Bonuses for High Performing Teachers in the Worst Schools?

Posted on August 11, 2014August 9, 2014 by coreeducation

Vanderbilt University has recently put out a new study on teacher retention, which examined a Tennessee program that offered high-performing teachers in the state’s worst schools a $5,000 bonus to stay on another year. The program was fairly small and implementation was uneven, but researchers still found preliminary evidence of a positive effect. Middle schools Read more about Bonuses for High Performing Teachers in the Worst Schools?[…]

Who Gets to Write the History of Teacher Quality?

Posted on August 7, 2014August 2, 2014 by coreeducation

In his edweek.org blog, Marc Tucker argues that success in improving teacher quality should be measured by our country’s ability to transform teaching from a blue-collar occupation to a high-status profession. Tucker was encouraged to write this particular blog post by a new report, “Genuine Progress, Greater Challenges: A Decade of Teacher Effectiveness Reforms”, penned Read more about Who Gets to Write the History of Teacher Quality?[…]

Cutting Red Tape: Overcoming Bureaucracy to Develop High-Performing SEAs

Posted on August 6, 2014August 2, 2014 by coreeducation

In many ways, the success of educational policies in the United States depends greatly on the success of state education agencies. States—traditionally through state education agencies, or SEAs—monitor districts and schools to ensure that students are safe in school and that their education meets minimum quality standards. But the space occupied by SEAs is also Read more about Cutting Red Tape: Overcoming Bureaucracy to Develop High-Performing SEAs[…]

Who Owns Teacher-Created Content?

Posted on August 5, 2014August 2, 2014 by coreeducation

The State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA), in partnership with Creative Commons U.S., recently released a policy brief for state and district education leaders focused on strategies for equipping educators to effectively and legally navigate the use of digital content. The brief, Clarifying Ownership of Teacher-Created Digital Content Empowers Educators to Personalize Education, Address Individual Read more about Who Owns Teacher-Created Content?[…]

Conserving Principal and Teacher Talent

Posted on August 4, 2014August 2, 2014 by coreeducation

At The Lens, part of the Center on Reinventing Public Education, Paul Hill offers a model for finding existing star performers in underperforming urban school districts. Every school district has teachers and administrators who are part of the problem but also teachers and administrators who are already or are very willing to be part of Read more about Conserving Principal and Teacher Talent[…]

Teacher tenure laws across the country

Posted on August 2, 2014 by coreeducation

An increasing number of states are mandating that teacher performance be considered in employment decisions, including tenure and layoffs, according to a 50-state policy review of teacher-tenure laws by the Education Commission of the States. Three states — Florida, Kansas, and North Carolina — have attempted to eliminate tenure or are phasing it out. Florida Read more about Teacher tenure laws across the country[…]

Wallace Foundation aims to help school leaders get better, donates $30 million

Posted on July 31, 2014 by coreeducation

Fourteen school systems around the country, including the District of Columbia and Prince George’s County (MD), will receive grants totaling $30 million to improve the effectiveness of unsung middle managers in large urban districts – those who supervise principals. The five-year program, funded by the Wallace Foundation, is designed to help improve management in sprawling Read more about Wallace Foundation aims to help school leaders get better, donates $30 million[…]

States Forge Ahead on Principal Evaluation

Posted on July 30, 2014September 12, 2020 by coreeducation

Since 2010, at least 36 states have adopted laws requiring principals to undergo regular assessments and increasing the rigor of those reviews, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. This change is in large part due to demands set on school systems by No Child Left Behind and the later waivers granted by the Read more about States Forge Ahead on Principal Evaluation[…]

New Issue Brief from the ACT on College and Career Readiness

Posted on July 29, 2014 by coreeducation

The ACT doesn’t only make tests; they also write policy reports. Their newest one, “Communicating College and Career Readiness through Proficiency Standards,” has several policy recommendations for states adopting new educational standards. The brief describes how Kentucky, New York, Florida, and the District of Columbia transitioned their state assessments to reflect college and career readiness Read more about New Issue Brief from the ACT on College and Career Readiness[…]

State Sen. Mike Johnston: An Up and Comer in Education Reform

Posted on July 28, 2014September 12, 2020 by coreeducation

Why should Americans concerned about education know the name of a state senator from Colorado? Because he, and others like him who are willing to work across the aisle, are likely to be the face of American education reform of the future. State Senator Mike Johnston has quite the pedigree: Ivy League undergrad (Yale), Teach Read more about State Sen. Mike Johnston: An Up and Comer in Education Reform[…]

Who Uses Student Data?

Posted on July 28, 2014 by coreeducation

Most personal student information stays local. Districts, states, and the federal government all collect data about students for important purposes like informing instruction and providing information to the public. But the type of data collected, and who can access them, is different at each point. Explore how student data—from schools to the US Department of Read more about Who Uses Student Data?[…]

Are Multiplayer Games the Future of Education?

Posted on July 19, 2014September 12, 2020 by coreeducation

Melanie Plenda at The Atlantic Education recently described a new trend in American education that shows promise to attract strong student attention and help engage long term memory: Gamification. The idea of turning learning into games that students play is not new, but some of the research surrounding it is, as is the idea of Read more about Are Multiplayer Games the Future of Education?[…]

Writing about Research Concepts in Everyday Language

Posted on July 17, 2014 by coreeducation

Making complex research concepts easily accessible to policymakers and practitioners can be challenging for researchers who have been trained to write for an academic audience. This is especially an important issue for school and district leaders who want to keep their staff abreast of key new developments in the field without intimidating or losing the Read more about Writing about Research Concepts in Everyday Language[…]

July Issue Brief: Teacher Preparation

Posted on July 16, 2014July 16, 2014 by coreeducation

Politicians, pundits, and the American public are seeking evidence of the quality of teacher preparation. But how can we tell if a teacher preparation program is effective? In this month’s issue brief, we have assembled perspectives on accountability for teacher preparation programs and the role of the federal government related to this issue. What is Read more about July Issue Brief: Teacher Preparation[…]

How Schools Work and How to Work with Schools

Posted on July 15, 2014July 15, 2014 by coreeducation

Across the country, millions of children attend public school every year. Their parents likely went to public school too, as do the vast majority of Americans. But attending public school, or even working in education, isn’t the same as knowing how public schools—and our nation’s education system—actually work. How Schools Work and How to Work Read more about How Schools Work and How to Work with Schools[…]

Teacher Prep Review 2014 Report from NCTQ

Posted on July 12, 2014July 12, 2014 by coreeducation

Teacher Prep Review 2014 is the second edition of NCTQ‘s annual assessment of the nation’s 2,400 teacher prep programs. The Review uncovers early evidence that teacher prep programs are beginning to make changes. It arrives at a time of heightened, unprecedented activity across the nation to improve teacher preparation. Here are a few of the Read more about Teacher Prep Review 2014 Report from NCTQ[…]