Learning First Alliance Challenges Governors to Expand Collaboration with Educators

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

A new report from the Learning First Alliance, A New Philosophy on Education Decision-Making, calls for unique collaboration between governors and practitioners in K-12 policymaking. Governors and state education officials can provide direction to empower local leaders by supporting a collaborative decision-making system that brings a new relationship between policy and practice. The report Read more about Learning First Alliance Challenges Governors to Expand Collaboration with Educators[…]

Education Department Encourages Support for Educators and Teaching Profession

Posted on November 3, 2016October 28, 2016 by coreeducation

The U.S. Department of Education has released non-regulatory guidance to help support the nation’s educators and elevate the teaching profession. The guidance encourages states and districts to prepare, train, and recruit high-quality teachers and principals to increase student academic achievement. With the enactment of Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), states and districts have the opportunity Read more about Education Department Encourages Support for Educators and Teaching Profession[…]

Grading Schools: How States Should Define ‘School Quality’ under ESSA

Posted on October 27, 2016October 22, 2016 by coreeducation

In “Grading Schools: How States Should Define ‘School Quality’ Under the Every Student Succeeds Act,” Bellwether author Chad Aldeman argues that accountability systems are a state’s best tool to signal what it values and how schools should be working to improve. But if states fail to take advantage of that opportunity, they may not provide Read more about Grading Schools: How States Should Define ‘School Quality’ under ESSA[…]

How ESSA Can Help States Improve College and Career Readiness

Posted on October 25, 2016March 3, 2020 by coreeducation

The College and Career Readiness Center at AIR has released a College and Career Readiness and Success (CCRS) Organizer Scorecard. This tool is a self-assessment that can provide a snapshot of where your district or state is in integrating the multiple elements that impact college and career readiness and success for students in the K-12 Read more about How ESSA Can Help States Improve College and Career Readiness[…]

ESSA’s Evidence-Based School Improvement

Posted on October 12, 2016October 8, 2016 by coreeducation

Much will change in practice and policy as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) replaces the law, regulations, and guidance established through NCLB; but two elements of the new legislation stand out: the shift away from federal mandates toward greater state and local authority, and the emphasis on evidence-based school improvement practices. A new report Read more about ESSA’s Evidence-Based School Improvement[…]

School Inspections Offer a Diagnostic Look at Quality

Posted on October 11, 2016October 8, 2016 by coreeducation

Educators have gotten used to poring over spreadsheets filled with test scores to get a sense of their students’—and schools’—strengths and weaknesses. What they don’t often see is feedback from other teachers, administrators, and students who can offer a fresh perspective on where a school stands when it comes to instruction, resources, climate, financial efficiency, Read more about School Inspections Offer a Diagnostic Look at Quality[…]

High Stakes for High Achievers: State Accountability in the Age of ESSA

Posted on September 14, 2016September 9, 2016 by coreeducation

No Child Left Behind meant well, but it had a pernicious flaw: It created strong incentives for schools to focus all their energy on helping low-performing students get over a modest “proficiency” bar. Meanwhile, it ignored the educational needs of high achievers, who were likely to pass state reading and math tests regardless of what Read more about High Stakes for High Achievers: State Accountability in the Age of ESSA[…]

What Exactly is a Non-Academic Indicator?

Posted on September 6, 2016September 23, 2021 by coreeducation

In the American Youth Policy Forum, Jennifer Brown Lerner writes a thoughtful piece about the terminology that the education sector is using to refer to ESSA’s fifth indicator, the “non-academic” indicator. The language in the legislation names student engagement; educator engagement; access to and completion of advanced coursework; postsecondary readiness; school climate and safety as Read more about What Exactly is a Non-Academic Indicator?[…]

Maximizing ESSA Formula Funds: State Self-Assessments

Posted on August 12, 2016July 31, 2016 by coreeducation

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) offers new opportunities for states and school districts. In general, ESSA’s new rules do not take effect until July 1, 2017,which gives state education agencies (SEAs) an opportunity to assess whether their current policies and practices related to federal formula grant funds are aligned with state education objectives (such Read more about Maximizing ESSA Formula Funds: State Self-Assessments[…]

ESSA’s Well-Rounded Education

Posted on August 10, 2016July 31, 2016 by coreeducation

With the enactment of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), states will now have greater control and increased opportunities when developing plans that are customized and targeted to address the needs of their students. As ESSA includes expanded guidelines and objectives that are new from what many states are familiar with as part of previous Read more about ESSA’s Well-Rounded Education[…]

School Quality Reviews

Posted on June 29, 2016June 27, 2016 by coreeducation

Helen Ladd writes in the Brookings blog about an alternative to school accountability – an inspection and review system for schools: Inspection and review systems use professional inspectors to make periodic visits to schools – and ideally also to districts. The inspectors review school documents, talk to school leaders and teachers, and may also survey Read more about School Quality Reviews[…]

The Evidence on Non-Cognitive Skills from California’s CORE Districts

Posted on June 8, 2016March 3, 2020 by coreeducation

Previously, this blog introduced readers to the work of California’s CORE Districts. Now preliminary evidence is out, and we are able to look more closely at the use of self-report surveys of non-cognitive skills as a potential element of school accountability systems. Analysis of data from the CORE field test indicates that the scales used Read more about The Evidence on Non-Cognitive Skills from California’s CORE Districts[…]

Making the Grade: A 50 State Analysis of Accountability Systems

Posted on June 1, 2016June 1, 2016 by coreeducation

Over the past 15 years, a national consensus has slowly coalesced around one of the most enduring and contentious debates in education circles: how to hold schools and districts accountable for improving outcomes. The Every Student Succeeds Act, or ESSA, is in many ways the culmination of the movement towards more sophisticated accountability systems and Read more about Making the Grade: A 50 State Analysis of Accountability Systems[…]

Core Education Issue Brief: ESSA – Seizing the Opportunity

Posted on May 27, 2016May 20, 2016 by coreeducation

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was passed by Congress in December, and the law affords states much more flexibility to develop innovative educational systems and accountability processes. Now is an incredible opportunity for the transformation of American education, state by state. In this month’s issue brief, Core Education explores the opportunities under ESSA, including Read more about Core Education Issue Brief: ESSA – Seizing the Opportunity[…]

Making the Most of ESSA

Posted on May 25, 2016May 20, 2016 by coreeducation

As states work to finalize plans for the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) by the 2017-18 school year, Education First asks, what is your state’s North Star and how can you use ESSA to help you chart a course to reach it? When a state has an education North Star – a shared statewide vision Read more about Making the Most of ESSA[…]

ESSA: Time for States to Seize the Initiative

Posted on May 3, 2016April 30, 2016 by coreeducation

A recent article from Education Week, by Marc Tucker, criticizes the way states are handling the implementation of ESSA. The hottest item at the recent meeting of the Council of Chief State School Officers was ESSA, the new federal education legislation that replaced No Child Left Behind, but the big question on the minds of Read more about ESSA: Time for States to Seize the Initiative[…]