Research-Based Options for Education Policymaking: Teacher Evaluation

Posted on October 12, 2012 by coreeducation

The first in a new series of two-page briefs summarizing the state of education policy research offers suggestions for policymakers designing teacher evaluation systems. The first paper, Teacher Evaluation, is written by Dr. William Mathis, managing director of the National Education Policy Center, housed at the University of Colorado’s Boulder School of Education. Mathis summarizes Read more about Research-Based Options for Education Policymaking: Teacher Evaluation[…]

Implementing Indiana’s “Students First” Agenda

Posted on August 28, 2012February 5, 2013 by coreeducation

In a newly released study, American Enterprise Institute (AEI) director of education policy studies Frederick (Rick) Hess, professor Paul Manna and researcher Keenan Kelly assess Indiana’s 2011 “Putting Students First” education reform law, a first of its kind large-scale reform package which includes school choice, teacher evaluation and collective bargaining reforms which serves as a Read more about Implementing Indiana’s “Students First” Agenda[…]

Building Support for Effective Teaching: The Impact of Public Will

Posted on August 7, 2012 by coreeducation

The United Way Worldwide (UWW) recently released a study on how communities can work together to advance effective teaching and empower effective teachers. Beginning in July 2009, the study took place in 14 communities located in Florida, North Carolina, and Tennessee. United Way Worldwide worked with the communities to identify strategies to support and enhance Read more about Building Support for Effective Teaching: The Impact of Public Will[…]

Institute for Higher Education Policy Launches PolicyDirect

Posted on August 6, 2012August 6, 2012 by coreeducation

Last week the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) launched a new site containing cutting-edge postsecondary education research for a policy-focused audience. PolicyDirect is a one-stop, online resource that delivers more than 300 easy-to-use summaries of academic research that highlights critical findings on important higher education issues such as college preparation, financial aid, productivity, and Read more about Institute for Higher Education Policy Launches PolicyDirect[…]

Financial Analyses of Redesigned Teacher Roles

Posted on July 29, 2012 by coreeducation

Using financial analyses, Public Impact shows how redesigned teacher roles that extend the reach of excellent teachers to more students free funds to pay those teachers up to 130 percent more, within current budgets. Multi-classroom leadership can pay teachers up to about 130% more Elementary subject specialization can pay teachers up to 43% more Swapping Read more about Financial Analyses of Redesigned Teacher Roles[…]

Strategic Data Project Provides New Findings on Teacher Placement and Retention Patterns

Posted on July 20, 2012 by coreeducation

The Strategic Data Project (SDP) released two Strategic Performance Indicators (SPIs) that highlight specific areas that education leaders should examine to improve the overall effectiveness of their teacher workforce and the performance of their school districts. The first of these SPIs focuses on teacher placement patterns, examining which students are generally assigned to first-year teachers. Read more about Strategic Data Project Provides New Findings on Teacher Placement and Retention Patterns[…]

Achieving More for Less in U.S. Education with a Value-Based Approach

Posted on July 17, 2012 by coreeducation

As school districts across the nation struggle with demands to do more with less, it is increasingly imperative that they adopt a “value-based” approach to budgeting and decision making for K-12 education, according to The Boston Consulting Group. In this report entitled Achieving More for Less in U.S. Education with a Value-Based Approach, experts in Read more about Achieving More for Less in U.S. Education with a Value-Based Approach[…]

Is Teacher Effectiveness Portable?

Posted on July 9, 2012 by coreeducation

In a new working paper from the Center for Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Education Research (CALDER), the authors take a closer look at the current policy vogue of redistributing highly effective teachers from low- to high-needs schools. The underlying assumption of this policy “is that teacher productivity is portable across different school settings.” In Read more about Is Teacher Effectiveness Portable?[…]

Tips for Supporting, Preparing Culturally Diverse Teaching Force

Posted on June 18, 2012 by coreeducation

Rural administrators who want to better prepare and support a culturally diverse teaching force need to vary recruitment strategies, seek partnerships, and promote a culture of collaboration, according to a new study. Those are among a list of suggestions in “Teacher Identity in a Multicultural Rural School: Lessons Learned at Vista Charter,” published in the Read more about Tips for Supporting, Preparing Culturally Diverse Teaching Force[…]

Putting a Price Tag on the Common Core

Posted on June 10, 2012 by coreeducation

On May 30, the Fordham Institute released a new report evaluating the potential cost of implementing the Common Core, the first in a wave of such evaluations. This report addresses three key questions: What are the short-term costs of moving to the Common Core? In other words, what will be the initial expenses (instructional materials, Read more about Putting a Price Tag on the Common Core[…]

Managing Talent for Coherence: Learning from CMOs

Posted on June 10, 2012June 12, 2012 by coreeducation

A new report by the Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) finds that leaders in the charter sector hire teachers based on their fit with a school’s mission, not just their individual characteristics and talent, as a way to build strong schools. The report, Managing Talent for Coherence: Learning from Charter Management Organizations, details how Read more about Managing Talent for Coherence: Learning from CMOs[…]

Student Motivation: An Overlooked Piece of School Reform

Posted on June 5, 2012 by coreeducation

The Center on Education Policy at George Washington University has released a series of papers examining the role of student motivation in current reform efforts. The summary paper, Student Motivation: An Overlooked Piece of School Reform, pulls together the research from six background papers, each addressing different aspect of student motivation. Each report in the Read more about Student Motivation: An Overlooked Piece of School Reform[…]

The Condition of Education 2012

Posted on June 1, 2012 by coreeducation

The National Center for Education Statistics released The Condition of Education 2012 last week, an annual publication mandated by Congress. The report summarizes important developments and trends in education using the latest available data. The report presents 49 indicators on the status and condition of education. The indicators are grouped under three main areas: (1) Read more about The Condition of Education 2012[…]

Improving Mathematical Problem Solving in Grades 4 Through 8

Posted on May 31, 2012 by coreeducation

The What Works Clearinghouse has released a new guide focused on improving math skills in students in the middle grades. The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC), part of the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), functions as a central repository for education research on “what works” in education. Periodically, IES releases a “practice guide” based on the Read more about Improving Mathematical Problem Solving in Grades 4 Through 8[…]

New Framework for Principal Evaluation Challenges National Model

Posted on May 21, 2012 by coreeducation

A new report from the American Institutes for Research (AIR) argues that principal evaluation systems should not be based only on student achievement gains, but on the quality of principal leadership and performance. Additionally, principals and other school-based leaders are being left out of education reform discussions. The report, called “The Ripple Effect,” also noted Read more about New Framework for Principal Evaluation Challenges National Model[…]