The higher education community has been buzzing about Academically Adrift, a new study by researchers Richard Arum and Josipa Roksa about how much students are learning in college. What do the authors conclude? Students aren’t learning much. In fact, 45 percent of students made no gains on the Collegiate Learning Read more
Marc Tucker of the National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE) co-authored with the Organization for Economic and Co-operation and Development (OECD) the recently released report, “Strong Performers and Successful Reformers in Education”. The report examines in detail success stories from high-performing and fast-improving nations and highlights for policymakers, Read more
This is an interim year for NCTQ’s State Teacher Policy Yearbook, but since there have been so many significant policy changes in the last year (as a result of the Race to the Top competition), the organization has released state-by-state Blueprint for Change reports with 2010 updates. The Blueprint for Read more
I taught middle school English for five years, and I can honestly say that middle schools are strange (and wonderful!) places. They are not quite elementary schools, although some students are still struggling to master basic skills, and they are not quite high schools, although some students are earning high Read more
On January 18th, I posted on the upcoming NCTQ and US News & World Report study/ranking of teacher preparation schools. There were lots of questions about what standards would actually be used and if they would be aligned with the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) standards that Read more
The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) announces its public review period for Literacy: Reading-Language Arts Standards for early and middle childhood teachers. Practicing teachers fill a majority of seats on standards committees with other members representing districts, states, and higher education. NBPTS Standards reflect the Five Core Propositions Read more
Want to see some incredible models for true educational reform? New York City’s iZone is one to watch. The iZone school designs are characterized by five core principles: –Performance assessment & mastery-based grading –Personalized learning plans –Multiple learning modalities (e.g., a combination of independent student work, small group instruction, Read more
Next Generation Learning Challenges, funded by the Gates Foundation, announced a new round of challenge grants that will provide up to $10 million to expand promising technology tools and applications that help more students master seventh- through ninth-grade math and literacy competencies, which are critical to college and career readiness. Read more
Pearson has launched a new Common Core Standards website. While much of the site is commercially based — selling the products and services of Pearson — there are several useful (and free!) webinars: Common Core: Math Standards – Implementation for Success As part of its commitment to help states transition Read more
U.S. News & World Report and the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) today announce the launch of a landmark survey of more than 1,000 schools of education across the country. Unprecedented in its scope and comprehensiveness, the project will rate the quality of teacher training programs currently producing over Read more
The 15th edition of the Quality Counts Report was released today. Quality Counts 2011 contains in-depth coverage investigating persistent concerns over the halting economic recovery and emerging opportunities for innovation, as state and local officials attempt to move forward despite depleted budgets. It also provides a 50-state update in critical Read more
Want to obtain grant funding from the Department of Education in 2011? The December 15 Federal Register included the Department’s notice of final supplemental priorities and definitions for discretionary grant programs for 2011. Find out NOW where your project “fits” so you can be sure to apply for any applicable Read more
Time Magazine’s Andrew Rotherham has compiled a list of the top 11 education activists to watch in 2011. Follow the links below for more on these influential individuals. Michael Bennet: The Senator Steven Brill: The Writer Jeb Bush: The Adviser David Coleman: The Architect John Deasy: The Superintendent Jonah Edelman: Read more
Today, the Center on Education Policy (CEP) released a new report on states’ progress and plans for implementing the voluntary K-12 common core state learning standards. As more states sign onto common core standards in English language arts and math, CEP identifies the major changes these states plan to make, Read more
Who were the top educational reformers of 2010? Van Schoales, the Executive Director of Education Reform Now, has posted a Top Ten Education Reformers of 2010 list. There are some interesting picks here! From Education Reform Now: So here’s my “best of” list for education reformers and reforms in no Read more