank order. The study deliberated on the implications of different persistence assumptions on teacher value-added score estimates.

ABSTRACT This study aims to identify school culture profiles based on supportive improvement factors, examine predictors of teachers’ profile membership, and explore teachers’ perceptions of work and teaching-related aspects of their profession within those profiles. The sample consisted of 2,439 teachers from 78 schools. Latent profile analysis was used to identify distinct school profiles based on improvement-oriented aspects of school culture. The analysis revealed three profiles: high, promising, and low improvement-oriented cultures. A high improvement-oriented culture was associated with greater teacher job satisfaction and perceived impact and enriched teaching practices. Promising and low improvement-oriented cultures were related to lower teacher job satisfaction and perceived impact and more traditional teaching practices. The findings suggest a potential trajectory for school improvement programmes, highlighting the dynamic nature of school cultures.

ABSTRACT This study examines whether school policy can explain differences in teacher effectiveness. Participants were 39 teachers who taught in two secondary schools in Cyprus during the school year 2023–2024. For each teacher, two classrooms (N = 156) per school (N = 78) were selected. All students of the classroom sample were invited to participate. Written tests were used to measure student achievement in mathematics at the beginning and end of the school year. Student and teacher questionnaires were used to measure the teacher and school factors of the dynamic model, respectively. Multilevel regression analyses revealed variation in the effectiveness status of 13 teachers across the schools where they were assigned to teach. Discriminant function analysis revealed that most school factors can explain variation in teacher effectiveness. Implications for teacher effectiveness research are drawn. Policy implications for improving school effectiveness and evaluating teachers by considering the organisational context are discussed.

ABSTRACT School improvement processes are often hindered by tensions caused by encountering paradoxes. Teachers and leaders feel stressed moving between seemingly opposite poles such as excellence and diversity. Ignoring these paradoxes often leads to vicious cycles, where tensions keep existing. Paradox theory can help cope with paradoxical tensions, but little educational research has used a paradox lens. We conducted a case study searching for fine-grained insight into the tensions experienced by teachers and leaders in secondary education. We found examples of tensions related to paradoxes of learning, connectedness, organization, and performance. Further, our results showed that educators mainly used defensive responses and mentioned less strategic responses to cope with tensions. Our findings highlight the need to better recognize and deliberately manage paradoxes in education. Dispositions such as a paradox mindset are important in that regard. We have translated our results into recommendations for research, policy, and practice.

ABSTRACT In France, the proportion of low-achieving students in mathematics has increased, and the difference in results between the socially advantaged and disadvantaged students marks a significant achievement gap. The present research evaluates the effectiveness of socio-constructivist teaching compared to explicit teaching, in enabling second graders to learn subtraction and fifth graders to learn the concept area, in students from disadvantaged social backgrounds. Two randomised controlled pre- and post-tests studies were conducted. Multilevel statistical analyses were carried out (N = 454 and N = 321). Results showed that all the students progressed between the two assessments. However, those who were taught using explicit instruction performed better than those who were taught with socio-constructivist teaching (Study 1, Cohen’s f = 1.32; Study 2 Cohen’s f = 1.62). These results suggest that explicit teaching is particularly appropriate to help low achievers from disadvantaged social backgrounds acquire new, complex, and structured mathematical knowledge.

ABSTRACT Emerging evidence suggests the effectiveness of school-wide positive behavior interventions and supports (SWPBIS), a widely implemented multi-tiered support framework for behavior, increases as the full framework is implemented with fidelity. While Tier 1 supports are fairly consistent across schools, less is known about the Tier 2 and Tier 3 practices schools implement. In this study, we examined reported advanced tiers practices from California schools implementing SWPBIS with high levels of fidelity and explored the relation between these practices and discipline. Using data from 421 schools during the 2021–2022 school year, we found Check In/Check Out and small group interventions to be the most common Tier 2 practices, and individual counseling and behavior intervention plans/functional behavior assessments to be the most common Tier 3 practices. No relation was found between specific Tier 2 or Tier 3 practice categories and differences in suspensions or expulsions. Implications and future directions are also discussed.

ABSTRACT This study takes a dialogic perspective on teaching quality, emphasizing the role of spoken dialogue as a key intellectual vehicle in the classroom. Teacher–student dialogues in two language arts lessons and a double mathematics lesson were analyzed using codes from the Scheme for Educational Dialogue Analysis (SEDA) to identify dialogues that are especially productive for joint knowledge construction and student learning. The coded dialogues were contextualized and interpreted in light of descriptive accounts of the broader lesson context, and a selection of SEDA-coded excerpts of interactions were also analyzed moment to moment to unpack central features of teaching quality in relation to situated subject practices. The results indicate intriguing differences between the lessons. In the double mathematics lesson, the students were consistently given greater opportunities to articulate their thinking and reasoning compared to both language arts lessons. We argue that dialogic coding can be used to indicate teaching quality.