December Issue Brief: Open Educational Resources

In today’s information age, educational resources are being shared on an unprecedented scale. Common standards facilitate this sharing across districts and states, and national organizations and non-profits are beginning to develop open educational resources (OERs) for widespread use. While OERs are becoming more prevalent, how can educators locate materials that Read more

Achieve Releases Classroom Sample Assessment Tasks for the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)

Achieve recently announced the release of Classroom Sample Assessment Tasks for middle and high school grades. These sample tasks, written by secondary science and math teachers, provide examples of how content and practices from both the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in Mathematics Read more

Brief: Understanding Conscientiousness and Its Role in Improved Student Achievement

In today’s rapidly changing global economy, “21st century skills” means much more than proficiency in basic academic subjects. One of the most important non-cognitive competencies for student success is conscientiousness, which encompasses traits such as perseverance, self-regulation, resilience, and responsibility. This policy brief provides an overview of conscientiousness and its Read more