School District Research Articles

Applying the Cognitive Walkthrough for Implementation Strategies methodology to inform the redesign of a selection-quality implementation toolkit for use in schools.

Implementation strategies are key to enhancing thetranslation of new innovations but there is a need to systematically design and tailor strategies to match the targeted implementation context and address determinants. There are increasing methods to inform the development and tailoring of implementation strategies to maximize their usability, feasibility, and appropriateness in new settings such as the Cognitive Walkthrough for Implementation Strategies (CWIS) approach. The aim of the current project is to apply the CWIS approach to inform the redesign of a multifaceted selection-quality implementation toolkit entitled Adoption of Curricular supports Toolkit: Systematic Measurement of Appropriateness and Readiness for Translation in Schools (ACT SMARTS) for use in middle and high schools. We systematically applied CWIS as the second part of a community-partnered iterative redesign of ACT SMARTS for schools to evaluate the usability and inform further toolkit redesign areas. We conducted three CWIS user testing sessions with key end users of school district administrators (n = 3), school principals (n = 6), and educators (n = 6). Our CWIS application revealed that end users found ACT SMARTS acceptable and relevant but anticipate usability issues engaging in the ACT SMARTS process. Results informed the identification of eleven usability issues and corresponding redesign solutions to enhance the usability of ACT SMARTS for use in middle and high schools. Results indicated the utility of CWIS in assessing implementation strategy usability in service of informing strategy modification as part of our broader redesign to improve alignment with end user, end recipient, and setting needs. Recommendations regarding the use of this participatory approach are discussed.

Dynamic Changes Toward Reflective Practice: Documented Shifts in Speech-Language Pathologists' Evaluation Practices.

This qualitative study explored the experiences of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in professional learning communities (PLCs) during a year-long virtual professional development (PD) opportunity using an implementation science (IS) framework in an urban public school district for dynamic assessment (DA) training. The DA presented in the PD was modified based on ongoing discussions with key stakeholders in the district, so that it could be reasonably implemented in clinical practice while preserving the integrity of the DA's purpose. SLPs in an urban district were trained virtually using DA over the course of the school year. PD topics focused on decreasing bias and incorporating evidence-based practice into SLP approaches to speech-language evaluations. The SLPs underwent three training sessions and three separate PLC sessions. The SLPs were assigned a series of case studies to complement PLC sessions. An IS framework informed each step of the PD and PLCs to ensure applicability and integration of the content. Of the 366 SLPs working in the district, 209 consented and filled out two questionnaires and three exit slips to gather information on their experiences with the DAs and PLC models. SLPs reported new insights into their practice, including changes in assessment practices, awareness of bias in assessment practices, and increased confidence in working with families during the evaluation process. Two additional themes emerged: increased collaboration and enhanced group problem-solving skills when working with peers in PLC groups, and expanded proficiencies and heightened skills when applying DA practices to evaluations. The two challenges faced by SLPs included time constraints and confidence in the mastery of DA. This study offers an approach to shifting evaluation practices in large districts to incorporate more evidence-based approaches.

Weeks After the Raid: The Immediate and Sustained Changes in Student Attendance Rates Following Immigration Arrests

Recent research has shown the ways in which immigration enforcement actions can affect educational outcomes for all students, regardless of their immigrant status. One consequence of particular concern is student absenteeism, a non-academic indicator used by 37 states to evaluate school success under the Every Student Succeeds Act. However, previous research has faced data limitations on the measure of immigration enforcement and relies on aggregated measures of educational outcomes. Using weekly attendance rates of a school district as well as unique data collection on immigration arrests between 2014 and 2018, this study used single and comparative interrupted time series analyses to quantify the immediate and sustained impacts of immigration arrests on student attendance. Findings suggest that incidents involving a greater number of immigration arrests correspond to immediate spikes in student absenteeism, as high as 11% points for certain student demographics. Additionally, the district’s attendance rate sustained a cumulative 2%-point decline following two incidents involving the greatest number of arrests. Implications for policymakers and educators are discussed.

Nevedben a sorsod – globalizációs trend és helyi identitás tükröződése az Abaúji kistérség általános iskolásainak keresztneveiben

The purpose of the study is twofold: on the one hand, it examines the expression of trends in globalisation and local identity in the Christian names of grade 5–8 pupils at three research points in the Abaúj micro-region: Baktakék, Forró and Krasznokvajda. On the other hand, it presents a special Hungarian lesson organised in the primary schools of the settlements entitled Your destiny is in your name, in order to support education based on local values, to promote knowledge on onomastics, and to raise awareness of names as tools expressing ethnic and religious identity. The first part of the study explains the choice of the title Your destiny is in your name, while the second part summarises the objectives of the Creative Region Projects, which provide the framework for the lessons; it then presents the ethnic and religious diversity of the selected settlements. According to census data, these settlements have a dual identity rate of 37–39%, making the support of local identity through education a key objective. The third part analyses the Christian names of 121 pupils, followed by the fourth part, which presents the special lessons. Finally, the study concludes that the pupils’ Christian names mainly reflect globalisation trends instead of viewing their names as a way of expressing local identity. National and international celebrities have a strong influence on the choice of names, especially in this region, where rare, special names offer uniqueness against the uncertainty of social prominence. The lessons also pointed out that pupils generally associate the origin of a name with the background of its ‘iconic’ name-bearer which further directs the name stock in the direction of choosing international names, as these name-bearers represent high prestige. Among the names of foreign origin conveyed by the media, there are also names preferred by the community’s religious affiliation (e.g., Anastasia, Helena), but the modern name-bearers do not see them as expressions of religious identity. The use of Hungarian names is not only an expression of the sense of Hungarian identity either, since some of these names are hereditary in the families, while others are also common or popular names. The development of religious identity is hindered by the fact that the churches of the small settlements lack permanent service, and the schools in the study are maintained by the school district authorities, thus the names conveyed by the liturgy are becoming increasingly distant from the pupils. The experience from the special lessons indicates that pupils were unable to identify names preferred by religious affiliation. Due to their openness to unique names or a commitment to tradition, the pupils would be willing to reintroduce names that express local identity especially if those names belonged to historically significant figures with high prestige.

School travel behaviors: How the pandemic impacted communities

The global pandemic in early 2020 significantly disrupted life for many families, and the trip to and from school was not immune to these disruptions. Parents and children alike made travel adjustments depending on their preferences with regard to personal health and safety, social distancing, and aversion to risk. Each school district and individual school also made decisions with regard to in-person or remote learning during this period of uncertainty.In this study, a research gap was filled by examining the effect of the pandemic on school transportation-related decisions for hundreds of families living in the United States. An online survey was developed and administered with the help of Qualtrics, an experience management company. Over 600 responses were gathered from across three Pacific Northwest states. In addition to collecting demographic data about the respondents, the survey asked about travel mode choices and characteristics of the trip to and from school. The collective results were then analyzed to determine which factors directly contributed to pandemic-related changes in travel behavior.The study concluded that parent education level, household income, and age of child were all statistically significant variables that affected behavioral change. Additionally, common travel assumptions associated with rural students, when compared with urban students, were confirmed. These factors included a greater reliance on a yellow school bus and lesser availability of critical infrastructure.

School District Housing Buyers and Educational Investment Returns: A Case Study of X District in Shanghai

As a dual carrier of educational resources and economic assets, school district housing has become an important tool for family educational investment and social class reproduction. This paper takes Shanghai's X District as an example to explore, from a sociological perspective, the purchasing behaviors of different groups regarding school district housing and their educational investment returns. It reveals the key role of school district housing in the accumulation of cultural and social capital. The study finds that high-income families, the middle class, and the working class in X District exhibit different demand tendencies when purchasing school district housing, reflecting goals of obtaining high-quality educational resources, expanding social capital, and achieving upward social mobility, respectively. The phenomenon of school district housing exacerbates the imbalance in the distribution of educational resources and limits social mobility.

Factors Associated With Transmission Across Three Waves of SARS-CoV-2 in a Prospective Community-Based Study of Households With School-Aged Children-Dane County, Wisconsin, 2020-2022.

Household transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is a driver of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding factors that contribute to secondary infection risks (SIRs) can define changing trends and inform public health policies. The ORegon CHild Absenteeism due to Respiratory Disease Study (ORCHARDS) prospectively monitors respiratory viruses within the Oregon School District (OSD) in southcentral Wisconsin. Households with students who had ≥ 2 respiratory symptoms were eligible and opted to participate in ORCHARDS. Between October 28, 2020, and May 16, 2022, all household members provided self-collected nasal specimens on days 0, 7, and 14 for SARS-CoV-2 detection using real-time reverse-transcription-polymerase chain reaction. We used logistic regression to investigate individual- and household-level characteristics associated with SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Overall, 127 households comprising 572 individuals (48% female; 52% male; 0.4% nonbinary; 77% ≥ 18 years) had at least one detection of SARS-CoV-2. The overall SIR was 47% and decreased over time (pre-Delta = 72% [95% CI: 58%-83%]; Delta = 51% [40%-63%]; and Omicron = 41% [36%-47%]). Odds of household transmission were 63% lower during the Omicron period compared with the pre-Delta period (OR = 0.36 [95% CI: 0.13-0.94] p = 0.037). Greater household density (members/bedroom) was significantly associated with household transmission during the Omicron period (OR = 6.8, [2.19-21.37] p = 0.001). Index case age, illness severity, and individual symptoms were not significantly associated with odds of household transmission. Greater household density was associated with a higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission, but the risk declined over time with subsequent variants. Interplay between variants, prior infection, and individual/household factors may identify modifiable factors (e.g., behavior and vaccination) to reduce future transmission risk.

Race-blind admissions, school segregation, and student outcomes

In 2007, the Supreme Court declared race-conscious school admissions unconstitutional. This paper provides the first evaluation of a related federal mandate where the Columbus City School District was forced to adopt a race-blind lottery system for its magnet schools. I explore the impact of the dramatic increase in racial segregation resulting from the mandate. More segregated schools spend less per-pupil, enroll lower achieving students, employ lower value-added teachers, and perpetuate “White flight” out of the district. Ultimately, segregation arising from mandated race-blind admissions causes student achievement and college attendance rates to decline.

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS USAGE ON STUDENT ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN PHYSICS SUBJECT IN DAY SCHOOLS IN RWANDA A CASE OF NYARUGENGE DISTRICT

Students academic performance in science subjects and physics specifically has always attracted big concern among students, parents, teachers and the entire public community. The main purpose of this research was to assess the instructional materials usage on students academic performance in Physics subjects in day secondary schools in Nyarugenge District-Rwanda. It had three specific objective such as to identify the instructional materials used in physics subject in day secondary schools in Nyarugenge District, Rwanda, to assess the level of students academic performance in physics subject in day secondary schools in Nyarugenge district, Rwanda, to examine the challenges faced by teachers in preparation of instructional materials in physics subject in day secondary schools in Nyarugenge District, Rwanda, to determine the relationship between instructional materials and students academic performance in physics subject in day secondary schools in Nyarugenge district, Rwanda. This research was supported with Socio-cultural theory and attribution theory. The researcher used descriptive research design and correlational research design for data collections. The study employed different respondents including parents, students, teachers, and head teachers. The total number of participants was 520, comprising 100 teachers, 400 students and 20 head teachers. These participants were drawn from 20 selected schools across 10 sectors within Nyarugenge District, Rwanda. The Yamane formula was used to calculate the sample size of 226 respondents from target population of 520.Simple random sampling was used to select students and head teachers from secondary schools in Nyarugenge District. Purposive sampling was employed for selecting teachers based on their pertinent experiences in teaching physics subject. Researcher used questionnaire and interview guide as data collection instruments where questionnaires was designed to gather information from students, while interview guides was tailored for teachers and head teachers selected from secondary schools.The findings, summarized in Table 4.7, reveal a strong and statistically significant correlation between instructional materials and students academic performance. The Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.911 indicates a very high positive correlation, suggesting that as the quality and availability of instructional materials increase, students academic performance in physics also tends to improve. The strong correlation signifies that well-designed, up-to-date, and diverse instructional resources can significantly enhance students understanding of the subject matter, leading to better academic outcomes. The implications of this strong correlation for educational practice are considerable. Schools and educators should prioritize the development and provision of high-quality instructional materials, including textbooks, digital resources, laboratory equipment, and supplementary materials. Ensuring that these resources are current, relevant, and accessible can create a more engaging and effective learning environment for students. It reveals a strong positive relationship between instructional materials and academic performance, with an R Square value of 0.829. This indicates that approximately 82.9% of the variance in students academic performance can be explained by the quality of instructional materials provided. This strong predictive capability underscores the importance of these resources in determining academic success. The Ministry of Education should implement regular and systematic professional development programs for teachers focused on innovative teaching methodologies. Background:The academic performance of students in science, particularly physics, is a significant concern for various stakeholders. This research aims to assess the impact of instructional materials on students academic performance in physics at day secondary schools in Nyarugenge District, Rwanda. Methods:The study utilized descriptive and correlational research designs, involving 520 participants: 100 teachers, 400 students, and 20 head teachers from 20 schools across 10 sectors in Nyarugenge District. A sample of 226 respondents was calculated using the Yamane formula. Simple random sampling was applied for students and head teachers, while purposive sampling was used for teachers. Data were collected through questionnaires for students and interview guides for teachers and head teachers. Results:Findings indicated a strong, statistically significant correlation (Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.911) between instructional materials and students academic performance in physics. An R Square value of 0.829 suggests that approximately 82.9% of the variance in academic performance can be explained by the quality of instructional materials. Conclusion: The study highlights the critical role of high-quality instructional materials in enhancing students understanding and academic outcomes in physics. It recommends that schools prioritize the development and provision of diverse, current instructional resources and that the Ministry of Education implement regular professional development programs for teachers to promote innovative teaching methodologies.

Effectiveness of Communicative Language Teaching in Non-Urban Areas’ Primary Schools: The Case of Afif, Saudi Arabia

The main purpose of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) at primary schools in Afif city. The responses given by students covered their feelings towards CLT in terms of their English speaking levels, their motivation, their efforts, their grammar and vocabulary learning, their confidence in using English in real life, and their opinion towards other additional ways of learning English such as games and social media. A qualitative approach was used, with a sample of seven female students from two primary schools in the Afif district selected using a concentrated sampling procedure. Two instruments were used: the Students’ Attitude Scale, adapted from Savignon and Wang (2003), and peer observation. The Students’ Attitude Scale was used to evaluate students’ impressions of CLT, while peer observation was used to identify the impact of CLT in teaching English to non-native speakers. Overall, the most significant results of the study indicate that CLT has a positive effect on learners’ English comprehension skills, builds up their confidence to use English in different situations, and gives them more/more satisfaction with the experience. CLT also helps to motivate the students and bring about improvement in their dialogue/ communicative proficiency. Based on these results, the study recommends the continued implementation of CLT in English language teaching, ongoing professional development for teachers, promotion of student engagement, fostering confidence building, integration of technology, and encouragement of peer observation among teachers. These recommendations aim to enhance the effectiveness of CLT in TESOL settings in primary schools in Eastern Saudi Arabia.

Investigating the association between housing mobility and self-reported adolescent suicidality and mental health.

Suicide continues to be a public health crisis among adolescents in the United States. Suicide prevention requires a comprehensive understanding of the factors that lead to death from suicide. Housing stability is an important social determinant of health, and literature has begun to describe how housing instability can affect mental health, as well as suicidal behavior. The aim of the present study was to assess the relationship between lifetime housing mobility among adolescents and suicidal behavior (both ideation and attempt). This study examines disparities in housing mobility and suicidal behavior to determine whether certain population subgroups are disproportionately impacted. We undertook a cross-sectional study using data from Wisconsin's Youth Risk Behavior Survey administered during the Fall of 2019, which assessed Wisconsin middle and high school students. We find that housing mobility, as measured in the lifetime number of residences, was associated with an increased risk of suicidal ideation and behavior. We also demonstrate disparities by race, disability status, and sexual orientation. Findings from this study can be used to not only drive change to support students at the school or school district level but also to drive policy change at the societal level. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Extensiveness of Teachers' Competence in Using Table of Specifications in Constructing Formative Assessment Test Items in Public Secondary Schools in Hanang District, Tanzania

The study examined teachers' competence in using tables of specifications in constructing formative assessment items in public secondary schools in Hanang district, Tanzania. Using Bloom's Taxonomy, a mixed-methods approach was employed, with 119 participants selected from 712 individuals, including teachers, heads of schools, academic masters/mistresses, and district school quality assurers. The study used questionnaires, interview guides, interview schedules and document analysis guides for data collection. Research experts assessed content and face validity for quantitative instruments, while qualitative instruments were validated through peer debriefing and triangulation. Data was presented in tables and analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. The study revealed that public secondary school teachers vary in their competence of using the table of specifications when designing formative assessment test items. Moderately proficient teachers adhere to all procedures, while others struggle with determining question numbers and distribution. Based on the findings, the study concluded that teachers who are teaching students in public secondary schools were inadequately utilizing the table of specifications when designing formative assessment test items in public secondary schools. The study suggests that the government should prioritize professional development training to improve teachers' competencies in setting formative assessment test items, enhancing student learning outcomes.

Space for Self-Care? Adolescents’ Rationales for Being Physically Active

Guided by Foucault’s theorization of power, self and strategies for self-care, the study aimed to characterize adolescents’ rationales for being physically active as the outcome of their negotiations with dominant discourses. Using stratified random sampling method, a sample of 291 adolescents (female = 161, age 11–14) was selected from 24 middle schools. With the Free and Reduced Meals (FARMS) rates ranging from 22% to 78%, the schools were drawn from six school districts that served urban, suburban, and rural communities. Photo-elicited semi-structured interviews were conducted. Discourse analyses were performed on the interview transcripts. Students identified health, body image, and physical capacities, in this order of significance, as leading rationales for physical activity participation. The finding indicates that students had been heavily influenced by dominant discourses, especially healthism, discourse on body image, and athleticism/ablism. Nevertheless, most students’ rationales for physical activities did not contain stereotypical and judgmental binary ideals based on which these dominant discourses were constructed. A small number of students demonstrated the potential of engaging self-care practices—reflectively and flexibly adopting discourses for their own needs. The findings suggest educators and practitioners help adolescents to disrupt the discourses of binaries for self-care.

Best practices in creating partnerships for transformative engaged learning experiences at a small, liberal arts, Lasallian institution

AbstractAll undergraduate students at Saint Mary's College of California, a small, private institution, are required to complete an engaged learning (EL) course or experience for graduation. This graduation requirement was established to provide students with the opportunity to learn in and from the community; an important value from the principles of the Liberal Arts and Catholic Lasallian traditions that inform the College's pedagogy. The social justice and community engagement center on campus called the Catholic Institute for Lasallian Social Action (CILSA), establishes EL partnerships with nonprofit organizations, school districts, campus departments, and other higher education institutions throughout California for EL courses, internships, place‐based work, and research projects. We value the expertise of our partners and view them as co‐educators in creating transformative learning experiences for nearly 600 students annually. In this article, we will share our process in sustaining community partnerships, our scaffolding engagement efforts, and best practices for collaborating with partners.

Combining Instrumental Variable Estimators for a Panel Data Model with Factors

We address the estimation of factor-augmented panel data models using observed measurements to proxy for unobserved factors or loadings and explore the use of internal instruments to address the resulting endogeneity. The main challenge consists in that economic theory rarely provides insights into which measurements to choose as proxies when several are available. To overcome this problem, we propose a new class of estimators that are linear combinations of instrumental variable estimators and establish large sample results. We also show that an optimal weighting scheme exists, leading to efficiency gains relative to an instrumental variable estimator. Simulations show that the proposed approach performs better than existing methods. We illustrate the new method using data on test scores across US school districts.

Operationalizing Macro-Level Structural Sexual Minority Stigma: A Scoping Review of the Literature

Abstract Background Structural stigma, including discriminatory laws, inequitable policies, and negative attitudes, has been conceptualized as the general societal climate and institutional conditions that shape sexual minorities’ lives, mental, and physical health. While multidimensional indices have been used globally, U.S.-based studies have largely relied on single indicators (e.g., a law or policy; presence of resources). This scoping review aimed to identify structural sexual minority stigma indicators relevant to the U.S. context, to inform comprehensive, multidimensional future operationalizations. Methods Systematic database searches in PubMed, PsycINFO, and JSTOR, and snowball techniques resulted in 70 articles. After duplicate deletion and abstract review, 25 unique indices were long-listed relevant to structural sexual minority stigma at country or state level (i.e., macro level). School (district) and county (i.e., exo level) indicators were excluded. Results From the long-listed indices, a total of 112 legal and policy indicators were narrowed down to relevant 33 macro-level indicators and grouped across seven domains: criminal justice, hate crime protections, non-discrimination, religious refusal, relationship recognition, parenting, and youth laws and policies. Two different quantifications of population attitudes were identified that aggregated social and policy opinions across states regarding sexual minority adoption, hate crimes, health benefits, labor and housing, public speaking or teaching, marriage, sodomy, and civil unions. Discussion While a large variety of legal and attitudinal indicators was identified, few U.S.-based studies used multidimensional operationalizations (e.g., law, policy, opinion) needed to reduce risk of confounding bias through population-attitudes-to-law/policy backdoor pathways. To further advance the science on structural sexual minority stigma and health globally, future studies may benefit from multidimensional approaches. Key messages • With many legal and attitudinal indicators identified, few studies used multidimensional operationalizations (e.g., law, policy, opinion) needed to reduce risk of confounding bias. • To further advance the science on structural sexual minority stigma and health globally, future studies may benefit from multidimensional approaches.

Implementation evaluation of a school-based intervention on HPV vaccination (the PrevHPV study)

Abstract Background HPV vaccine coverage (VC) remains lower than expected in many countries, particularly France. We developed and evaluated the PrevHPV multicomponent intervention to improve HPV VC among French adolescents. We evaluated the implementation of the school-based components of the intervention. Methods We carried out a mixed-method study embedded in a cluster randomized controlled trial (July 2021-April 2022; 14/25 French school districts). The cluster was the municipality (n = 91). The school-based components of the intervention were ‘education and motivation’ and ‘at-school vaccination’. Quantitative data were collected through standardized activity reports and self-administered questionnaires; the implementation outcomes were fidelity, dose, reach, acceptability and sustainability. Qualitative data were collected through semistructured group interviews with school staff and analyzed using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. Results We found high rates for: fidelity (e.g., 69% of the targeted classes had two educational sessions and 89% of schools invited all pupils for at-school vaccination, as planned); acceptability (e.g., pupils’ participation satisfying in 90% of the sessions, 96% of vaccinated pupils and 78% of school staff satisfied with at-school vaccination); and sustainability (e.g., respectively 91% and 76% of schools considered conducting sessions and vaccination days during the following year). However, the withdrawal of 1/3 of schools before the trial started and difficulties in mobilizing parents negatively impacted dose and reach. Several facilitators and barriers influenced the implementation of the components; they were related to the components’ design, the characteristics of both the external and internal environment of the school, the numerous stakeholders and individuals involved, and the implementation strategies used. Conclusions These results can guide policy making on school-based HPV vaccine promotion in France and Europe. Key messages • The PrevHPV study is supported by the French health authorities and conducted by a multidisciplinary consortium to tackle a long-lasting public health concern in France. • These findings have practical implications for implementing effective and acceptable school-based interventions in real life to improve HPV vaccine uptake and reduce HPV-associated burdens.

A Hot Season for Winterdale

The Winterdale School District sits within a majority White and progressive city, which sits within a majority White and conservative state. Students in the district voiced their concerns about the racially biased treatment they experienced or witnessed. This revelation prompted the formation of the Winterdale Equity Community (WEC) to address the district’s leadership. A very public and embarrassing exposé of the district’s biased practices resulted in a change in leadership. The case prompts students of educational leadership to consider how a new leader will create a systemically more racially conscious and equitable district for students and families despite being located in a state that has adopted anti-critical race theory (CRT) legislation.

Bookshelf: Kappan authors on their favorite reads

In this regular column, Kappan authors recommend books that have influenced their thinking about education. In this issue, James Paul Gee recommends The Ignorant Schoolmaster: Five Lessons in Intellectual Emancipation by Jacques Rancière, and Ayesha Hashim recommends Suddenly Diverse: How School Districts Manage Race and Inequality by Erica O. Turner.

Co-designing a Children’s Cabinet: a school district–university partnership for youth well-being post-pandemic

PurposeThis paper presents a case study of a school district–university partnership to co-design a Children’s Cabinet, a cross-sector initiative bringing together institutional and community leaders to address youth well-being in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a vibrant, immigrant-serving community in the Northeast United States, the partnership was initiated by district leaders in Spring 2021 after pandemic disruptions led to a youth mental health crisis.Design/methodology/approachOur descriptive, qualitative case study focuses on the structure and emerging design principles of the research–practice partnership, which established a Children’s Cabinet comprised of educational, government and community leaders along with researchers. From Spring 2021 through Spring 2024, we collected and analyzed member and youth interviews, ethnographic observations and artifacts from all meetings and process interviews with key partners.FindingsWe describe the structure of the partnership, including how researchers and district leaders collaborated on meeting facilitation and how researchers conducted and shared applied research. We then discuss three design principles that guided the work, including centering relationships, sustaining focus on key goals and embedding applied research.Originality/valueAs embedded research partners, our team is uniquely situated to narrate the nature and structure of the partnership and reflect on the design of our cross-sector initiative. Increasingly, universities are partnering directly with districts on school improvement initiatives. Our work shows how engaging in RPPs to bring together school, community and research partners can facilitate local leadership and collaboration to address complex, cross-sector goals such as increasing youth well-being.