Browsing by Subject "School districts"

Now showing 1 - 10 of 10
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    The 21st century classroom : integrating educational technology with 21st century competencies in support of workforce development
    (2011-05) Bailie, Christine M.; Treisman, Philip Uri; King, Christopher T.
    Information and communication technology demands are increasing across a range of occupations, creating intense global competition for highly-skilled workers. In order to meet the economic needs of the next century, education reform must prioritize student-directed learning that fosters innovation and creativity, enabling the United States to compete internationally in attracting and creating high-quality jobs for its citizens. Our system must strive to create lifelong learners and ensure equity in preparing all students for college- and career-readiness, which increasingly, are considered one in the same. Manor New Technology High School, in Central Texas, has successfully used technology immersion and project-based learning to expand the opportunities for its minority-majority population. Emphasis is placed on teaching students how to learn and in making authentic learning connections with the world through applied, and interdisciplinary coursework. An understanding of how educational technology can be used to create better student outcomes, through investment in teacher peer-to-peer supports to effectively integrate technology into instruction, has led to a sustainable and scalable model of technology immersion at Manor Independent School District. Through its partnerships with local businesses and not-for-profit organizations, Manor New Technology High School is graduating highly skilled and college-bound students, while concurrently promoting sector-based economic development within the high-tech industry. State educational agencies are ill-equipped to meet the challenges of workforce development; therefore, new mechanisms and incentives should be created to encourage and enable school districts to pursue 21st Century competencies (analytic skills, interpersonal skills, ability to execute, information processing, and capacity for change), which are enabled through the “invisible tool” of educational technology in the classroom.
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    Central office data use : a focus on district and school goals
    (2009-05) Moll, Kerry Ann; Wayman, Jeffrey C.
    This study examined the data use of central office administrators working in the Curriculum and Instruction Department of a school district. The purpose of this work was to broaden the knowledge base of data use and of the integral role the central office plays in the district-wide use of data to improve teaching and learning. Two research questions guided the study: (a) How do central office personnel involved in curriculum and instruction use data to support district goals of improved student achievement, and (b) how do central office personnel involved in curriculum and instruction use data to support campus goals of improved student achievement? A qualitative and quantitative data collection process with a single-case study approach included focus groups, individual interviews, and a survey instrument. The data from these components were coded, analyzed, and translated into themes and findings using a 9-step constant-comparative process. This process provided rich description and a comprehensive evaluation of findings to answer the research questions. Findings regarding the use of data within the department of curriculum and instruction at the central office revealed that administrators most often took on the role of data provider. The central office provided reports both to campuses and to comply with federal and state regulations and funding requirements; provided professional development to principals, teachers, and instructional specialists; provided information about student achievement to parents and the greater community; and encouraged the use of data and highlighted the value of data use to inform instructional choices. Further analysis of the data revealed barriers that inhibit the systemic use of data and the ability of school districts to become truly data informed: lack of a common vision for data use, creation of data silos that reduce the ability to collaborate and make cooperative data-based decisions, too much data for consideration, and fragmented implementation of the goal-setting process. These findings contribute to the current literature by demonstrating the importance of the central office in data use. In conclusion, what central office administrators do with data matters, and how the central office uses data to support teacher and principal quality is critical in a district focused on improving teaching and student learning.
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    A history of the state school system in Texas, 1876-1884
    (1946) Lewis, Leonard, 1895-; Eby, Frederick, 1874-1968
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    Perceptions of organizational change from inside a school district engaged in a district-wide reform process
    (2008-05) Bell, Genese Jane, 1967-; Cantú, Norma V., 1954-
    The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of change within a school district involved in district-wide school reform upon the entrance of a new superintendent. This is a mixed method study and will use qualitative data from interviews and quantitative data from an electronic survey given to all school district employees with current email addresses in the school district database. The study uses organizational theory as a basis for examining the school district as an organization. The study also uses Michael Fullan's research to form a frame of reference to examine elements of successful district-wide school reform. For this study, successful reform will be measured by overall improvement in the educational setting for students, teachers, and staff, including, but not limited to student accountability data.
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    The relative efficiency of the Louisiana and the Texas types of county school organization
    (1940) LeMay, Sonley Robert; Blanton, Annie Webb, 1870-1945
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    School zone : a new model for suburban development in Montana
    (2020-05-08) Halverson, John A.; Wegmann, Jake
    “The last, best place,” Montana, has experienced sustained, rapid population growth in recent years. Millennials and Baby Boomers alike flock to the state to stake their claim on some of the last remaining housing markets that offer what many perceive as the “American Dream” of an affordable, suburban home in a small town. This population growth has sparked extensive suburban development throughout the state, prompting many public-school districts to build new facilities to accommodate this growth. Contemporary school siting practices favor large sites, which are usually found only at the edges of existing development. Once built, these new facilities attract home builders and families, further catalyzing suburban sprawl development (Beaumont and Pianca, 2002). This dynamic represents a classic “tragedy of the commons” case for government intervention at several levels. Continued, uncoordinated growth threatens the character of Montana cities. Contemporary suburban development patterns contribute to traffic safety hazards and congestion. The desirability of small, county schools drives population growth, pushing cash-strapped school districts to their limits. This report explores, through case studies, the ways in which status quo school siting (site acquisition) practices, local regulations, and legislation all contribute to fiscally unsustainable and dangerous suburban development patterns. The final chapter proposes a “School Zone” tool that coordinates local jurisdictions (city, county, school district) to leverage public investment in new school facilities as a means of creating more fiscally sustainable, compact, adaptable suburban development that provides a steadier student population, and safer cities in which those children might live
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    Some public school changes in Texas from 1928 to 1933
    (1935) Collins, Robert Alexander; Not available
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    Status of school bonds in Texas independent school districts, 1942-1943
    (1945) Williams, Frank Leon, 1903-; Pittenger, Benjamin Floyd, 1883-1969