What Others Have to Say About Our Books

"Advancing Special Education Through Improvement Science makes a vital contribution to special education, educational leadership, and school system improvement. The volume amplifies the voices of leaders tackling complex problems of practice to promote equity in educational settings. A key strength is its focus on improving the educational infrastructure for special education and literacy, alongside a critical analysis of how ableism and racism intersect in American schools. It also offers a rich array of models and approaches for faculty and doctoral students committed to transforming the dissertation process to advance equity, excellence, and justice in educational organizations."

"This practical guide bridges the gap between research and practice by applying improvement science to the field of special education. Designed for educators, school leaders, and policy advocates, it offers actionable strategies for addressing persistent challenges and promoting equity for students with disabilities. Grounded in real-world examples and data driven inquiry, the book empowers practitioners to implement sustainable change and foster inclusive learning environments that prioritize student-centered outcomes."

"With clarity and purpose, this essential guide demonstrates how improvement science can transform special education systems from reactive to proactive. It provides a roadmap for educators committed to dismantling inequities, enhancing instructional practices, and driving meaningful change. A must-read for those seeking to center students with disabilities in continuous, equity-focused school improvement efforts."

"Equipping educators, leaders, and researchers with practical tools, this guide introduces improvement science as a powerful approach to transform special education. Focused on sustainable, equity-driven change, it bridges theory and practice to address systemic inequities and improve student outcomes. Advancing Special Education Through Improvement Science offers real-world examples, actionable frameworks, and clear strategies for designing, testing, and refining interventions in inclusive education settings. Whether you're in the classroom, district office, or research field, this book provides a justice-centered roadmap for building more responsive and effective special education systems from the ground up."

"Advancing Special Education Through Improvement Science provides a comprehensive overview of improvement science as a framework to reconceptualize
and guide continuous improvement in literacy instruction by centering equity and justice. This powerful and comprehensive volume provides an essential roadmap for education advocates at all levels to center the needs and priorities of historically marginalized students in and through culturally affirming literacy practices. The chapter authors activate our awareness and understanding of how systemic biases harm students in literacy learning. Most significantly, the chapter authors provide actionable steps to disrupt harmful practices and activate meaningful changes at student, classroom, school, district, state, and national levels of education."

"What an honor and privilege to write an endorsement for the book, Advancing Special Education Through Improvement Science: A Practical Guide. It is one thing to see scholar-practitioners pursuing a doctorate in education while navigating the complex systems and wicked problems they face in schools, communities, and society, but it is another to see and read it in practice and the fruits of their work. What distinguishes this book that Antonio L. Ellis and Sarah Irvine Belson have co-edited masterfully are the stories and narratives of teachers, specialists, and leaders at school and district levels and the frameworks, instructional designs, rubrics, tools, and resources available for advancing special education. The book is for foot soldiers who see that efforts toward culturally responsive, equitable, inclusive, and accessible education will and must persist, and the journey toward equity is more than a flash in the pan."

“Education leaders don’t need more theory: we need shortcuts, cheat codes, and tools that make our work more effective and sustainable. Dr. Julia Carlson has written a playbook to meet that need. Having witnessed Dr. Carlson’s transformative leadership firsthand (where she was conducting empathy interviews and shadowing students long before it was trendy), I can confirm that her approach creates the kind of authentic buy-in that sustains real change. This isn’t about implementing another signature program to build your leadership resume. Dr. Carlson knows from personal experience as a frontline leader that initiative fatigue is a culture and passion killer. What sets this work apart is its commitment to sustainable transformation through shared leadership—not just with educators, but with students, families, and the communities schools serve. Each practical strategy builds systematically on the last, supported by multiple processes and tools that work across contexts. Whether you’re starting from scratch or enhancing an existing process, Dr. Carlson guides you through implementation from beginning to end with the flexibility to grab what works for your unique situation. This deeply resonates with my work in rural and Indigenous education communities, where leaders need frameworks that honor their context while driving measurable change. Julia has created something rare: a leadership guide that actually works in the real world.”

“Dr. Carlson’s companion workbook is more than a toolkit; it’s a roadmap that empowers school leaders to move from ideas to action. What stands out is how approachable and usable it is in the day-to-day work of leading schools. The tools and protocols make it possible to gather a team, engage with data transparently, and chart a clear course forward without relying on outside consultants. For principals and district leaders navigating constant change, this workbook is like having a trusted coach at your side, practical, direct, and focused on what matters most: building schools where students and teachers thrive.”

“Dr. Julia Carlson brings remarkable authenticity and clarity to the world of implementation science. This book weaves historical context, research, and her rich leadership experiences, in a way that is both deeply personal and highly practical. This isn’t a book you read once and shelve—it’s a playbook leaders will return to again and again for professional development, strategic planning, and instructional support. With digestible insights and implementable strategies, it’s poised to transform not only how schools function, but how students thrive.”

“In Implementation Science: A Playbook for Instructional Leaders, Dr. Julia Carlson masterfully blends the rigor of research with the realities of school leadership. Grounded in the principles of implementation science, this book is a trusted companion for leaders committed to meaningful, measurable change. Through compelling case studies, actionable strategies, and thoughtful reflection questions, Dr. Carlson empowers school and district leaders to move from ideas to impact. This playbook is essential for anyone engaged in the challenging work of school improvement. Dr. Carlson doesn’t just point to the 'what'; she illuminates the 'how' in a way that’s both practical and powerful.”

“Hinnant-Crawford has made clear the link between equity, justice, and improvement science. By focusing on the systems-level, improvement science empowers educational leaders to actively change the structures that perpetuate inequities for our children. This book offers a distinct set of tools for practitioners who strive to champion equity and justice as drivers of change.”

“This book has arrived at exactly the right time for anyone who aspires to establish and nurture ‘improvement science’ as an essential foundation to better meet the needs of all students.”

“This book provides a practical and evidence-based response to the challenge that while we know improvement cycles work, we are also aware of the difficulties of making them business-as-usual. Misinterpretations, misunderstanding and confusion can hinder our resolve to ‘get better at getting better.’ The outline of common ‘failure points’ such as the failure to link teacher learning to student outcomes is helpful; from there, the book focuses on processes and practices that can make ongoing school improvement efficient, non-intrusive and core to all we do (not an extra). I particularly like the explanation of various analysis tools such as the Fishbone, Driver, and Impact v. Ease diagrams. While the book acknowledges that there is rarely a single factor leading to any given concern, it also brings a simplicity to improvement efforts by ‘cutting through’ to the practices that make a difference. In doing so, it is respectful of the work of leaders, middle leaders, teachers and broader school communities. The WHY of this work resounds clearly: great educational outcomes for our students.”

“At last! A useful text that draws on our own schooling context to provide much needed clarity and guidance about ‘what counts’ as an improvement cycle. This book weaves theory and practice together, in ways that provide practical insight to the sequence of improvement cycles. I particularly appreciated the time spent addressing common ways ‘improvement cycles’ can be misinterpreted and enacted in schools, wasting precious time and energy. This book is ‘a must have’ for anyone who wants to do the real work of school improvement in ways that will make a positive difference for students and teachers.”

“Having worked with Linda and Frauke on improvement in my own school I know that they are not just speaking about theory here but from experience of what actually works in schools. It may not be rocket science but sometimes you need a book like this to focus on what is important and remove the clutter of everyday distractions in school. I have found that if you are able to focus on a clear action plan for improvement then these improvements do come—you then gain clarity on the important things to focus on.”

“Bendikson and Meyer’s book unravels the mystery of the often-misunderstood concept of school improvement. Drawing on their research and successful experience in supporting schools, Linda and Frauke provide achievable, practical steps that help school leaders drive improvement. Applying their user-friendly School Improvement Cycle, the authors show schools how to become intentionally sharp in their daily work. With practiced application, Bendikson and Meyer’s insights will transform school improvement and become anchored in the heart of a school’s culture. An excellent resource for leaders who strive for continuous improvement in their schools.”

“What a breath of fresh air! It’s Not Rocket Science: A Guide to the School Improvement Cycle by Linda Bendikson and Frauke Meyer offers school leaders a uniquely practical insight into a set of research-informed principles and easily applied strategies for leading successful school improvement. As they reflect on the research-informed insights provided throughout the book, everyday leaders in everyday schools will discover that leading improvement is not a mystical undertaking after all. It’s Not Rocket Science skillfully combines relevant and up-to-date research with clear insights and pragmatic approaches, resulting in a step-by-step model of school improvement which is further enriched and informed by relevant case studies. It’s Not Rocket Science is a book that schools leaders at all career stages will find informative, accessible and above all else, useful! Get it, apply it . . . transform your school’s leadership!”

“The Swedish Education Act states that school principals should systematically pursue equitable results, through data collection of student outcomes among other things. Administrative tasks and the requirement for documentation risk taking time away from the school’s main mission; that the students should acquire and develop knowledge. My experience as a former Head of School is that many schools struggle with abstract and overarching goals that sometimes lack the student perspective, and without first having thought about how to measure knowledge development. The school leader needs to create conditions (time and tools) throughout the school year, to follow up and reflect on the process of goals and activities always from the student’s perspective. This is what It’s Not Rocket Science delivers: guidance on how to do this.”

“As a professor of educational leadership in Norway, I have had the great pleasure of reading this book. This is a very down-to-earth and practical book with models and tools that will be very useful for all school leaders, not just in New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific Island nations but also in the rest of the world. The book gives us a reminder that school development is an ongoing process. It is a book I can recommend for school leaders who want support in their pursuit of improvement.”

“The aim of the authors was ‘to make the complex work of improving student learning and outcomes, at least, somewhat simpler’. In my view, they have succeeded in this goal! In my ‘practitioner-researcher’ role I have facilitated innumerable development projects and appraised 112 principals. I have always exhorted the employment of a collaborative action research based, cyclical, approach to development and improvement. The ‘School Improvement Cycle’ model outlined in this book deeply aligns with several elements of an action research approach and, as such, helps leaders in schools to provide depth and structure when grappling with problems and enacting improvement and change. It’s Not Rocket Science is a highly practical book, designed to both provide step by step guidance and practical examples of application in schools. The strength of the book lies in the way that the latter examples as case studies are used in subsequent chapters to illustrate each step of the School Improvement Cycle model. Detailed descriptions are provided (particularly the inclusion of clear evidence of specific outcomes) for each step in a way that is often missing in many books associated with improvement models. The use of very specific examples of employment of data from the case studies in decision making points in the model is a highlight. The importance of authentic, genuinely inclusive, collaboration at each step in the model is included in Chapter 11. In my experience even the best laid steps in a plan/model, quickly fold without such significant collaboration and subsequent ownership of change. This topic is worthy of an accompanying book on its own and I encourage the authors to consider that.”

“More than a leadership text for individual stakeholders, It’s Not Rocket Science provides an opportunity for teams to apply a sequence of practical strategies enabling sustainable student achievement and transformation. In times of uncertainty and competing agendas, this coherence-maker promotes teachers as leaders and collaborators, focussing on precise, bitesized achievable steps that lead to goal achievement and school progress. The ‘self-propelling’ methodology outlined in this book promotes a culture of internal commitment and inclusion, drawing everyone into the plan with role clarity and expectation. Schools often have a high impact on individual students and cohorts, however, it is the whole school collective efficacy required for sustainable success that this book will ensure.”

“Though other books and publications exist that present and discuss improvement science (many of which are cited throughout the series), the Improvement Science in Education series exhibits the most comprehensive coverage of improvement science currently available. Crow, Hinnant-Crawford, and Spaulding have curated a collection of books that showcases the breadth and depth of improvement science appealing to a variety of audiences, regardless of backgrounds, expertise, and readiness levels. . . Certainly, improvement science is a challenging undertaking, but this series empowers those ready and willing to try.”

“Improvement Science as a Tool for School Enhancement: Solutions for Better Educational Outcomes provides a wealth of case studies that teacher, school, and district leaders can use to address a wide range of systemic equity issues facing schools. Each case reveals important and useful insights about how improvement science processes move equity forward.”

“Improvement Science as a Tool for School Enhancement: Solutions for Better Educational Outcomes is a timely and important book which draws on evidence from 17 school settings using equity focused improvement science efforts. It is written by school leaders for school practitioners who are committed to making positive changes for all students. It captures ways in which improvement science is enabling schools to address prevailing inequities and embrace meaningful change strategies. Edited by two gifted, passionate and committed social justice educators, this practical and accessible resource is the book to use to help schools and school systems identify and implement improvement projects.”

“In Improvement Science as a Tool for School Enhancement, Peterson and Carlile provide an exemplary collection of cases, each of which uses improvement science tools to generate an equitable solution to a local, user-centered problem. The text and accompanying figures teach a wide continuum of educational professionals how to apply IS tools and strategies in their own laboratory of practice with culturally responsive results. It’s an essential book to prepare innovative teachers and leaders, both pre-service and in-service.”

“As a Gates Millennium Scholar, I became a teacher to give every student a sense of belonging and access to any career. This idealistic goal, held by most teachers, is often dropped when we don’t have methods to deconstruct individual or systemic barriers. Improvement Science as a Tool for School Enhancement: Solutions for Better Educational Outcomes gives us the examples and framework to begin approaching our lofty goals with intentionality. As a teacher, I particularly appreciate that Peterson and Carlile highlight necessary steps in chapter 18 to engage in challenging work while sustaining the hopes and spirits of colleagues.”

“Improvement Science as a Tool for School Enhancement: Solutions for Better Educational Outcomes focuses on the power of improvement science to accelerate meaningful change and increase equity in our communities. Peterson and Carlile provide numerous examples of how collecting data, applying research, and engaging students, families, and teachers in inquiry-based improvement in their communities can help students reach their dreams and become the leaders our global community needs. Inspiring and practical, this book will affirm educators everywhere.”

“The pragmatism and power of utilizing Improvement Science in schools is on full display in Improvement Science as a Tool for School Enhancement: Solutions for Better Educational Outcomes. The use of practical examples implemented by teacher leaders and school administrators demonstrating real improvement, should provide a positive path forward for all educators.”

“Keeping equity at the center of every improvement effort, affirming the value of every child in our care, and supporting the teachers and leaders who work tirelessly to improve our schools is key to my work in rural and suburban schools. Improvement Science as a Tool for School Enhancement: Solutions for Better Educational Outcomes affirms our teachers and leaders while also providing guidance, tools, and processes as we collaborate to improve social-emotional health, the school experience, and academic outcomes for children of all backgrounds. Every chapter gives me hope that change can happen now.”

“Improvement Science as a Tool for School Enhancement: Solutions for Better Educational Outcomes, offers a needed contribution to the growing field of Improvement Science as a path to greater equity in school practices and outcomes. Sixteen case histories, authored largely by K-12 practitioners, show how teachers and leaders have effectively addressed persistent, real-world school challenges in very different settings by using Improvement Science as a method and equity as a values framework. In this book, students, teachers, parents, and leaders are agents of their own improvement work in elementary, middle, and secondary schools from Oregon to Texas to DC.”

“Improvement Science as a Tool for School Enhancement: Solutions for Better Educational Outcomes offers a deeper understanding of how to effectively utilize the tenets of improvement science across educational environments in creating a more just educational system. This book gives research-based tangible tools for educators to dismantle persistent barriers and reimagine how schools serve students.”

“Though other books and publications exist that present and discuss improvement science (many of which are cited throughout the series), the Improvement Science in Education series exhibits the most comprehensive coverage of improvement science currently available. Crow, Hinnant-Crawford, and Spaulding have curated a collection of books that showcases the breadth and depth of improvement science appealing to a variety of audiences, regardless of backgrounds, expertise, and readiness levels. . . Certainly, improvement science is a challenging undertaking, but this series empowers those ready and willing to try.”

“With an engaging and informative format, this volume would be a useful resource for any educator interested in implementing improvement science in schools or seeking to spur discussions about equity-focused improvement in school districts, universities, and communities. The main audience for this volume is people unfamiliar with improvement science, as the authors include the basic steps for implementing the improvement science process. However, for educators with some knowledge of improvement science, the book is an excellent refresher and functional tool to boost their practice. In particular, I recommend Improvement Science to principals, classroom teachers, and educators in teacher and administrator preparation programs serving traditionally underserved students. These case studies are written by teachers and present real-life examples collaborations to improve the educational outcomes of students of color and close achievement gaps in reading, mathematics, and other areas.” (Click HERE to read the full review at Education Review, 30.)

“Improvement Science: Promoting Equity in Schools is a book for all of us who deeply feel the moral imperative to work for equity in our educational system. This book provides concrete steps and a clear methodology to start now and to stop the practice of postponing the work until another school year. This book gives teachers and students hope that change can happen now.”

“As superintendent, I take seriously the goal of listening to and taking action on our students’ and families’ perceptions of school culture. I also believe deeply in empowering our teachers and staff to analyze and utilize data to lead and measure improvement in our classrooms and schools so each child achieves their dreams. Improvement Science: Promoting Equity in Schools provides numerous examples and ideas for teachers and principals as they collaborate with students, families, and colleagues to implement culturally responsive, anti-racist practices—with real results.”

“Collaborating with students, teachers, staff, families, and the broader community to ensure that each student and family has access and opportunity is at the heart of what I do as superintendent. Improvement Science: Promoting Equity in Schools is the kind of book that teachers, staff members, principals, community members, and superintendents can use to inspire impactful and lasting change and continuous improvement, building on the expertise of our community to create the high-performing, equity-focused classrooms and schools our children and families deserve. This book shares a multitude of perspectives across a wide-range of topics, all with a singular focus of educational improvement for our students.”

“It is our moral obligation to think about our children and their future with an equity lens, offering all of them the tools they need to succeed in school and beyond. This book, created by educators for educators, is the perfect tool to learn new strategies on how to improve instruction in our classrooms. These are inspirational and motivational examples developed with an equity lens in mind. This book is an essential contribution to all educators who want to reshape our educational system with the hope of closing our academic gaps among the most marginalized students. Thank you, Dr. Peterson and Professor Carlile, for your forward thinking in compiling all this learning in one book.”

“In Today’s educational landscape we must possess the ability to adapt to change, while holding equity at the forefront of every decision. We make these changes while focusing on the needs of all students. Improvement Science: Promoting Equity in Schools provides educators with practical tools they need to make meaningful changes. These changes will positively impact student outcomes by removing barriers, and providing student-focused learning that is culturally relevant and engaging. This book highlights the expertise of teachers, school leaders and practitioners and provides a framework for success. It also includes practices that can be replicated and applied across classrooms, schools and districts.”

“Change does not come easy, but I know it is possible to use a change lens to increase nurturing, culturally responsive and reassuring relationships in schools. The stories in this book recognize the importance of connection, compassion, data and the role of the teacher in improving classroom instruction. This book is a gift to the field!!”

“Improvement Science: Promoting Equity in Schools is a book rooted in timeless theory and grounded in compelling practice. It is highly relevant and useful for teachers and school leaders who seek to urgently advance meaningful improvement in education.

The numerous case studies in this volume weave throughout comprehensive K-12 instruction while reminding the reader that there is no greater theory than good practice. Further, the vignettes provide detailed examples of praxis as the reader’s focus is compelled to integrate the essential ethic of equitable education. Educators motivated by improving instruction and its outcomes will find their time is well-spent within these pages.”

“Improvement Science: Promoting Equity in Schools demonstrates what collaborative problem solving among practitioners in schools and communities can look like when equity and justice are at the forefront and change is guided by the improvement science process. This important volume offers a firsthand look at improvement in action and shows us how the tools of improvement science are needed for improving and ensuring equitable and just educational systems. Kudos to Peterson & Carlile for putting together this resource!”

“Though other books and publications exist that present and discuss improvement science (many of which are cited throughout the series), the Improvement Science in Education series exhibits the most comprehensive coverage of improvement science currently available. Crow, Hinnant-Crawford, and Spaulding have curated a collection of books that showcases the breadth and depth of improvement science appealing to a variety of audiences, regardless of backgrounds, expertise, and readiness levels. . . Certainly, improvement science is a challenging undertaking, but this series empowers those ready and willing to try.”

“Teaching Improvement Science in Educational Leadership: A Pedagogical Guide, edited by Spaulding, Crow and Hinnant-Crawford, explores ways to teach Improvement Science. It is the fourth book in Myers Education Press’s Improvement Science in Education Series, wherein—in useful detail—several experts in Improvement Science offer a plethora of strategies to teach Improvement Science in higher education classrooms, in school districts and in professional organizations. For practitioners and scholars who are interested in transforming U.S. education for the better, this book is a critically important tool.”

“…the Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice: A Guide for Faculty, Committee Members, and their Students provides a unique addition to the information available for those engaged in ISDiPs. The format is easily accessible; the breadth of the process steps, examples, and tools support both faculty, committee members, and students to deliver improved research products. Consequently, this work has the potential to improve outcomes in practice.”--Impacting Education: Journal on Transforming Education

…the Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice: A Guide for Faculty, Committee Members, and their Students provides a unique addition to the information available for those engaged in ISDiPs. The format is easily accessible; the breadth of the process steps, examples, and tools support both faculty, committee members, and students to deliver improved research products. Consequently, this work has the potential to improve outcomes in practice.” -- Impacting Education: Journal on Transforming Professional Practice

“Though other books and publications exist that present and discuss improvement science (many of which are cited throughout the series), the Improvement Science in Education series exhibits the most comprehensive coverage of improvement science currently available. Crow, Hinnant-Crawford, and Spaulding have curated a collection of books that showcases the breadth and depth of improvement science appealing to a variety of audiences, regardless of backgrounds, expertise, and readiness levels. . . Certainly, improvement science is a challenging undertaking, but this series empowers those ready and willing to try.”

“…this book is an essential, easy to read text, for those teaching in EdD programs, leading EdD programs, and for students in these programs and considering them as part of their future. It is relevant for this moment in time in America, and globally, to ensure our PK-12 schools serve all of our kids, and our EdD programs set up the leaders who work in PK-12, higher education, non-profits, community organizations, and all of the spaces where we must collaborate to build the education present and future we needed centuries ago and need today.” (See full review in Impacting Education, Vol. 7, No. 3, [2022])

“The authors of this volume are among the pioneers who sought to embed improvement science in the doctoral preparation of educational professionals. In this book, their experience shows. This is not just a book that justifies the use of improvement science tools in the scholarly practice of education. This book shows how those tools can be used to engage in the work of improving educational systems, and how such work can yield a culminating product of learning that demonstrates the rigor required to address real problems in authentic contexts.”

“Once I picked this book up, I couldn’t put it down. The Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice is a critical read for any university or dissertation committee member wanting to separate from meaningless traditional dissertation practices and instead prepare their EdD candidates to lead and improve complex educational organizations. The book skillfully explicates how the EdD, with an improvement science focus, is rigorous, scientific—and most importantly—supports school leaders in the real-life work of improving their schools and districts. The concepts are riveting, compelling—and practical.”

“Addressing the needs of the scholar-practitioner doctorate, Perry, Zambo, and Crowe provide an invaluable resource to guide faculty and students’ implementation of the Dissertation in Practice. Expanding extensively on improvement science fundamentals that support the teaching and scholarship of the EdD, this important book provides clear principles and guidance for improvement science dissertations in practice that support the journey of all scholarly practitioners.”

“The tools in this book will help you design a model for rapid personal and organizational change. Our group dissertation in practice took our research beyond the written page and allowed us to apply improvement science to benefit my institution. If you are looking for means to transform educational systems, you’ve found them.”

“This work is OUTSTANDING! It is a must read for anyone seeking to understand, redesign, or initiate an Educational Doctorate program in Higher Education. The authors effectively ‘demystify’ the EdD process in an effort to proactively produce the next generation of educational leaders, change agents if you will, capable of leading change for schools across the educational spectrum. This work is essential for anyone interested in the Educational Doctorate.”

“Whether we call it improvement science, design-based school improvement, or continuous quality improvement, a logic of organizational development has recently migrated from other industries or fields of work into education that promises to efficiently structure collective improvement efforts and generate new knowledge in partnerships between educational organizations and universities. Doctoral programs in education, leading to an EdD, in which students enmeshed in practice prepare to become strong decision makers and problem solvers at the system level, are a prime site for these partnerships. Here researchers, university-based instructors, and school practitioners meet to jointly develop new knowledge in practice. In this new logic, the EdD dissertation becomes a boundary object between the worlds of university-based research and practice. The book by Perry, Zambo, and Crow does an excellent job in showing the field what faculty and students might need to do to create a dissertation in this new logic. It conceptualizes this type of dissertation by drawing from the knowledge base on professional programs in the field of education; it guides the reader through the essential steps of framing problems, conducting causal analyses, and marshalling the power of change drivers; to end up with a discussion of practical measures that ascertain the success of improvement efforts. The book is a vital source for all those in search for rigorous and practical ways of improving educational organizations and utilizing the education doctorate to get closer to this aim.”

“Though other books and publications exist that present and discuss improvement science (many of which are cited throughout the series), the Improvement Science in Education series exhibits the most comprehensive coverage of improvement science currently available. Crow, Hinnant-Crawford, and Spaulding have curated a collection of books that showcases the breadth and depth of improvement science appealing to a variety of audiences, regardless of backgrounds, expertise, and readiness levels. . . Certainly, improvement science is a challenging undertaking, but this series empowers those ready and willing to try.”

"Educators spend a great deal of time having to think about and justify their actions related to continuous improvement initiatives within their programs and district. Often, these introspective investigations occur without the theoretical or foundational supports necessary to help guide these inquiries, leaving the participants grappling at artifacts and data, with no cohesive way to utilize that content for continuous improvement. The Educational Leader’s Guide to Improvement Science: Data, Design and Cases for Reflection edited by Robert Crow, Brandi Nicole Hinnant-Crawford, and Dean T. Spaulding will provide an indispensable resource for practitioners and researchers as they address the effective utilization of data to guide their improvement science initiatives. This readable and useful text provides informational support for novice as well as expert improvement scientists as they learn and apply the terms and concepts related to the field. A generous utilization of figures and graphs provide effective visuals that make the relationships between concepts more approachable and understandable. Cases situated around realistic educational contexts provide opportunities for the reader to interrogate the topics in a meaningful fashion, thus leading to new understandings of the way improvement science can be utilized within their individual programs." (Full review can be found in the August 2020 issue of School Administrator.)

"Crow, Hinnant-Crawford and Spaulding's book on the intersection of school leadership and improvement science is an essential resource for those transforming the education doctorate as well as for those preparing to lead schools. The book features a dozen chapters by practitioners of improvement science as well as chapters showcasing the promise of this important pedagogy. Both novices and experienced practitioners will find much to enhance their use of improvement science."