The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) has released its biannual 2017 State Teacher Policy Yearbook (Yearbook), which finds that the rapid progress made by states over the last decade to modernize their teacher policies has largely slowed. Since the last edition of the Yearbook in 2015, few states have initiated any new actions to Read more about States’ Sense of Urgency to Improve Teacher Policies Grinds to a Halt[…]
The world is changing and so are its schools. In recognition of the need to prepare students for an evolving and increasingly interconnected world, a growing number of countries have remodeled their education systems to deliver an education built for the 21st century, producing higher achievement and greater equity than the U.S. How are they Read more about Empowered Educators Webinar Series[…]
Achieve has released a new report analyzing the English language arts (ELA)/literacy and mathematics standards of the 24 states that have reviewed and revised these standards after initially adopting the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The report, Strong Standards: A Review of Changes to State Standards Since the Common Core, found most states kept their Read more about Strong Standards: A Review of Changes to State Standards Since the Common Core[…]
Achieve has released an online tracking tool that summarizes components of states’ accountability plans as submitted to the U.S. Department of Education under the requirements of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The tool also allows for users to compare states’ accountability metrics. As part of ESSA, every state was required to create and submit Read more about New Online Tracker Shows How States Will Hold Schools Accountable Under ESSA[…]
Sam Larson, James W. Dearing and Thomas E. Backer of the Wallace Foundation recently worked with 45 diverse nonprofits to discover successful strategies for scaling successful programs. “Strategies to Scale Up Social Programs: Pathways, Partnerships and Fidelity,” examines how successful organizations address how to scale up, whom to involve in the process and the Read more about Strategies to Scale Up Social Programs[…]
Since 2016, 11 states have passed regulations making it easier for out-of-state teachers to get their licenses. This finding comes from a new report from the Education Commission of the States on teacher licensure reciprocity across all 50 states. This policy report defines and provides a review of teacher license reciprocity, explores how state-specific licensing Read more about Teacher License Reciprocity: 50 State Review[…]
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires that each state meaningfully differentiates its schools based at least on the following indicators: Academic achievement; Another academic indicator (growth and/or graduation rates); English Learner Language proficiency; and An indicator of school quality or student success – The indicator of school quality or student success (SQ/SS), should be Read more about What are states using as School Quality and Student Success Indicators?[…]
In some states, teachers are more fairly paid and treated than in others and therefore less likely to face a revolving door of teacher turnover. To help America’s educators find the best opportunities and teaching environments, WalletHub’s analysts compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia based on 21 key indicators of teacher-friendliness, divided Read more about Which states are friendliest to teachers?[…]
Recently, in Fordham’s Flypaper, Michael Petrilli reflects on the outcomes we should be seeking as a result of school reform. He asks if parental satisfaction is really enough. Excerpts from the article appear below: If parental satisfaction is all we’re after, it shouldn’t be terribly hard to achieve. Polls find that most parents are already Read more about Is parental satisfaction enough?[…]
Every student, no matter where he or she lives, deserves a great teacher. States, educator preparation programs (EPPs), and K–12 leaders must work together to ensure that all teachers are learner ready on day one in the classroom. But too often, these actors do not have access to the necessary information to fully prepare teachers Read more about Using Data to Improve Teacher Prep[…]
An iNACOL Issue Brief by Dale Frost and Maria Worthen provides an overview of competency-based education and offers state policy recommendations and resources for policymakers who are ready to enable and support competency-based education. Competency-based education is a next generation learning model that focuses on all students achieving mastery, preparing them for success in college, Read more about State Policy & K-12 Competency-Based Education[…]
The Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking has issued its final report – The Promise of Evidence-Based Policymaking – which includes nearly two dozen bipartisan recommendations for how the federal government can use data and evidence to improve outcomes for all. Commission Chair Katharine Abraham, Commission Co-Chair Ron Haskins and the other Commissioners who spent 15 months carefully Read more about The Promise of Evidence-Based Policymaking[…]
The Education Commission of the States recently released Beyond the Core: Advancing Student Success through the Arts. This Education Trends report explores research on how the arts bolster the development of deeper learning skills, provides examples of programs that successfully increased access to the arts in education in public schools, and includes state- and local-level Read more about Advancing Student Success through the Arts[…]
Phi Delta Kappa International (PDK) has just completed its 49th survey of the public’s attitudes toward public schools. The survey results show that Americans believe local public schools should be providing wraparound services, including mental health programs and after-school programs. The report similarly emphasizes the public’s interest in educators helping students develop their interpersonal skills Read more about The Public’s Attitudes Towards Public Schools[…]
State education governance structures create a framework for the interplay of authority and accountability, dictating how directives are issued and how authority is balanced with the responsibility to ensure that directives are appropriately carried out and desired results are achieved. This report explores the 50 states and takes a deep dive into the four primary Read more about State Education Governance Structures: 2017 Update[…]
Social and emotional learning (SEL) programs, which previously have been shown to immediately improve mental health, social skills, and academic achievement, continue to benefit students for months and even years to come, according to new research (Promoting Positive Youth Development Through School-Based Social and Emotional Learning Interventions: A Meta-Analysis of Follow-Up Effects) from the Collaborative Read more about SEL Programs have Long-term Impact[…]