High-Quality Curricula and Team-Based Professional Learning: A Perfect Partnership for Equity

Posted on July 18, 2018July 15, 2018 by coreeducation

Learning Forward has released a new report, High-Quality Curricula and Team Based Professional Learning: A Perfect Partnership for Equity. This report is based on three premises: Research has found that effective teaching and high-quality materials both matter for student learning. Effective use of curriculum requires teachers who understand it deeply and use it with intentionality Read more about High-Quality Curricula and Team-Based Professional Learning: A Perfect Partnership for Equity[…]

Denver’s New Experiment with the First Year of Teaching

Posted on July 17, 2018July 15, 2018 by coreeducation

Melanie Asmar, writing for Chalkbeat, recently explored Denver’s new experiment to make the first year of teaching more bearable. Excerpts from the piece appear below: Next year, Denver is piloting the role of “associate teachers” in Denver Public Schools. These teachers will teach part-time in a high-poverty school and spend the rest of their Read more about Denver’s New Experiment with the First Year of Teaching[…]

Next Steps for Teacher Evaluation Reform

Posted on June 14, 2018June 10, 2018 by coreeducation

Matthew Kraft, an assistant professor of education and economics at Brown University, has researched teacher evaluation reform extensively, through surveys of principals and multiple studies of state teacher-rating systems. FutureEd Director Thomas Toch spoke with Kraft to get his perspectives on the teacher evaluation landscape. Below, he talks about the value of having multiple rating Read more about Next Steps for Teacher Evaluation Reform[…]

Supporting Teachers So They and Their Students Can Thrive

Posted on May 24, 2018May 20, 2018 by coreeducation

Recently in The 74, Erin Figula wrote an opinion piece detailing three ways district leaders and administrators can authentically support teachers. Excerpts of the piece appear below: Increase Access to Meaningful Professional Learning While 84 percent of teachers say they wish they had access to more professional development opportunities, they’re not looking for more one-time Read more about Supporting Teachers So They and Their Students Can Thrive[…]

50-State Comparison: School Leader Certification and Preparation Programs

Posted on May 8, 2018May 8, 2018 by coreeducation

Research shows school leadership is a pivotal factor in improving student achievement and retaining quality teachers. In fact, among school-related factors, leadership is found to have one of the greatest impacts on student learning — second only to classroom instruction. However, many districts are challenged by high rates of turnover, resulting in shortages and inexperienced Read more about 50-State Comparison: School Leader Certification and Preparation Programs[…]

Early-Career Teachers’ Preparation and Support

Posted on May 2, 2018April 27, 2018 by coreeducation

In school year 2011-12, the majority of early-career teachers (i.e., teachers who had taught for five or fewer years) in public schools reported that they were well prepared for a range of instructional duties in their first year of teaching. The National Center for Education Statistics released a new Statistics in Brief report entitled “Preparation Read more about Early-Career Teachers’ Preparation and Support[…]

Teacher Coaching Can Boost Instruction and Student Achievement. But Can It Be Scaled Up?

Posted on April 13, 2018April 6, 2018 by coreeducation

One-on-one teacher coaching generates meaningful improvements to both classroom instruction and student achievement, according to a newly published meta-analysis of existing research. But there’s a tricky caveat: Efforts to expand coaching programs on a wider scale might only dilute their value, the authors find. Key takeaways from this study include the following: Coaching programs tend Read more about Teacher Coaching Can Boost Instruction and Student Achievement. But Can It Be Scaled Up?[…]

Key Strategies to Promote Educator Effectiveness

Posted on April 5, 2018March 29, 2018 by coreeducation

According to a new evaluation brief from National Center for Education Evaluation (NCEE), providing educators with performance feedback and offering pay-for-performance bonuses can improve student achievement. The evaluation brief synthesizes two recent NCEE impact studies, which evaluated key strategies that can be funded through the federal Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF) grants and its successor program, Read more about Key Strategies to Promote Educator Effectiveness[…]

Finding Time for Collaborative Planning

Posted on March 21, 2018March 16, 2018 by coreeducation

In Igniting the Learning Engine: How school systems accelerate teacher effectiveness and student growth through Connected Professional Learning (which we blogged about here: http://www.coreeducationllc.com/blog2/igniting-learning-engine/), authors profiled four school systems that, with an intensive focus on improving the quality of instruction through professional learning, have seen above-average results with a relatively high-need student population. Making the Read more about Finding Time for Collaborative Planning[…]

Developing a Professional Learning System for Adults in Service of Student Learning

Posted on March 15, 2018March 9, 2018 by coreeducation

The Aspen Institute Education & Society Program released a framework that outlines the elements of a coherent, district-wide professional learning system. Developing a Professional Learning System for Adults in Service of Student Learning is the culmination of collaborations with urban district leaders, teachers, and partners over the last several years, and it articulates a core Read more about Developing a Professional Learning System for Adults in Service of Student Learning[…]

Study Finds Student Learning Gains in Schools with Multi-Classroom Leaders

Posted on March 1, 2018February 23, 2018 by coreeducation

In survey after survey, teachers report dissatisfaction with the professional development they receive. Many aren’t satisfied with their professional learning communities or coaching opportunities. Teachers say they want more on-the-job development, career advancement while teaching, and collaboration time. Some teachers are getting what they want. But is that good news for students? Do their students Read more about Study Finds Student Learning Gains in Schools with Multi-Classroom Leaders[…]

Education Data 101

Posted on January 26, 2018January 19, 2018 by coreeducation

The Data Quality Campaign has released Education Data 101, a primer on the most important concepts and research related to education data. The purpose of this publication is to bring policymakers up to speed, but it also provides a nice summary of talking points for anyone involved in education. The publication focuses on eight pressing Read more about Education Data 101[…]

Making Teacher Recertification Meaningful

Posted on December 18, 2017December 15, 2017 by coreeducation

Recertification: It’s obscure. It’s ill-understood. It’s never studied. But most teachers have to meet these continuing education requirements every five years. A new special report from Education Week takes a hard look at recertification, posing questions about how it could be strengthened to support teachers better. The articles include an overview of the diverse provider Read more about Making Teacher Recertification Meaningful[…]

Empowered Educators Webinar Series

Posted on December 13, 2017December 8, 2017 by coreeducation

The world is changing and so are its schools. In recognition of the need to prepare students for an evolving and increasingly interconnected world, a growing number of countries have remodeled their education systems to deliver an education built for the 21st century, producing higher achievement and greater equity than the U.S. How are they Read more about Empowered Educators Webinar Series[…]

Lifelong Learners: How Redefining Professional Learning Leads to Stronger Teachers and Improved Student Outcomes

Posted on December 1, 2017November 26, 2017 by coreeducation

Effective teaching is the most influential factor in improving student achievement. One of the best ways to ensure students are taught by effective educators is by providing high-quality professional learning that helps teachers continuously improve and perfect their craft to meet the needs of their students. For years, many states and districts have recognized the Read more about Lifelong Learners: How Redefining Professional Learning Leads to Stronger Teachers and Improved Student Outcomes[…]