The Educational Service Agency
The Educational Service Agency

Author: E. Robert Stephens

Publisher: University Press of America

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 278

ISBN-13: 9780761831556

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Education service agencies (ESAs), the middle echelon in the P-12 education structure, serve local school districts and their children in 42 states. Since these agencies work directly with local school districts and their students, they are largely invisible to the general public and, incredibly, not a small number of legislators. Yet ESAs are responsible for the direct or indirect expenditure of billions of dollars and are perhaps the main vehicle for training in-service teachers, administrators, and other staff members throughout the country. In addition, they provide technical assistance for a wide range of management areas such as finance, food service, transportation, purchasing, and technology. This highly researched, well-referenced book, the first ever to document the work of service agencies in America, begins with four chapters that summarize the history and development of service agencies into current times and catalogue the different financing and governance structures under which they function. Three chapters are devoted to descriptions of programs and services offered for students, whether they have special interests or needs. Another chapter deals with ESAs as the lynch pin for partnerships with community agencies, businesses, and other levels of government. The book concludes with two chapters about the growing insistence on accountability for ESAs and a final chapter projects three scenarios about the possible future roles of ESAs in the American education system.

Unconditional Education
Unconditional Education

Author: Robin Detterman

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2019-03-19

Total Pages: 233

ISBN-13: 0190886528

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After decades of reform, America's public schools continue to fail particular groups of students; the greatest opportunity gaps are faced by those whose achievement is hindered by complex stressors, including disability, trauma, poverty, and institutionalized racism. When students' needs overwhelm the neighborhood schools assigned to serve them, they are relegated to increasingly isolated educational environments. Unconditional Education (UE) offers an alternate approach that transforms schools into communities where all students can thrive. It reduces the need for more intensive and costly future remediation by pairing a holistic, multi-tiered system of supports with an intentional focus on overall culture and climate, and promotes systematic coordination and integration of funding and services by identifying gaps and eliminating redundancies to increase the efficient allocation of available resources. This book is an essential resource for mental health and educational stakeholders (i.e., school social workers, therapists, teachers, school administrators, and district-level leaders) who are interested in adopting an unconditional approach to supporting the students within their schools.

Encyclopedia of Educational Leadership and Administration
Encyclopedia of Educational Leadership and Administration

Author: Fenwick W. English

Publisher: SAGE Publications

Published: 2006-02-16

Total Pages: 1265

ISBN-13: 145226516X

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To read some sample entries, or to view the Readers Guide click on "Sample Chapters/Additional Materials" in the left column under "About This Book" The Encyclopedia of Educational Leadership and Administration presents the most recent theories, research, terms, concepts, ideas, and histories on educational leadership and school administration as taught in preparation programs and practiced in schools and colleges today. With more than 600 entries, written by more than 200 professors, graduate students, practitioners, and association officials, the two volumes of this encyclopedia represent the most comprehensive knowledge base of educational leadership and school administration that has, as yet, been compiled. Key Features Represents a "knowledge dynamic" of the field by presenting ideas and perspectives that are in the minds, hearts, and aspirations of those practicing in the profession Includes a wide range of topics covering teaching and learning, curriculum, psychology and motivation, budgeting and finance, law, statistics, research, personnel management, planning, supervision, and much more Contains more than 75 biographical sketches of people whose ideas, aspirations, and lives have contributed much to the profession Animates the reader′s thinking and defines possibilities by presenting terms, ideas, concepts, research, and theories that are circulating in the field The Encyclopedia of Educational Leadership and Administration is a must-have reference for all academic libraries as well as a welcome addition to any leadership in education collection.

Expanding the Vision
Expanding the Vision

Author: E. Robert Stephens

Publisher:

Published: 1998-01-01

Total Pages: 142

ISBN-13: 9781891677007

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This book examines the role of the educational service agency (ESA) in the process of enabling and facilitating rural school improvement. The introductory chapter discusses the continuing significance of rural education, service to rural districts as an explicit reason for establishing ESAs, and the characteristics of several types of ESAs. Chapters 2-6 outline: (1) the school improvement agenda confronting rural districts; (2) the institutional strengths and weaknesses of rural districts; (3) a perspective on an effective rural school improvement process; (4) the current ways that ESAs provide assistance to rural districts; and (5) the roles that ESAs might play in enhancing rural school improvement efforts. Three strategic goals are identified that would place ESAs in a meaningful first-line supportive role for rural school improvement. These goals are further developed in the final three chapters: (1) enhancing the institutional capacity of rural districts (access for disabled students, access for general students and adults, access to telecommunications technologies, cost-savings and related practices, comprehensive assessments); (2) enhancing the ability of rural districts and communities to engage in a school improvement process (capacity building, critical analysis of district and community, assessment of implementation plans); and (3) providing regional leadership for the advancement of education. An appendix details the planning process for rural school improvement. Contains 136 references and 25 data tables and figures. (SAS)