A School Leader’s Guide to Action Research: Practical Connections and Uses with Data-Driven Decision-Making

DDDM (Data-driven decision making) and problem-solving within classrooms and schools is integral to action research in order to meet the instructional, behavioral, and social emotional needs of students with diverse learning needs; however, many new educators struggle to understand the link between DDDM and action research. This book extends educators’ knowledge and skills to collect, analyze, and utilize data to effectively plan, teach, progress monitor, and provide interventions for students within a comprehensive system. This user-friendly book will serve as both a reference and practical resource guide. Each chapter connects research to practice and extends learning through case studies, vignettes, samples, practical strategies, real-world context, links to resources, and end of chapter discussion questions. Written for both general and special educators, this comprehensive yet accessible resource will help to demystify action research by outlining how DDDM, action research, and special education processes, including MTSS, work in tandem to improve outcomes for students with diverse learning needs.

Mary E. Little, PhD, is a professor and program coordinator in Exceptional Student Education at the University of Central Florida. Dr. Little has received in excess of ＄19 million in external funding for research and development from federal, state, and foundation funding agencies including the Institute for Educational Sciences (IES) and the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). Currently, she serves as the principal investigator for Intensive Interventions, a federally funded research and development project through OSEP. The purpose of this project is to research, develop, and prepare educators to implement interventions in reading and mathematics to improve K-12 student learning especially within diverse, urban schools. Among her numerous articles, chapters, and books, two recent publications are entitled, Response to Intervention for Teachers: Classroom Instructional Problem Solving and RTI and Mathematics: Practical Tools for Teachers in K-8 Classrooms. Her professional experiences in the K-12 schools include roles as a secondary teacher, co-teacher, program coordinator and principal. Her research interests include evidence-based instructional practices, interventions, teacher efficacy, and student learning related to teacher learning. She teaches courses at the graduate and undergraduate levels using traditional and on-line formats, specifically in mathematics, assessment, instruction, action research, and program evaluation.

Dena Slanda, PhD, is a research associate in Exceptional Student Education at the School of Teacher Education at the College of Community Innovation and Education at the University of Central Florida. Her professional interests include culturally proactive pedagogy and practices, equitable educational opportunities, inclusive practices, interdisciplinary collaboration, teacher and administrator/leadership preparation, intensive interventions, and multi-tiered systems of support. Additionally, her research is focused on the intersection of race and disability with particular attention to disproportionality of culturally and linguistically diverse students in special education. She is currently Co-Principal Investigator of Project SPEECH, a ＄1.25 million grant from the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) in the U.S. Department of Education, focused on the collaborative preparation of special education teachers and speech-language pathologists. In addition, she serves as the Program Coordinator for an OSEP funded personnel preparation grant focused on the collaborative preparation of school psychologists and special educators and is a professor in residence for a Teacher Quality Partnership grant entitled, Enhancing Quality in Teacher Preparation in Mathematics within Urban Partnerships. Dr. Slanda has conducted numerous national and state presentations focused on collaborative preparation, supporting special and general educators, multi-tiered systems of support, and equitable practices. Most recently, she co-authored the following book chapters: Dismantling Disproportionality in Special Education Through Anti-Racist Practices; Transcending culturally responsive practices: Becoming antiracist and trauma-informed; Developing special educators to work within tiered frameworks; Digital sponsorship of pre-service teacher interns during COVID-19; Reading in early childhood; Writing in early childhood; Exceptional education is special; and Merging disparate paradigms: How do evidence-based practices fit with what we know about how students learn best? Dr. Slanda is currently the president elect of the Florida Council of Exceptional Children, immediate Past President of the Florida Association of Teacher Educators, and convener of the Supporting High-Needs Population/Urban Education Special Interest Group. She also serves as the Program Coordinator of the special education track within the Curriculum and Instruction EdD program.

Elizabeth D. Cramer, Ph.D. is a Distinguished University Professor of Special Education and Graduate Program Director of the Department of Teaching and Learning at Florida International University. Her research is focused on the education of high-need children in inclusive urban settings. Her work explores opportunity and achievement gaps; the intersection of race, culture, language, poverty, and ability; collaboration with diverse family and faculty; data-based decision making; and placement issues and educational outcomes for diverse learners. Her research has led to scholarly publications, national consultancies, and 16 federal grants totaling more than ＄25 million in support of preparing diverse educators to work in urban settings with high-need students. Some of her most recent publications in this area include journal articles entitled, Diversity, Disability, and Decision-Making: Examining the Perceptions of Educational Decision-Makers and Utilizing Action Research to Integrate Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment in Middle School Classrooms and book chapters entitled, Enhancing Social Justice Via Equity-Based Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports and Collaborative Preparation in Equity-Based Practices to Support Minoritized Students with High-Intensity Needs. She has served as an educational leader at local, state, and national/international levels. She is past president of both the Division of Diverse Learners of the Council for Exceptional Children and the Florida Council for Exceptional Children.