Achieving Results

Achieving Results: Maximizing Success in the Schoolhouse is a must read for educational stakeholders who wish to participate in a national rebirth of academic proficiency for all students. Examining a variety of important topics including school policy and law, parent and community partnerships, teaching strategies and professional development, and meeting the needs of diverse populations, the reader is met with current research that reinforces the importance of rigorous teaching and learning to support positive student outcomes. In an ever-changing world, one thing is clear, the time is now to rethink education and this book is the perfect place to begin. -- Elizabeth Jean Ed.D, professor, Van Loan School of Education, Endicott College, Beverly, MA More than ever before, the educational landscape requires educators, school leaders, policy makers, community members and parents to dig deep and make meaningful changes due to national and international achievement tests that show dismal results. Achieving Results: Maximizing Success in the Schoolhouse highlights current policies and laws, reviews the importance of administration in school change, examines how parents and community members can collaborate to improve student outcomes, and offers a rationale for sustained professional development as a means to reach all learners in a concerted effort to enact systemic change. Raising the next generation of students begins on page one of this book and is only limited by what the reader cannot imagine. -- Martha H. von Mering, executive officer of special education & related services, Springfield Public Schools, Springfield, MA At no time has the need for raising academic proficiency been more important than today. Achieving Results: Maximizing Success in the Schoolhouse takes a hard look at the research behind dropping national achievement scores and turns it on end, providing valuable insights into how educators, school leaders, parents, community members and college professors can turn the tide to academic success for all students. With a keen eye on collaborating with teachers unions, top-notch professional development, and teaching to all students, this book leaves no doubt as to the results that are possible with hard work and active participation by all stakeholders. -- Judith L. Klimkiewicz, EdD, senior consultant for K-12 College/Career Education and Workforce Development, Commissioner's Office, Massachusetts, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, superintendent of schools, retired, Nashoba Valley Technical School District, MA All teachers, school administrators, and policy-makers should own a copy of Achieving Results: Maximizing Success in the Schoolhouse. The authors create a roadmap to educational triumph for all students. Taking into account the critical arenas contributing to the success or failure of schooling are practical techniques and suggestions, backed by research. Captured within the pages are the strategies and secrets needed to close the achievement gap one school at a time. This book will influence the world of education for a long time to come. -- Chad Mazza, EdD, principal, Winter Hill Community Innovation School, Somerville, MA

Dr. Nicholas D. Young PhD, EdD, has worked in diverse educational roles for more than 28 years, serving as a principal, special education director, graduate professor, graduate program director, graduate dean, and longtime superintendent of schools. He was named the Massachusetts Superintendent of the Year; and he completed a distinguished Fulbright program focused on the Japanese educational system through the collegiate level. Dr. Young has written several books, book chapters and articles on various topics in education and psychology. Kristen Bonanno-Sotiropoulos has worked in education at the various levels for more than a dozen years. Her professional career within K12 public education included roles as a special education teacher and special education administrator at the elementary and middle school levels. After her tenure in K12, she transitioned to higher education to teach undergraduate and graduate courses at Springfield College before transitioning to Bay Path University as an Assistant Professor and Coordinator of Special Education Graduate Programs. Jennifer Smolinski is an attorney who has worked in education for more than three years. Her role within higher education includes the creation and directing of the Center for Disability Services and Academic Accommodations at American International College located in Springfield, Massachusetts. She has also taught criminal justice and legal research and writing classes within the field of higher education. Prior to her work at the collegiate level, Attorney Smolinski worked as a solo-practitioner conducting education and disability advocacy.

Acknowledgement Introduction Chapter 1- Leveraging School Law to Promote School Improvement Chapter 2- Effective Leadership: Orchestrating the Band Chapter 3- Partnering with Teachers Unions to Improve Student Outcomes Chapter 4- Professional Development as a Cornerstone of School Improvement Chapter 5- Promoting Academic Rigor in the Classroom Using Evidence-Based Practices Chapter 6- Innovative Instruction and Assessment Practices to Advance Student Achievement Chapter 7- Response to Intervention as a Pathway to Student Success Chapter 8- Early Childhood and Special Populations: Considerations That Impact Learning Chapter 9- The Importance of Social-Emotional Learning in Fostering Positive Outcomes Chapter 10- Engaging Families in Educational Improvement Chapter 11- Promoting Community Partnerships About the Authors