Papers by Daniela Torre
The purpose of this systematic literature review is to document how scholars in various
fields ha... more The purpose of this systematic literature review is to document how scholars in various
fields have used Photo-Elicitation Interview (PEI), explain the benefits and obstacles to using this
method, and explain how and why education researchers should use PEI. The key features of PEI
are that a researcher or participant takes pictures about a research topic that are then used to elicit
dialogue during an interview. The results of our review suggest that education scholars and school
practitioners can use PEI methods to better understand school communities and the children,
parents, and school staff who inhabit them. Utilizing this technique, the research community will be
better positioned to speak on behalf of school stakeholders when contributing to policy discussions
and when seeking solutions to improving schools.
Few concepts are more noted in the leadership effects research than vision. It is a cardinal elem... more Few concepts are more noted in the leadership effects research than vision. It is a cardinal element in the school improvement equation as well. Yet, it remains one of the least well-specified components of that algorithm. Based on a comprehensive review of the research on effective leadership and school improvement from 1995 to 2012, we bring ‘concreteness’ to our understanding of vision. We identify its three essential dimensions. More importantly, we provide tangible scaffolding for each of these dimensions, scaffolding that should sharpen research in this area and guide the work of those who desire to bring this ethereal concept to life in schools.
Virtual charter schools have emerged over the last decade as an increasingly popular alternative ... more Virtual charter schools have emerged over the last decade as an increasingly popular alternative to traditional public schooling. They present a host of new policy problems that need to be scrutinized in order to ensure that students enrolled in these public schools are receiving an adequate, if not excellent, education. The purpose of this article is to synthesize the inchoate body of literature that presently exists regarding the topic to provide a backing for future policy making. In this article I first describe the landscape in which virtual charter schools have emerged, then I describe how virtual charter schools have grown and how they operate, and finally I discuss the sparse findings on effectiveness and how research can inform the continued development of these schools.
The importance of parents to the success of students in schools and to school improvement has lon... more The importance of parents to the success of students in schools and to school improvement has long been established and acknowledged by researchers and educators. In this
article, we present a fourth–generation model of school–family linkages, one anchored in
understandings of schools as communities as opposed to schools as institutions. Our model is based on an analysis and synthesis of the relevant recent empirical evidence. We
extend the narrative of school–parent relationships by highlighting ‘norms of community’ school leaders can cultivate to promote membership, partnership and ownership.
Books by Daniela Torre
Leading Researcher Joseph Murphy and his colleague Daniela Torre shed light on two critical issue... more Leading Researcher Joseph Murphy and his colleague Daniela Torre shed light on two critical issues in education today: student underachievement and how to build effective, high-performing schools. Murphy draws from considerable research and scholarship in the area of school reform. This research is based on meaningful links with the worlds of practice and policy, and builds upon our most robust understanding about school improvement. The book examines the historical footings of the American public school to expose the economic, political, social, and cultural currents that have shaped and continue to influence our understanding of public education and underachievement.
Thesis Chapters by Daniela Torre
landscape related to Els in North Carolina, one new immigrant destination. I begin this section w... more landscape related to Els in North Carolina, one new immigrant destination. I begin this section with a reminder of the motivation driving this study as well as the methods used in addressing each research question. I follow with a summary and discussion of the results of each research question. Next I address the strengths and limitations of the study. I conclude by explaining the implications for research, policy, and practice.
In Chapter 4 I present results of descriptive and regression analyses that address the three rese... more In Chapter 4 I present results of descriptive and regression analyses that address the three research questions posed above. The first section documents the extent to which ELs are segregated from native English speakers as well as trends in how segregation has changed over time. The second section describes the extent to which Els have access to ESL credentialed or El experienced teachers and how that access has changed over time. The third section describes the variables that are included in the subsequent regression analyses. Summary statistics are presented that compare characteristics of students who are either currently learning English (CEL) or who have already reclassified (REL), as well as for both groups of students when they are in elementary or middle school. This section is followed by the results of analyses that provide evidence to support or discredit the hypotheses listed in Chapter 2. I conclude this chapter with a brief summary of the results.
English learners (Els), defined as students who are identified as needing support learning Englis... more English learners (Els), defined as students who are identified as needing support learning English in school, are a rapidly growing and underperforming segment of the public school population. Schools in new immigrant destinations, that is, areas in the United States that traditionally have not had a large immigrant population, are having to create new structures and policies to support and instruct Els. This study focuses on the schooling experiences of English learners in North Carolina, one new immigrant destination. Specifically, this study documents two classroom characteristics: the extent to which Els are segregated from native English speakers and whether Els have access to teachers who have an English as a Second Language teaching credential or experience teaching Els. Additionally, it estimates the relationship between these two classroom characteristics and achievement using OLS regression and regression with school and student fixed effects. Results include that: 1) Els are largely integrated with native English speakers; that is, they are typically enrolled in classes where the majority of their peers are native English speakers; 2) Less that 5% of Els are taught by an ESL credentialed teacher but over 50% of Els are taught by an El experienced teacher 3) There is little evidence that being assigned to a segregated class or an ESL credentialed teacher impacts math or reading achievement; and 4) There is evidence that being assigned an El experienced teacher has a positive impact on math and reading achievement. Implications from this study include that policy makers in new immigrant destinations should focus on strengthening the English as a Second Language credentialing process, providing more hand-on training for teachers of Els, helping Els reclassify as English proficient before they reach middle school, and supporting schools where Els comprise a small proportion of the population.
Chapter 2: Literature Review and Framework
Uploads
Papers by Daniela Torre
fields have used Photo-Elicitation Interview (PEI), explain the benefits and obstacles to using this
method, and explain how and why education researchers should use PEI. The key features of PEI
are that a researcher or participant takes pictures about a research topic that are then used to elicit
dialogue during an interview. The results of our review suggest that education scholars and school
practitioners can use PEI methods to better understand school communities and the children,
parents, and school staff who inhabit them. Utilizing this technique, the research community will be
better positioned to speak on behalf of school stakeholders when contributing to policy discussions
and when seeking solutions to improving schools.
article, we present a fourth–generation model of school–family linkages, one anchored in
understandings of schools as communities as opposed to schools as institutions. Our model is based on an analysis and synthesis of the relevant recent empirical evidence. We
extend the narrative of school–parent relationships by highlighting ‘norms of community’ school leaders can cultivate to promote membership, partnership and ownership.
Books by Daniela Torre
Thesis Chapters by Daniela Torre
fields have used Photo-Elicitation Interview (PEI), explain the benefits and obstacles to using this
method, and explain how and why education researchers should use PEI. The key features of PEI
are that a researcher or participant takes pictures about a research topic that are then used to elicit
dialogue during an interview. The results of our review suggest that education scholars and school
practitioners can use PEI methods to better understand school communities and the children,
parents, and school staff who inhabit them. Utilizing this technique, the research community will be
better positioned to speak on behalf of school stakeholders when contributing to policy discussions
and when seeking solutions to improving schools.
article, we present a fourth–generation model of school–family linkages, one anchored in
understandings of schools as communities as opposed to schools as institutions. Our model is based on an analysis and synthesis of the relevant recent empirical evidence. We
extend the narrative of school–parent relationships by highlighting ‘norms of community’ school leaders can cultivate to promote membership, partnership and ownership.