“Agents for Learning” Competition to Spur Teacher Engagement in ESSA Implementation

Posted on April 26, 2016April 23, 2016 by coreeducation

Learning Forward and the National Commission on Teaching & America’s Future (NCTAF) are pleased to announce that the application process for the Agents for Learning Competition (www.learningforward.org/get-involved/agents-for-learning-competition) is now officially open. The goal of the competition is to engage educator teams in advocating for the best use of federal funding for professional learning under the Read more about “Agents for Learning” Competition to Spur Teacher Engagement in ESSA Implementation[…]

Advancing Deeper Learning Under ESSA

Posted on April 21, 2016March 3, 2020 by coreeducation

Policymakers and practitioners who face a deluge of important decisions affecting thousands of schools can find advice from some of the top education thinkers in the country in JFF’s new brief, Advancing Deeper Learning Under ESSA: Seven Priorities. The piece recommends ways that supporters of deeper learning can make the most of the rapidly changing Read more about Advancing Deeper Learning Under ESSA[…]

ESSA Accountability: Don’t Forget the High Achievers

Posted on April 11, 2016March 3, 2020 by coreeducation

In the early days of the accountability movement, Jeb Bush’s Florida developed an innovative approach to evaluating school quality. First, the state looked at individual student progress over time—making it one of the first to do so. Then it put special emphasis on the gains (or lack thereof) of the lowest-performing kids in the state. Read more about ESSA Accountability: Don’t Forget the High Achievers[…]

Improving Observer Training: The Trends and Challenges

Posted on April 8, 2016March 31, 2021 by coreeducation

Observations of teacher performance are a critical component of most teacher evaluation systems, and, if done well, they can help teachers better understand and improve their practice. Yet, as critical as observations are to ensuring quality instruction, not much is known about how districts are training and supporting their observers. This report examines recent research Read more about Improving Observer Training: The Trends and Challenges[…]

Improving Teacher Prep Data: Policy Statement from Deans for Impact

Posted on April 4, 2016April 1, 2016 by coreeducation

Deans for Impact recently looked at nearly two dozen educator preparation programs and found that only six have access to student achievement data connected to the teachers they prepared. Less than a third have access to other kinds of data about their graduates’ performance, like classroom observations. The organization, in a new policy agenda, says Read more about Improving Teacher Prep Data: Policy Statement from Deans for Impact[…]

State Chiefs Pledge to Maintain Teacher Evaluation Post NCLB

Posted on March 7, 2016March 4, 2016 by coreeducation

The nation’s state superintendents are trying to send the message that, even though there are no longer any federal requirements for teacher evaluation, states aren’t abandoning their commitment to review their teachers on a regular basis. This comes as a result of the federal passage of ESSA which relaxes the rules on teacher evaluations. CCSSO Read more about State Chiefs Pledge to Maintain Teacher Evaluation Post NCLB[…]

Building a Powerful State Instructional System for All Students

Posted on March 4, 2016February 26, 2016 by coreeducation

Education Week author Marc Tucker describes what NCEE has learned about the design of the instructional systems used by top-performing countries and suggest ways in which U.S. states can adapt those lessons for use in their own state system under the Every Student Succeeds Act. He defines “instructional system” as a system that combines standards Read more about Building a Powerful State Instructional System for All Students[…]

Going Beyond Academics in Assessing School Effectiveness

Posted on February 19, 2016February 12, 2016 by coreeducation

A recent article in Education Week, written by Evie Blad, examines how select California school districts, collectively known as CORE districts, are measuring school effectiveness with criteria that extends beyond academic success. As discussions about school accountability begin to focus more intently on factors beyond standardized-test scores, educators and policymakers nationwide are closely watching these Read more about Going Beyond Academics in Assessing School Effectiveness[…]

ESSA Accountability Design Competition Submissions

Posted on February 8, 2016February 5, 2016 by coreeducation

Under the newly enacted Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), states now face the challenge of creating school accountability systems that can vastly improve upon the model required by No Child Left Behind. To help spur creative thinking about how they might do so, and also to inform the Department of Education as it develops its Read more about ESSA Accountability Design Competition Submissions[…]

States’ Continued Commitment to Next-Generation Accountability Systems

Posted on February 3, 2016January 29, 2016 by coreeducation

Now that Congress has reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and given states control over their own accountability systems, what will states do with the new flexibility? Pretty much the same thing they have been doing for the past four years, says a report released by the Council of Chief State School Officers. More Read more about States’ Continued Commitment to Next-Generation Accountability Systems[…]

How Will ESSA Influence States’ Teacher Quality Efforts?

Posted on January 29, 2016January 23, 2016 by coreeducation

A recent article by Kaylan Connally from EdCentral examines the implications for states’ evaluation systems moving forward and how ESSA may influence other state teacher quality efforts. ESSA will affect the way teacher preparation, teacher equity, teacher growth and advancement are handled by states. Teacher Preparation – Through ESSA Title II formula funds, states can Read more about How Will ESSA Influence States’ Teacher Quality Efforts?[…]

What ESSA Means for Teacher Effectiveness

Posted on December 15, 2015December 11, 2015 by coreeducation

As this blog reported, the reauthorized Elementary and Secondary Education Act was signed into law on December 10, 2015. The new law, deemed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) is good for the next four years. SY2016-17 is a transition year, and the law will be in full effect in SY2017-18. We have previously provided Read more about What ESSA Means for Teacher Effectiveness[…]

ESEA Reauthorized – FINALLY!

Posted on December 10, 2015September 12, 2020 by coreeducation

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), first created under President Lyndon Johnson in 1965, was the first major federal effort to provide funding and policy guidance to states to address the education needs of low-income and minority children and support the intent of Brown v. Board of Education. Today, The Every Child Succeeds Act, the Read more about ESEA Reauthorized – FINALLY![…]