Includes bibliographical references and index.

Chapter 1. The role of school leaders in school improvement -- past, present, and future -- Chapter 2. Using research to solve the puzzle of school improvement -- Chapter 3. Action research and the inquiry process -- Chapter 4. School-level action research -- Chapter 5. Analyzing data as an action research team -- Chapter 6. Examining past research, and reviewing and critiquing cause-effect experimental research -- Chapter 7. Critiquing and applying correlational and survey research -- Chapter 8. Critiquing and applying qualitative research -- Chapter 9. Gathering data from staff and other stakeholders -- Chapter 10. Step 2 : developing a program for school improvement -- Chapter 11. Step 4 : implementing the program or intervention with fidelity -- Chapter 12. Step 5 : gathering and analyzing data -- Chapter 13. Step 6 : reflecting and making modifications to the plan -- Chapter 14. Case study 1 : addressing high teacher turnover and low student performance -- Chapter 15. Case study 2 : decreasing the performance gap between general education and special education populations -- Chapter 16. Case study 3 : addressing behavioral problems and low student performance -- Chapter 17. Case study 4 : improving low ELA scores at the elementary level.