Effective Steps Toward School Enhancement: Turning Around High Needs Schools is an essential guide for enhancing, improving, and turning around schools. This is a must-have book for campus leaders and district administrators, as well as policymakers and university professors who teach in educational leadership and who wish to partner with schools to impact underperforming schools effectively and positively. The information presented is based on research from randomized control trials and quasi-experimental studies. The focus is on 13 proven and practical strategies and real-world examples for creating positive change in schools. This book is a roadmap for leaders to turn struggling schools into cohesive, thriving, inclusive school communities. This book celebrates the successes of leaders in schools who have navigated this journey of transformation while working closely within a school-university partnership to develop a groundswell of enduring change for their students, teachers, staff, and community.

Joyce M. Alexander is beginning her term as Dean of the College of Education at the University of Alabama in January 2024, having just concluded a Dean-in-Residence Education Research Policy Fellowship with the American Educational Research Association in Washington, DC. This fellowship has allowed her to engage at the national level on education research policy, funding, and advocacy issues. Previously, she served six years as Dean of the College of Education and Human Development at Texas A&M University, executive associate dean of the School of Education at Indiana University, and Chair of the Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology at Indiana University. She holds both a master's and PhD from the University of Georgia in Educational Psychology and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Texas Wesleyan University.

Dr. Beverly J. Irby is Regents Professor in the Department of Educational Administration and Human Resource Development and serves as the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the College of Education and Human Development at Texas A&M University. She holds the Marilyn Kent Byrne Endowed Chair for Student Success. Dr. Irby received her Master’s and Doctoral Degrees from the University of Mississippi. Her Bachelor’s Degree is from Delta State University in Mississippi. She joined the TAMU faculty in 2013 after a career of research and service in higher education and public school administration, psychometrics, and teaching.

Matthew J. Etchells is the Director of Education Outreach and International Partnerships for the Education Leadership Research Center (ELRC) & Center for Research and Development in Dual Language and Literacy Acquisition (CRDLLA), has served as Lead Coordinator for project Accelerated Preparation of Leaders for Underserved Schools (APLUS), and is currently the school enhancement Coordinator for Project Research-Based Strategies And Artificial Intelligence For School Enhancement: Turning Around Schools (Raise). These grants total over 30 million in US Department of Education funds.

Dr. Linda Rodriguez has a wide range of teaching experiences. She taught Bilingual/ESL prekindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade in Pharr San Juan Alamo ISD and Aldine ISD. She helped develop the first prekindergarten classroom in Aldine. She was also instrumental in opening Keeble EC/PK Center as a Montessori school. Her educational background includes a BS in elementary education and a Master’s Degree in Administration from Stephen F. Austin University. She received her doctorate from Sam Houston State University.