Overview

John Sipple has been a member of the department since 1998. He has focused his research interests on the responses of public school districts to changes in state and federal policy. Central to his work are issues of leadership and organizational change and how they relate to learning opportunities for students across racial, socioeconomic, and geographic lines. Recently, he has begun a research program linking early childcare and pre-kindergarten education to his broader research interests in rural communities. He teaches courses on the organizational, social, and political contexts of American education and school reform.

Research Focus

Dr. Sipple`s research analyzes the implementation of education and social policies on local communities and their public schools. Ranging from changing high school graduation requirements and state standards, the integration of school leaders in their communities, to early childcare and education in rural communities.

Outreach and Extension Focus

Dr. Sipple`s primary focus of outreach serves the Rural Schools Association (RSA) of New York State. He has a lengthy and productive relationship with the RSA and serves as the research arm of the organization. Dr. Sipple also serves as the Director for the New York State Center for Rural Schools, created by New York State law in September of 2008. The center aims to be a leader in solving systemic problems and improving opportunities, practice, policy for rural schools and the communities they serve.

Instruction Focus

Dr. Sipple teaches both undergraduate and graduate students in areas of social policy, equity, organizations, and leadership.

Additional Links

• Department of Education
• New York State Center for Rural Schools
• Rural Schools Association of NYS
• Link to CALS Research portal
• Link to CALS Impact statements

Honors, Awards and Appointments

• Appreciation Award, Rural Schools Association of New York State - July 2003
• Charles Milne Greig Award, School of Education, University of Michigan - April 1996
• SUNY Chancellor`s Award for Excellence in Teaching, Cornell University - 2006

Professional Activities

• Sipple, J. W., Eberts, P., Brady, S., Kiley, L., (2005-2007). Dropout prevention: Information and Caution. Two-day workshop for superintendents, principals, and teachers at BOCES throughout the state, organized by the Rural School Association of NYS. (audiences ranging from 25 to 90 people). - 2005-2007

Selected Publications

• Sipple, J. W. & Brent, B. (2008). Challenges and Opportunities Associated with Rural School Settings., in Ladd, H. F. & Fiske, E. B. Handbook of Research in Education Finance and Policy. New York: Routledge.
• Sipple, J.W., McCabe, L.A., Ross-Bernstein, J, Casto, H. G. (2008). The push for Universal Pre-K in New York State: 1998-2008. Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the University Council for Educational Administration.
• Sipple, J.W., McCabe, L.A., Ross-Bernstein, J, Casto, H. G. (2008). Educational Services for Preschool Children in Rural New York State: Links among Community-based Organizations, Pre-kindergarten programs, and School Districts. New York State Rural Education Advisory Committee. July 2008.
• Blakely, R.M. & Sipple, J.W. (2008). Are New Yorkers Satisfied with the Public Education in their Communities? Rural New York Minute, Community and Rural Development Institute (CaRDI), Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.
• Sipple, J. W. (2008). Bolstering capacity for heightened state and federal standards? An Exploration of national, state, and school district staffing trends, 1986-2003, in Rice, J. K. & Roellke, C. The Costs of Accountability: Implications of High Stakes Education Policies on Resources and Capacity. Charlotte, NC:Information Age Publishing, Inc.
• Sipple, J.W., McCabe, L.A., & Ross-Bernstein, J. (2007). Assessing Capacity: Early Childhood Education in Rural New York State. Unpublished report for the Rural Education Advisory Committee. Ithaca, NY.
• Sipple, J. W. & Casto, Hope, (2007). School-Based Health Centers in NYS, Research and Policy Brief, Community and Rural Development Institute (CaRDI), Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.
• Killeen, K. M. & Sipple, J. W. (2006). The challenge of regional geography in upstate school reform. The Brookings Institution: Washington, DC.
• Sipple, J. W., & Banach, L. (2006). Helping schools meet the mandates of federal policies: No Child Left Behind and other cutting edge policies. In C. Franklin, M. B. Harris & P. Allen-Meares (Eds.), School Social Work and Mental Health Workers Training and Resource Manual: Oxford.
• Killeen, K. M. & Sipple, J. W. (2005). Mandating supplemental intervention services: Is New York state doing enough to help all students succeed? Education Policy Analysis Archives, 13(19). Retrieved 3/9/05 from http://epaa.asu.edu/epaa/v13n19/.
• Sipple, J. W., Killeen, K., Monk, D. M. (2004) Adoption and adaptation: School district responses to state imposed high school graduation requirements. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 26(2), pp. 143-168.
• Sipple, J. W. (2004). Local anchors versus state levers in state-led school reform: Identifying the community around public schools. In W. K. Hoy & C. G. Miskel (Eds.), Educational administration, policy, and reform: Research and measurement (Vol. 3, pp. 25-57). Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing.
• Sipple, J. W. & Killeen, K. (2004). Context, capacity and concern: A district-level analysis of the implementation of standards-based reform. Education Policy, 18(3), pp. 456-490.

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