Low-Hanging Fruit: How Automatic Enrollment in Advanced Coursework is Leveling the Playing Field

Posted on April 1, 2020March 28, 2020 by coreeducation

PIE Network members in Colorado, North Carolina, and Washington State recently shared details about automatic enrollment policies (also known as academic acceleration), which ensure that students with qualifying test scores in a particular subject are automatically enrolled in advanced coursework in the same subject area. As a result, more students who have proven they’re ready Read more about Low-Hanging Fruit: How Automatic Enrollment in Advanced Coursework is Leveling the Playing Field[…]

49 of 50 States Now Enable Competency-Based Education

Posted on March 26, 2020March 24, 2020 by coreeducation

The Aurora Institute (previously iNACOL) released the updated CompetencyWorks map, a snapshot of K-12 competency education state policy across the United States. Since 2012, iNACOL’s CompetencyWorks initiative has published an annual snapshot map of the United States, categorizing states into levels at which their policy environments and state activities support competency-based education. In 2012, nearly Read more about 49 of 50 States Now Enable Competency-Based Education[…]

Retaining Teachers: Fostering Conditions Where Talent Thrives

Posted on March 4, 2020March 2, 2020 by coreeducation

Over the last year, Education Evolving published a series of blog posts focused on the growing problem of teacher turnover, and uplifting the stories of schools, strategies, programs, and leaders that buck the trend. This series has now wrapped up. Check out some of the top posts: Why Teachers Leave: What the Data Say How Read more about Retaining Teachers: Fostering Conditions Where Talent Thrives[…]

Three State Policy Priorities to Give Every Student Effective, Diverse Teachers

Posted on February 12, 2020February 10, 2020 by coreeducation

When it comes to ensuring every student gets great teachers, state governments play a crucial and underappreciated role. Without access to the right data, school systems will struggle to match the supply and demand for new teachers. Without certification policies that prioritize student impact over paper credentials, too many talented people will be shut out Read more about Three State Policy Priorities to Give Every Student Effective, Diverse Teachers[…]

Debunking the Myth of Seat-Time: A National Analysis of Seat-Time Requirements for Credit

Posted on February 4, 2020March 3, 2020 by coreeducation

Time-based systems, also known as “seat-time” requirement systems, still form the basis of today’s traditional schools. The prevailing assumption has been that state policies for seat-time requirements constrict schools and hinder attempts to innovate. However, far more flexibility exists than originally thought. New research by ExcelinEd examining seat-time requirements for awarding credit and graduation reveals Read more about Debunking the Myth of Seat-Time: A National Analysis of Seat-Time Requirements for Credit[…]

Dual Enrollment Access Policy Snapshot

Posted on January 21, 2020March 3, 2020 by coreeducation

A new policy scan from Education Commission of the States reveals the incredible growth of dual enrollment policies across the nation. Because dual enrollment programs offer advanced learning opportunities to high schoolers and can lower the cost of college for students and families, state policymakers have been looking at ways to expand access to these Read more about Dual Enrollment Access Policy Snapshot[…]

The Science of Advocacy: A Little Opposition is a Good Thing

Posted on December 18, 2019December 15, 2019 by coreeducation

An increasing focus on the science of learning is making a difference in classrooms across the country. To tap the similar potential of bringing a scientific mindset to the complex work of education advocacy, FutureEd has partnered with 50CAN to establish AdvocacyLabs, an initiative combining lessons from rigorous academic research on advocacy with data from Read more about The Science of Advocacy: A Little Opposition is a Good Thing[…]

Majority of States Work to Advance Leadership Opportunities for Classroom Teachers

Posted on December 3, 2019November 17, 2019 by coreeducation

A new analysis by the National Council on Teacher Quality demonstrates that more states are recognizing the importance of leadership roles for teachers, signaling that state policy is beginning to reflect teachers’ voices. Thirty-five states now have formal teacher leadership policies, with a net of eight additional states adopting formal teacher leadership policies in the Read more about Majority of States Work to Advance Leadership Opportunities for Classroom Teachers[…]

Nine Ways to Align Education Policy with the Learning Sciences

Posted on November 19, 2019March 3, 2020 by coreeducation

We know more than ever about the science of learning and development, but education policy hasn’t kept pace with these advancements. In a new report, iNACOL (Renamed the Aurora Institute) explores the emerging research and offers a set of recommendations to align policy with how students learn best. Aligning Education Policy with the Science of Read more about Nine Ways to Align Education Policy with the Learning Sciences[…]

States Retreat from their Own Attempts to Overhaul Educator Evaluation

Posted on November 14, 2019November 10, 2019 by coreeducation

The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) has released a new report, NCTQ State of the States 2019: Teacher and Principal Evaluation Policy, which documents policy reversals related to evaluation systems for both teachers and principals. Since the 2015 passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), a large number of states have backed away Read more about States Retreat from their Own Attempts to Overhaul Educator Evaluation[…]

Equity and Early College Experiences

Posted on November 12, 2019March 3, 2020 by coreeducation

The College in High School Alliance (CHSA) has partnered with the Level Up coalition to publish Unlocking Potential: A State Policy Roadmap for Equity and Quality in College in High School Programs. This resource can serve as a roadmap for states that want to design policy that drives meaningful change in access, equity, and quality Read more about Equity and Early College Experiences[…]

Overcoming the Challenges Facing Innovative Learning Models in K-12 Education

Posted on November 6, 2019November 4, 2019 by coreeducation

Joel Rose of New Classrooms Innovation Partners recently wrote a piece for AEI illuminating the forces that keep schools as they are and exploring how these forces might be addressed. Main points include the following: K-12 innovation has a fundamental paradox: Meaningful improvements to student outcomes require learning models that challenge the basic constructs of Read more about Overcoming the Challenges Facing Innovative Learning Models in K-12 Education[…]

Everything we Know about Effective Teachers

Posted on November 5, 2019November 4, 2019 by coreeducation

Recently on the Education Gadfly show, Dan Goldhaber, the director of CALDER, joined Mike Petrilli, David Griffith, and Amber Northern to discuss what rigorous research says about identifying, developing, and retaining effective teachers. The discussion focused on three main questions: Are there any indicators that can help us to predict which teaching candidates will be Read more about Everything we Know about Effective Teachers[…]

The New Testing Landscape: How State Assessments Are Changing Under ESSA

Posted on September 24, 2019September 18, 2019 by coreeducation

State testing systems are in transition. Buffeted by anti-testing sentiment on the left and right, budget battles, and renewed debates over the role that testing plays, the recent, unprecedented push for states to collaborate on high-quality, standards-aligned assessments has given way to an increasingly fragmented marketplace. A new report from FutureEd Senior Fellow Lynn Olson Read more about The New Testing Landscape: How State Assessments Are Changing Under ESSA[…]

Education Research: Does the United States Have the Right Model?

Posted on September 17, 2019September 13, 2019 by coreeducation

Recently in NCEE’s blog, Marc Tucker asked a compelling question: Is the United States employing the right approach to education research? The evidence points to an answer of no. Excerpts from the piece appear below: Many years ago, in 1971, I (Tucker) was asked to join the White House unit set up to plan for Read more about Education Research: Does the United States Have the Right Model?[…]

Supporting Teachers Through Policies for Personalized Learning

Posted on September 3, 2019September 1, 2019 by coreeducation

If state leaders want more student-driven learning in classrooms, creating policies that support teachers is critical. That’s according to a new report from iNACOL, a nonprofit that supports competency-based education. The report outlines five recommendations for state policy leaders on how to help develop teachers so they’re prepared for competency-based instruction: 1. Convene a state Read more about Supporting Teachers Through Policies for Personalized Learning[…]