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This paper compares approaches to accountability in US charter schools and English academies. We examine the development and main characteristics of these two types of schools before assessing how they are accountable, to whom, and for what. Drawing on both primary and secondary sources, we explore the consequences of the accountability mechanisms in each jurisdiction. Our comparative analysis assesses the different and multiple forms of accountability to which charter schools and academies are subject. We discuss the similarities that exist in the two jurisdictions, albeit that the most consequential sanctions – closure of charter schools and transfer of academies – differ between countries. The final section concludes and highlights policy implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews the professional situation of school principals during COVID-19 in Argentina, where one of the longest school closures in the world was maintained. It analyzes the existence of burnout, concerns, constraints and needs of 252 principals at the end of the 2020 school year. The results indicate that there is a double phenomenon of Emotional Exhaustion and Personal Accomplishment, while tensions with regulations and working conditions are evidenced. We found a leadership open to the context, with greater autonomy and a strong emotional commitment, with implications and challenges for the post-pandemic future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The move to remote learning during Covid-19 school closures left children who had no access to e-learning infrastructure without options to continue their education. In this paper we present evidence from a large-scale para-teacher intervention which brought learning resources to the homes of children cut-off by school closures. Over the 6.5 months of intervention, children enrolled in the intervention saw an average increase in test scores of 1.87 SD, with greater gains for those with lower baseline assessment scores. With these gains achieved at a cost of 5.48-7.39 USD per SD, the intervention was extremely cost effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to COVID-19, schools closed in Finland for eight weeks in the spring of 2020, and teaching was conducted using distance education. Teachers used their professional agency to ensure a continuation of their students' learning. This study focuses on the experiences of teachers who taught pupils with intellectual disabilities during the distance education period. The research question is: What kind of experiences did the teachers have with distance education? The data were collected via an electronic questionnaire and analysed using qualitative content analysis. The results were examined using teachers' professional agency as a theoretical lens. The results showed that teachers encountered many challenges and emotions at the beginning, but during distance education, they learnt new ways to teach and support pupils and families. Teachers' agency was spread between supporting the agency of pupils and guardians. These are discussed in the article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the wake of the COVID-19 school closures during 2020, there was much concern about the transition back to in-person classroom teaching and learning, given the many safety protocols in place that could make it more difficult for teachers to connect with students. This small-scale case study from the USA sought to gain insight into teachers' experiences of building and maintaining relationships with students during the return to in-person schooling in the 2020–2021 school year and consider implications for teaching and learning beyond the pandemic. An interview protocol that stimulated discussion about relationships and involved diagram creation was used. This allowed the experiences of two teachers to be explored, in depth, through the lens of emotional closeness. Both teachers were interviewed at four points during the school year. Data were analysed qualitatively. Through close analysis of the data, the two teachers' experiences of forming and maintaining relationships with students emerged. Findings resonated with some previous research on teacher-student relationship formation and also drew attention to the nuanced changes of habit on the part of the teacher that were required in terms of initiation and engagement. The study highlights the significance of teachers' adaptive expertise, which can often be overlooked in daily practice. More broadly, it suggests a need for teacher education to place emphasis on the development of relationship skills, for the benefit of teachers and students alike. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research examining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on students' learning indicates that educational inequities have increased. To strengthen the provision of support for students going forward, and contribute to efforts to reduce inequity, there is a need to deepen understanding of how emergency remote teaching (ERT) is experienced by learners. This study sought to explore the lived experiences of junior secondary students in China during the COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of three different groups: teachers, students and parents. It aimed to investigate how factors around schools, teachers, parents and students might relate to matters of educational equity. Participants were eight students with a mean age of 15.5 years, the students' mothers, and ten teachers from different schools across three different provinces in China. They took part in semi-structured interviews in which they discussed their ERT experiences and perspectives. Interview data were analysed using a qualitative, thematic approach. According to the analysis of participants' perceptions, differences in access to school learning resources, and extent of support and guidance from schools were noteworthy factors in relation to educational equity. In addition to parental support, encouragement and individualised feedback from teachers mattered for students' wellbeing and their studies. Furthermore, students' motivation, self-discipline and capacity for self-regulated learning were considered to influence learning outcomes during ERT. Our study underscores the need to provide additional targeted support to disadvantaged schools and students in times of educational disruption. It also highlights the importance of pedagogical support and guidance for all teachers, parents and students. Such provision might enhance students' capacity for self-regulated learning, and equip teachers and parents with the skills needed to support children's learning and wellbeing in challenging circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]