Steve Myran - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Steve Myran

NASSP Bulletin

American high school graduates’ readiness for higher education or employment in the global econom... more American high school graduates’ readiness for higher education or employment in the global economy may depend on the state where they live. Since the 10th Amendment to the United States Constitution makes education a state function, the 50 states and the District of Columbia vary significantly in their policies and practices for (a) preschool access and enrollment, (b) compulsory attendance, (c) instructional standards, (d) school funding, and (e) student outcomes. The variance in state requirements and student outcomes is a high-stakes equity issue. If every child is to be well educated and prepared to live productively in the 21st century, principals, professional associations, and allies can assess their own states’ policies and outcomes on these five criteria and determine where their advocacy may be needed to strengthen them.

School Effectiveness and School Improvement

Community College Journal of Research and Practice

Community College Journal of Research and Practice

Educational Administration Quarterly

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to reframe our field’s narrative around the science of le... more Purpose: The purpose of this article is to reframe our field’s narrative around the science of learning. We seek to (1) describe the patterns within educational leadership and administration that are conceptually tethered to scientific management and highlight the absence of clearly defined conceptions of learning, (2) provide a synthesis of the science of learning, and (3) offer a “progressive problem shift” that promotes such a reframing. Methods: An integration of theory building methods with problem posing/identification strategies is designed to deconstruct the field of educational leadership through a science of learning lens and build toward theory that is more adaptive to our goals of leading for learning. Findings: Our findings stem from the central observation that educational leadership and administration has to date produced no conceptual or explicit operational definition of learning. Lacking such a definition, the field has been vulnerable to outlooks about learning th...

International Journal of Educational Leadership Preparation, 2011

International Journal of Special Education, 2010

This study evaluated the impact of a social skills curriculum on the social behaviors of students... more This study evaluated the impact of a social skills curriculum on the social behaviors of students in two pre-kindergarten classrooms. Participating were 30 students in a program based at a university child study center. The average age of the participants was four years ten months. The income levels of the families varied from low social economic status to high middle economic status. Two examiners independently completed the Social Skills and Attitude Scale (SSAS) for each child. The examiners observed the children and recorded children's pre and post intervention behaviors on a checklist. The study yielded positive evidence that the social skills instruction and activities in the Connecting with Others: Lessons for Teaching Social and Emotional Competence did make a meaningful difference. Paired sample t-tests were run on all Pre:/Post: test pairs in order to measure significant change in social skills behaviors over the course of the intervention. With the exception of Shares ideas, t-test results indicate significant change in social skills on all but one of the pretest/posttest pairs. Teaching effective academic content is essential; however, teaching social skills is equally important because children's performance in school is related to their ability to get along with peers and adults and to follow the rules of their environment. Students who display poor social skills are more likely to get rejected by others and are frequently punished because of their inability to abide by school policies and procedures (Lovitt, 2007). Healthy social development of children depends upon their learning and internalizing standards of social conduct as well as transferring and applying these standards in directing their behavior in various environments and situations. Social competence is linked to peer acceptance, teacher acceptance, and post school success. Besides the family, schools exert a dominant influence in the lives of children as they develop socially and emotionally (Cartledge & Kiarie, 2001). Research has supported significant correlations between affective instruction and a decline in discipline problems as well as improvements in academic performance (Roeser, Eccles, & Sameroff, 2000). The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) has fostered research to show a connection between Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) programs and academic success. It was found that where SEL competencies were implemented, students demonstrated appropriate behaviors and were more motivated to learn (CASEL, 2003). The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 strongly emphasizes scientifically based practices in evaluating instruction. The U.S. Department of Education requires that all instruction, cognitive as well as physical and affective, should be guided by theory and carefully assessed so that they actually do what they intend to do. Measurement of effectiveness is critical to the validity of a social skills program. Such programs should be replicable and validated and supported by researchers in the field (Report of the Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy, 2002). This study was implemented to measure the efficacy of a social skills program, The Connecting with Others: Lessons for Teaching Social and Emotional Competence. Program Description The Connecting with Others; Lessons for Teaching Social and Emotional Competence series was included in CASEL's Safe and Sound list of SEL recommended programs. This guide provides a road map for schools and districts that are launching or adding social, emotional, and academic learning programs. The program was partially developed by teachers within the region of Lafayette, Louisiana and consists of four volumes to foster heightened social competence in students in grades K-two, three

ABSTRACT This exciting new book is for school leaders who are interested in transforming their sc... more ABSTRACT This exciting new book is for school leaders who are interested in transforming their school and district practices. Discussing issues that impact students, teachers within their classrooms, and the larger school community, Formative Assessment Leadership explores how leaders can implement effective professional development and positive change in their schools. Breaking down formative assessment into manageable, understandable parts, the authors provide: ◦An exploration of what formative data-based decision making looks like ◦Scaffolding that enables school leaders to effectively integrate processes into their own school structure ◦Discussion of potential barriers to success and how to overcome these challenges ◦Practical examples that help ground the formative assessment leadership concepts ◦A range of worksheets and templates to help implement formative assessment leadership in your schools

This paper examines how a leadership preparation program, organized around a university-school di... more This paper examines how a leadership preparation program, organized around a university-school district partnership in a small rural school division, attempted to facilitate improvements in Data-Based Decision Making (DBDM) and assessment literacy. The study used an inductive qualitative design which sought to capture the lived experiences and perspectives of research participants. This study highlights that building the capacity for data-based decision making and formative assessment is complex, involving building both individual and institutional knowledge in these areas, as well as strengthening the organizational supports needed to more effectively utilizing data to improve the instructional core.

The impact of the new Virginia statewide Standards of Learning (SOL) testing program on classroom... more The impact of the new Virginia statewide Standards of Learning (SOL) testing program on classroom instructional and assessment practices was studied through surveys before and after implementation of the testing program. The sample represented responses from 570 secondary school teachers (of mathematics, social studies, English, and science) and 152 elementary school teachers from grades 3 through 5. Teachers were asked about changes in their instructional and assessment practices. Comments were made by 80 teachers on a second survey the following year, which also asked about the impact of the SOL tests on instruction or assessment. Although the generalizability of the data may be limited by the relatively small number of schools represented, both qualitative and quantitative data support the conclusion that teachers in this study changed their assessment and instructional practices in 1997, before any administration of the SOL tests. More than 80% of teachers responded that the SOL tests had an impact on their instruction or assessment, with most changes in instruction. (Contains 3 tables and 11 references.) (SLD)

Advances in Educational Administration, 2012

Sociology of Education: An A-to-Z Guide, 2013

Advances in Educational Administration, 2015

Sociology of Education: An A-to-Z Guide, 2013

This exciting new book is for school leaders who are interested in transforming their school and ... more This exciting new book is for school leaders who are interested in transforming their school and district practices. Discussing issues that impact students, teachers within their classrooms, and the larger school community, Formative Assessment Leadership explores how leaders can implement effective professional development and positive change in their schools. Breaking down formative assessment into manageable, understandable parts, the authors provide: ◦An exploration of what formative data-based decision making looks like ◦Scaffolding that enables school leaders to effectively integrate processes into their own school structure ◦Discussion of potential barriers to success and how to overcome these challenges ◦Practical examples that help ground the formative assessment leadership concepts ◦A range of worksheets and templates to help implement formative assessment leadership in your schools

International journal of special education

This study evaluated the impact of a social skills curriculum on the social behaviors of students... more This study evaluated the impact of a social skills curriculum on the social behaviors of students in two pre-kindergarten classrooms. Participating were 30 students in a program based at a university child study center. The average age of the participants was four years ten months. The income levels of the families varied from low social economic status to high middle economic status. Two examiners independently completed the Social Skills and Attitude Scale (SSAS) for each child. The examiners observed the children and recorded children's pre and post intervention behaviors on a checklist. The study yielded positive evidence that the social skills instruction and activities in the Connecting with Others: Lessons for Teaching Social and Emotional Competence did make a meaningful difference. Paired sample t-tests were run on all Pre:/Post: test pairs in order to measure significant change in social skills behaviors over the course of the intervention. With the exception of Shares ideas, t-test results indicate significant change in social skills on all but one of the pretest/posttest pairs.

NASSP Bulletin

American high school graduates’ readiness for higher education or employment in the global econom... more American high school graduates’ readiness for higher education or employment in the global economy may depend on the state where they live. Since the 10th Amendment to the United States Constitution makes education a state function, the 50 states and the District of Columbia vary significantly in their policies and practices for (a) preschool access and enrollment, (b) compulsory attendance, (c) instructional standards, (d) school funding, and (e) student outcomes. The variance in state requirements and student outcomes is a high-stakes equity issue. If every child is to be well educated and prepared to live productively in the 21st century, principals, professional associations, and allies can assess their own states’ policies and outcomes on these five criteria and determine where their advocacy may be needed to strengthen them.

School Effectiveness and School Improvement

Community College Journal of Research and Practice

Community College Journal of Research and Practice

Educational Administration Quarterly

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to reframe our field’s narrative around the science of le... more Purpose: The purpose of this article is to reframe our field’s narrative around the science of learning. We seek to (1) describe the patterns within educational leadership and administration that are conceptually tethered to scientific management and highlight the absence of clearly defined conceptions of learning, (2) provide a synthesis of the science of learning, and (3) offer a “progressive problem shift” that promotes such a reframing. Methods: An integration of theory building methods with problem posing/identification strategies is designed to deconstruct the field of educational leadership through a science of learning lens and build toward theory that is more adaptive to our goals of leading for learning. Findings: Our findings stem from the central observation that educational leadership and administration has to date produced no conceptual or explicit operational definition of learning. Lacking such a definition, the field has been vulnerable to outlooks about learning th...

International Journal of Educational Leadership Preparation, 2011

International Journal of Special Education, 2010

This study evaluated the impact of a social skills curriculum on the social behaviors of students... more This study evaluated the impact of a social skills curriculum on the social behaviors of students in two pre-kindergarten classrooms. Participating were 30 students in a program based at a university child study center. The average age of the participants was four years ten months. The income levels of the families varied from low social economic status to high middle economic status. Two examiners independently completed the Social Skills and Attitude Scale (SSAS) for each child. The examiners observed the children and recorded children's pre and post intervention behaviors on a checklist. The study yielded positive evidence that the social skills instruction and activities in the Connecting with Others: Lessons for Teaching Social and Emotional Competence did make a meaningful difference. Paired sample t-tests were run on all Pre:/Post: test pairs in order to measure significant change in social skills behaviors over the course of the intervention. With the exception of Shares ideas, t-test results indicate significant change in social skills on all but one of the pretest/posttest pairs. Teaching effective academic content is essential; however, teaching social skills is equally important because children's performance in school is related to their ability to get along with peers and adults and to follow the rules of their environment. Students who display poor social skills are more likely to get rejected by others and are frequently punished because of their inability to abide by school policies and procedures (Lovitt, 2007). Healthy social development of children depends upon their learning and internalizing standards of social conduct as well as transferring and applying these standards in directing their behavior in various environments and situations. Social competence is linked to peer acceptance, teacher acceptance, and post school success. Besides the family, schools exert a dominant influence in the lives of children as they develop socially and emotionally (Cartledge & Kiarie, 2001). Research has supported significant correlations between affective instruction and a decline in discipline problems as well as improvements in academic performance (Roeser, Eccles, & Sameroff, 2000). The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) has fostered research to show a connection between Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) programs and academic success. It was found that where SEL competencies were implemented, students demonstrated appropriate behaviors and were more motivated to learn (CASEL, 2003). The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 strongly emphasizes scientifically based practices in evaluating instruction. The U.S. Department of Education requires that all instruction, cognitive as well as physical and affective, should be guided by theory and carefully assessed so that they actually do what they intend to do. Measurement of effectiveness is critical to the validity of a social skills program. Such programs should be replicable and validated and supported by researchers in the field (Report of the Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy, 2002). This study was implemented to measure the efficacy of a social skills program, The Connecting with Others: Lessons for Teaching Social and Emotional Competence. Program Description The Connecting with Others; Lessons for Teaching Social and Emotional Competence series was included in CASEL's Safe and Sound list of SEL recommended programs. This guide provides a road map for schools and districts that are launching or adding social, emotional, and academic learning programs. The program was partially developed by teachers within the region of Lafayette, Louisiana and consists of four volumes to foster heightened social competence in students in grades K-two, three

ABSTRACT This exciting new book is for school leaders who are interested in transforming their sc... more ABSTRACT This exciting new book is for school leaders who are interested in transforming their school and district practices. Discussing issues that impact students, teachers within their classrooms, and the larger school community, Formative Assessment Leadership explores how leaders can implement effective professional development and positive change in their schools. Breaking down formative assessment into manageable, understandable parts, the authors provide: ◦An exploration of what formative data-based decision making looks like ◦Scaffolding that enables school leaders to effectively integrate processes into their own school structure ◦Discussion of potential barriers to success and how to overcome these challenges ◦Practical examples that help ground the formative assessment leadership concepts ◦A range of worksheets and templates to help implement formative assessment leadership in your schools

This paper examines how a leadership preparation program, organized around a university-school di... more This paper examines how a leadership preparation program, organized around a university-school district partnership in a small rural school division, attempted to facilitate improvements in Data-Based Decision Making (DBDM) and assessment literacy. The study used an inductive qualitative design which sought to capture the lived experiences and perspectives of research participants. This study highlights that building the capacity for data-based decision making and formative assessment is complex, involving building both individual and institutional knowledge in these areas, as well as strengthening the organizational supports needed to more effectively utilizing data to improve the instructional core.

The impact of the new Virginia statewide Standards of Learning (SOL) testing program on classroom... more The impact of the new Virginia statewide Standards of Learning (SOL) testing program on classroom instructional and assessment practices was studied through surveys before and after implementation of the testing program. The sample represented responses from 570 secondary school teachers (of mathematics, social studies, English, and science) and 152 elementary school teachers from grades 3 through 5. Teachers were asked about changes in their instructional and assessment practices. Comments were made by 80 teachers on a second survey the following year, which also asked about the impact of the SOL tests on instruction or assessment. Although the generalizability of the data may be limited by the relatively small number of schools represented, both qualitative and quantitative data support the conclusion that teachers in this study changed their assessment and instructional practices in 1997, before any administration of the SOL tests. More than 80% of teachers responded that the SOL tests had an impact on their instruction or assessment, with most changes in instruction. (Contains 3 tables and 11 references.) (SLD)

Advances in Educational Administration, 2012

Sociology of Education: An A-to-Z Guide, 2013

Advances in Educational Administration, 2015

Sociology of Education: An A-to-Z Guide, 2013

This exciting new book is for school leaders who are interested in transforming their school and ... more This exciting new book is for school leaders who are interested in transforming their school and district practices. Discussing issues that impact students, teachers within their classrooms, and the larger school community, Formative Assessment Leadership explores how leaders can implement effective professional development and positive change in their schools. Breaking down formative assessment into manageable, understandable parts, the authors provide: ◦An exploration of what formative data-based decision making looks like ◦Scaffolding that enables school leaders to effectively integrate processes into their own school structure ◦Discussion of potential barriers to success and how to overcome these challenges ◦Practical examples that help ground the formative assessment leadership concepts ◦A range of worksheets and templates to help implement formative assessment leadership in your schools

International journal of special education

This study evaluated the impact of a social skills curriculum on the social behaviors of students... more This study evaluated the impact of a social skills curriculum on the social behaviors of students in two pre-kindergarten classrooms. Participating were 30 students in a program based at a university child study center. The average age of the participants was four years ten months. The income levels of the families varied from low social economic status to high middle economic status. Two examiners independently completed the Social Skills and Attitude Scale (SSAS) for each child. The examiners observed the children and recorded children's pre and post intervention behaviors on a checklist. The study yielded positive evidence that the social skills instruction and activities in the Connecting with Others: Lessons for Teaching Social and Emotional Competence did make a meaningful difference. Paired sample t-tests were run on all Pre:/Post: test pairs in order to measure significant change in social skills behaviors over the course of the intervention. With the exception of Shares ideas, t-test results indicate significant change in social skills on all but one of the pretest/posttest pairs.