While there are still more questions than answers, the U.S. Department of Education the Department has released a draft framework for the ratings of colleges and is seeking public feedback. The new College Ratings framework is important. Secretary Duncan says, “As a nation, we have to make college more accessible and affordable and ensure that Read more about What we Know: ED’s Proposed College Rating System[…]
The Time for Equity Indicators Framework is a web-based tool today that provides school and district leaders, reform support partners, researchers, and community organizations with a wealth of information about how to effectively measure the process and impact of expanding and reimagining learning time. It has been developed by the Annenberg Institute Read more about Time for Equity Indicators Framework[…]
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 are worth one’s time and Read more about December Issue Brief: Open Educational Resources[…]
In today’s contentious education debates, Student Learning Objectives (SLOs) offer a compelling middle ground that provides rigor and concrete data yet in a way that accommodates student needs. The Center on Great Teachers and Leaders (GTL Center) has several new resources available for education leaders to use in order to take full advantage of the Read more about New SLO Resources from the Center on Great Teachers and Leaders[…]
Teachers need ongoing, targeted supports to be effective. That’s why district and state leaders across the country are changing how they evaluate and support teachers. Over the past three years, 16 states have changed their teacher evaluation policies, with another 28 poised to do so in the next few years. It is well known that Read more about New Evaluation & Support Briefs from Education First[…]
Recently, the U.S. Department of Education released the FAQ guidance for states as they develop plans to ensure equitable access to excellent educators for students from low-income families and students of color. The Center on Great Teachers and Leaders (GTL Center) is pleased to launch the Equitable Access Toolkit to support states in this work. Read more about Equitable Access Toolkit to Guide State Educator Equity Planning[…]
Khan Academy has a new resource for helping students and parents navigate the college admissions process. It includes video interviews and conversations with successful students from all walks of life and admissions officers and counselors at some of the nation’s top schools. One of the best features is “Making High School Count,” which talks students Read more about Free Resource for Students and Parents Preparing for College[…]
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 can be assessed together in Read more about Achieve Releases Classroom Sample Assessment Tasks for the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)[…]
Join REL Mid-Atlantic for an Ask An Expert online chat on Using Student Surveys to Monitor Teacher Effectiveness. Kim Marshall, a former teacher of the year and principal who now advises and coaches new principals, will lead the discussion. He teaches instructional leadership and publishes The Marshall Memo, a weekly newsletter. His most recent book Read more about Using Student Surveys to Monitor Teacher Effectiveness[…]
A coalition of 11 states will create comprehensive, high-quality, open educational resources (OER) supporting K-12 mathematics and English language arts aligned with state learning standards. This new partnership, The K-12 OER Collaborative, is being coordinated by a nonprofit, The Learning Accelerator (TLA). It aims to offer additional choice to local education agencies, significantly reduce the Read more about Coalition to Launch Effort to Create Free, Open-Source Materials[…]
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation is asking businesses to pledge their support for the Common Core State Standards in a new video. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation has announced the release of its latest video in support of the Common Core State Standards, Make Their Minds Fly. This short video and corresponding infographic Read more about U.S. Chamber of Commerce Support of Common Core[…]
The Common Core is now front and center in classrooms across the country, and educators and policymakers are focused on getting implementation right. Education First has released a series of briefing papers and a short executive summary that offer guidance for how professional development needs to change to help educators succeed with the standards. The Read more about Education First releases series of briefs on PD for Common Core[…]
A new guide from Public Impact shows how districts can design teacher career paths that will keep excellent teachers in the classroom and extend their reach to more students, for more pay, within budget. When districts design career paths of this type, they create opportunities for excellent teachers to reach more students directly and by Read more about Teacher Pay and Career Paths in an Opportunity Culture: A Practical Policy Guide[…]
For implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) to be successful, all educators need access to high quality and aligned instructional materials. Achieve launched the Educators Evaluating the Quality of Instructional Products (EQuIP) initiative to build the capacity of educators to evaluate and improve the quality of instructional materials for use in their classrooms Read more about Achieve Posts 50th Common Core-Aligned Lesson through EQuIP Initiative[…]
The Center on Great Teachers and Leaders, part of the American Institutes for Research, periodically produces professional learning modules to support the education profession. Following are some gems released in October: Understanding Teaching Conditions (Professional Learning Module). Improving teaching conditions is essential for states and districts to address equitable access to effective teaching. When teachers Read more about New GTL Center Resources[…]
More than 100 education advocacy groups are imploring Congress and the administration to make sure all students have access to effective teachers. The groups, operating under the Coalition for Teaching Quality, will hold House and Senate briefings on Capitol Hill. The coalition is releasing its own “roadmap” to get the work done. The roadmap contains Read more about All Students Need Effective Teachers[…]