Mass Insight Education (MIE) has launched a multi-month Turnaround Forum, consisting of weekly blog posts, biweekly email blasts, and monthly issue briefs on topics of importance in the turnaround field. MIE invites all stakeholders interested in school turnarounds to subscribe to the new and improved blog, “In the Zone,” for Read more
Pearson’s Center for Educator Effectiveness has released a new guide to assist states and districts as they begin to develop and implement new teacher and principal evaluation systems. The guide, Evaluating Teachers and Principals: Developing Fair, Valid and Reliable Systems, highlights the critical steps and considerations necessary to build a Read more
On March 7, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan announced the award of nearly $24.6 million for three grants to improve student achievement by increasing the effectiveness of teachers and principals. Funded under the Supporting Effective Educators Development (SEED) program, projects are awarded to the National Writing Project, New Teacher Center, Read more
Last week, the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) hosted Senator Michael Bennet (Colorado), Frederick M. Hess, and others to discuss research and development in K-12 education. Senator Bennet has released a proposal for a new R&D project, the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Education (ARPA-ED), which was the main focus of Read more
The 2012 “Survey of the American Teacher” was released last week; its results reflect the current turmoil in the American economy, state budgets, and education reform. The survey found that teachers’ job satisfaction has decreased 15 points since 2009 (the first year of the survey). Only 44 percent of teachers Read more
A new brief by the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) focuses in on the proposals to reauthorize portions of ESEA. The brief is part of a series co-authored by the Center for American Progress (CAP), called “Tightening Up Title I.” This particular brief was written by Frederick M. Hess of AEI Read more
The Speak Up 2012 Survey for America’s Future Teachers starts next week! The survey, hosted by Project Tomorrow, a national education nonprofit, will be hosting this special online survey beginning March 12 and running through May 11, 2012. The survey is for students in teacher preparation programs (including career-changers in Read more
RAND Corp. released a study last month looking at the effect principal turnover rates have on school performance. About 20% of principals new to a school leave within two years, “leaving behind a school that generally continues on a downward academic slide after their departure.” The report was prepared for Read more
From the 1970s through the 1990s, Wake County Public Schools in North Carolina was known for its academic performance and dedication to racial integration of its schools. However, since 2000, when the courts ruled race could no longer be a criterion in determining which school students attend, Wake county has Read more
Twenty six more states plus DC have applied for waivers to free them from many NCLB requirements. If the new applicants are approved, only 13 states will still be operating under the full law (11 states have already received waivers—you can read the story here). In exchange for waivers, the Read more
On February 28, the House Education and the Workforce Committee approved (in a 23-16) vote GOP-backed legislation reauthorizing portions of ESEA. Two bills, introduced by Rep. John Kline (R) of Minnesota, scale back the role of the federal government in education and give states more wiggle room in designing K-12 Read more
The US Department of Education has announced the third round of Investing in Innovation (i3) grants. This is a competitive grant program designed for local education agencies, groups of schools and non-profits that are seeking funds to improve student results through innovative practices. The grant competition has been structured slightly Read more
In a recent commentary for The Huffington Post, Harvard professor Dr. Thomas Payzant focuses attention on how accountability systems for teachers and leaders can be done better in this country. Not only are high-stakes evaluations stressful for superintendents, as illustrated by the high turnover rates around the country, but for Read more
Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy is calling for the state’s teacher tenure laws to be completely overhauled. He has proposed that teacher tenure should be linked to student performance and teacher evaluations, and that the new law apply to new and veteran teachers alike. Malloy claims the time has come for Read more
The Learning Forward Foundation, formerly the National Staff Development Council, is accepting applications for grants and scholarships in several key areas: 1. Learning Forward Affiliate Grant: This award is intended to provide a Learning Forward affiliate organization to further their local work. Funds will allow the organization to create or Read more
The Annenberg Institute for School Reform and the Schott Foundation for Public Education recently released a new report, Straight Talk on Teaching Quality: Six Game-Changing Ideas and What to Do About Them. The report, which is more of a guide for improving teaching effectiveness, is based on the plethora of Read more