Archive for Research
Research Update
A video update on Prof. Miller’s recent research directions and interests. He points to his rising interest in Ronald Burt’s theory of “Structural Holes,” Promise Neighborhoods, and what he calls, “Educational Leadership on a Social Frontier.”
Read moreQuestions that guide my work lately…
My recent research into issues of educational leadership, homelessness, and inter-organizational collaboration tends to relate to the following questions: 1) How do educational leaders (both school and community-based) learn about, draw from, and respond to their surrounding communities’ conditions? and 2) How do leaders help foster appropriate and sustainable intra- and inter-organizational systems of practice?
Read moreBurt’s Structural Holes
Ronald Burt’s (1992) book entitled, “Structural Holes: The Social Structure of Competition” provides an interesting analysis of relationship network utility. I’ll be drawing from this work in my fall course (School-Community Relations). Here’s one excerpt from the Burt text that describes how issues of network size and diversity are relevant: “Network size and diversity under […]
Read moreUsing technology to develop inter-organizational connections
One of the main strands of my research examines how schools and community-based organizations work together (and toward mutually agreed upon ends) in sustainable ways. A common challenge to this collaborative work is communication. Issues of time, organizational culture, and organizational capacity often inhibit collaborative work that efficiently draws from diverse organizational assets. In that […]
Read moreReport calls for collaborative leadership
The U.S. Interagency Council on homelessness recently released the federal strategic plan to end homelessness. After hundreds of interviews and focus groups with stakeholders throughout the country, the Council’s first objective, as described in it’s report, is to strengthen collaborative leadership among and between governmental and private entities. On p. 34, the report states: “Strong […]
Read moreAnnual Homeless Assessment Report
HUD’s 5th Annual Homeless Assessment report provides an overview of recent trends in individual and family homelessness. I was particularly struck by the disproportionate growth of families among the wider homeless population in the U.S. Link to the report: http://www.hudhre.info/documents/5thHomelessAssessmentReport.pdf
Read moreDoubled-up homeless numbers
The recent report from the National Coalition to End Homelessness estimates that 4.85 million people are living in conditions of doubled-up homelessness in the U.S. These numbers are often overlooked in various “point in time counts” and are highly relevant in school-related conversations because the McKinney-Vento Act counts kids from doubled-up conditions as homeless. Here’s […]
Read morePromise neighborhood funding deadline
The deadline for Dept of Ed funding for Promise Neighborhoods passed a couple weeks back. Considering that over 300 applications were received (and no more than 15 or 20 awards are expected), it will be interesting to note which types of props are granted support. UNCA’s Patrick Lester has a really interesting listserve following the […]
Read moreHomeless numbers up in Madison
There was an interesting article in the Wisconsin State Journal on Sunday (it was the lead story on page 1) about the increasing numbers of children who are experiencing homelessness. Another indication that we need more research into issues of education and leadership in contexts of homelessness. Here’s the link to the story: http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/article_5ca02e94-8de0-11df-b4bb-001cc4c002e0.html
Read moreHomelessness in the summer
During one of my recent visits to a local shelter, a case manager noted that their biggest influx of families occurs during the summertime “when landlords and family members are more likely to turn families out onto the streets.” The summer months are all the more difficult for many homeless parents who are seeking steady […]
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