PARCC States Vote to Shorten Test Time and Simplify Test Administration

The PARCC Governing Board, made up of the state education commissioners and superintendents, voted recently to consolidate the two PARCC testing windows into one and to reduce total test time by about 90 minutes beginning in the 2015-16 school year. The vote came in response to school district and teacher feedback during the first year Read more about PARCC States Vote to Shorten Test Time and Simplify Test Administration[…]

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New Videos from NCTM Address Crucial Math Skills

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and the Hunt Institute recently collaborated on the production of a video series to enhance understanding of the mathematics skills students need to succeed in college, life and careers. Beginning with mathematics in the primary grades, “Math Voices: Educators and Mathematicians Talk About College and Career Ready Read more about New Videos from NCTM Address Crucial Math Skills[…]

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Three New REL Toolkits Help Educators Understand Logic Models, Establish a Culture of Data Use, and Evaluate Instruction with Classroom Data

Three new toolkits from the Regional Education Laboratory (REL) Program are designed to help educators and leaders use data and evaluate programs and policies: Logic models for program design, implementation, and evaluation: Workshop toolkit This Logic Model Workshop Toolkit from REL Northeast & Islands helps state and district leaders design, implement, and evaluate programs and Read more about Three New REL Toolkits Help Educators Understand Logic Models, Establish a Culture of Data Use, and Evaluate Instruction with Classroom Data[…]

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Educating the Whole Student through Social Emotional Learning

Increasingly, researchers and educators recognize that schools cannot focus solely on students’ academic learning to improve achievement. They also must nurture students’ psychological development, often described as social emotional learning (SEL). While this new focus on SEL benefits all students, it is especially critical for low-income students and students of color, according to Social Emotional Read more about Educating the Whole Student through Social Emotional Learning[…]

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NCES Releases Digest of Education Statistics

On May 7, 2015, the National Center for Education (NCES) released Digest of Education Statistics, 2013. The Digest’s purpose is to provide a compilation of statistical information covering the broad field of education from prekindergarten through graduate school. The Digest contains data on a variety of topics, including the number of schools and colleges, teachers, Read more about NCES Releases Digest of Education Statistics[…]

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May Issue Brief: Great Principals

School administrators serve as instructional leaders and set the tone for the culture of a school. The principal’s influence is pivotal. In this month’s issue brief, we explore effective school leadership and recommendations for improving the training, support and evaluation of educational leaders. What essential skills should principals master in order to be exceptional instructional Read more about May Issue Brief: Great Principals[…]

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Public Comment Sought on Revised Draft Standards for Education Leaders

Two national education organizations are seeking additional feedback from the public on revised draft standards for education leaders. These standards aim to ensure district and school leaders are able to improve student learning and achievement and meet new, higher expectations. The first public comment period last fall resulted in suggested changes that have been incorporated Read more about Public Comment Sought on Revised Draft Standards for Education Leaders[…]

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Human Capital Resources for Schools and Districts

The Noyce Foundation supports major research and development efforts by quality national organizations to create new models for the recruitment, compensation, development, evaluation, and accountability of school principals and teachers as well as district and other leaders. The collection of R&D efforts includes resources from Education Resource Strategies, New Leaders, New Visions for Public Schools, Read more about Human Capital Resources for Schools and Districts[…]

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Testing Two Models for Estimating Teacher Effectiveness

Edgar Sanchez and Yan Zhou, writing for the ACT policy brief, have examined the effects of two different models on estimates of teacher effectiveness. When using value-added models to estimate teacher effectiveness, one key consideration is whether or not to include school effects such as available resources into the model. The authors examined value-added models Read more about Testing Two Models for Estimating Teacher Effectiveness[…]

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NASBE Resource Guides States through Science Standards Adoption

Implementing, revising, adapting, or adopting new academic standards is a significant undertaking that requires extensive support, planning, and resources. Where do state policymakers begin? A new NASBE resource, New Science Standards: A Readiness Assessment for State Boards of Education, guides state boards of education through the complex process of reviewing, adopting, and implementing new science Read more about NASBE Resource Guides States through Science Standards Adoption[…]

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Funding Gaps 2015: Widening Funding Gap Between School Districts

School districts that serve the highest percentages of low-income students and students of color receive significantly less in local and state funding than districts that serve predominantly white and affluent students, according to a new report from the Education Trust (Ed Trust) and a separate analysis by the U.S. Department of Education (ED). And that Read more about Funding Gaps 2015: Widening Funding Gap Between School Districts[…]

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Fearless Teaching

Shanna Peeples, recently named National Teacher of the Year, published on her blog a speech that she delivered in DC during her selection process. I don’t want to offend you, but I have to tell you that I will be talking about the f-word today. And that f-word is a four-letter word that’s as obscene Read more about Fearless Teaching[…]

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Increasing Academic and Career Achievement with Lifelong Learning Skills

Lifelong learning skills provide the foundation for learning and working. They broadly support student thinking, self-management, and social interaction, enabling the pursuit of education and career goals. Collectively, lifelong learning skills enable students to master academic content and translate knowledge into action. There is a growing consensus among researchers that lifelong learning skills are identifiable Read more about Increasing Academic and Career Achievement with Lifelong Learning Skills[…]

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Teacher Leadership: The Pathway to Common Core Success

The Common Core State Standards began in 2009 as a state-led effort to measure the nation’s students against a shared benchmark. At first, the standards received broad acceptance. But as the standards rolled out–and as they continue to roll out–the Common Core has become a political football. With all of the political posturing, it’s easy Read more about Teacher Leadership: The Pathway to Common Core Success[…]

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Longitudinal Research on Teacher Attrition

NCES has recently released “Public School Teacher Attrition and Mobility in the First Five Years: Results From the First Through Fifth Waves of the 2007–08 Beginning Teacher Longitudinal Study“. The first results of this nationally representative study that looked at the fates of about 2,000 teachers who were new to the field in 2007 or Read more about Longitudinal Research on Teacher Attrition[…]

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A new model for college rankings

Doug Lederman at Inside Higher Ed has written an interesting piece about a new Brookings Institution model for college evaluation. The new model attempts to rank colleges in a “value-added” fashion that determines how much the college helped a given student improve toward career success. Many currently existing college rankings focus on elite colleges and Read more about A new model for college rankings[…]

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