10 Evidence-Based Policies and Practices for Assessment

Posted on December 20, 2017December 15, 2017 by coreeducation

The Meadows Center at the University of Texas at Austin has released a piece outlining 10 evidence-based policies and practices for high-quality assessment in schools, along with the research supporting them. These policies/practices include the following: School leadership ensures that teachers have a shared understanding of the curriculum and standards across the grades. Schools use Read more about 10 Evidence-Based Policies and Practices for Assessment[…]

Dozens of Arts Programs Could Receive Funding Under Federal Education Law

Posted on December 6, 2017December 2, 2017 by coreeducation

A new literature review from the American Institutes for Research (AIR) explores research available on arts integration activities and finds 44 that could qualify for ESSA funding (10 studies met Tier I-III evidence standards for strong, moderate or promising evidence, while 34 met the Tier IV standard for having a research-based rationale). Interventions include those Read more about Dozens of Arts Programs Could Receive Funding Under Federal Education Law[…]

State School Chiefs Offer ‘Playbook’ on Improving Teacher Preparation

Posted on October 16, 2017October 12, 2017 by coreeducation

The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) has released Transforming Educator Preparation: Lessons Learned from Leading States, a playbook offering specific steps states can take to improve educator preparation. In 2012, CCSSO released Our Responsibility, Our Promise, boldly challenging state education leaders to raise expectations and strengthen policies to better prepare teachers before they Read more about State School Chiefs Offer ‘Playbook’ on Improving Teacher Preparation[…]

The Promise of Evidence-Based Policymaking

Posted on September 15, 2017September 8, 2017 by coreeducation

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[…]

New Report Provides Education Leaders with School Interventions that Work

Posted on August 2, 2017July 29, 2017 by coreeducation

As state, district, and school leaders begin work under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to identify and intervene in low-performing schools and among under-achieving groups of students, a new report by the Alliance for Excellent Education offers action steps and research-backed solutions to guide their work. The report, School Interventions That Work: Targeted Support Read more about New Report Provides Education Leaders with School Interventions that Work[…]

Leverage Points

Posted on March 22, 2017March 16, 2017 by coreeducation

Results for America and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) recently released Leverage Points, a new report that spotlights 13 opportunities for states to accelerate their use of data and evidence to improve K-12 schools. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires in some parts (and encourages in others) the use of evidence-based Read more about Leverage Points[…]

New ‘Evidence for ESSA’ Website

Posted on March 20, 2017March 10, 2017 by coreeducation

The Center for Research and Reform in Education (CRRE) at Johns Hopkins University has released its much anticipated website called Evidence for ESSA (www.evidenceforessa.org), a free web-based resource that provides easy access to information on programs that meet the evidence standards defined in the Every Student Succeeds Act. The website is designed for education leaders Read more about New ‘Evidence for ESSA’ Website[…]

Programs Versus Practices: What’s the “What” in What Works?

Posted on March 14, 2017March 10, 2017 by coreeducation

Ruth Neild of the American Youth Policy Forum recently provided advice on what types of interventions educators should be looking for when they strive to meet the ESSA evidence standards. Her explanation encompasses programs, models, policies, practices, and products. Excerpts of her piece appear below: “Invest in what works, and stop doing what doesn’t!” This, Read more about Programs Versus Practices: What’s the “What” in What Works?[…]

Evidence-Based Improvement: A Guide to the Evidence Requirements of ESSA

Posted on January 25, 2017January 23, 2017 by coreeducation

One of the broad intents of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) is to encourage evidence-based decision-making as standard practice. This new, free publication from WestEd, Evidence-Based Improvement: A Guide for States to Strengthen their Frameworks and Supports Aligned to the Evidence Requirements of ESSA, provides an initial set of tools to help states Read more about Evidence-Based Improvement: A Guide to the Evidence Requirements of ESSA[…]

December Issue Brief: Evidence-Based School Improvement

Posted on December 19, 2016December 16, 2016 by coreeducation

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires state and district leaders to consider the evidence behind school improvement practices before adopting or implementing them. The evidence-based provisions of ESSA are intended to support school improvement and result in better student outcomes. Guidance encourages state and district leaders to consider multiple tiers of evidence and examine Read more about December Issue Brief: Evidence-Based School Improvement[…]

How to Learn What’s Working in Your Setting

Posted on December 15, 2016December 9, 2016 by coreeducation

The Regional Educational Laboratories Program has released a new video series that explains how schools, districts, states, and their research partners can use a cost-effective approach, known as “opportunistic experiments,” to test the effectiveness of programs. Under the right circumstances, this type of research study can generate evidence for informing your education decisions. What is Read more about How to Learn What’s Working in Your Setting[…]

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[…]

IES Releases Synthesis of Research on Mathematics Teaching and Learning

Posted on August 11, 2016July 31, 2016 by coreeducation

The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) has released a synthesis of research it has funded on mathematics teaching and learning, Synthesis of IES- Funded Research on Mathematics: 2002-2013. This synthesis reviews published papers on IES-supported research from projects awarded between 2002 and 2013. The authors identified 28 specific contributions that IES-funded research made to support Read more about IES Releases Synthesis of Research on Mathematics Teaching and Learning[…]

Want to Fix Education? Give a Kid a Tutor

Posted on May 23, 2016May 20, 2016 by coreeducation

In the late 1970’s, education research was deemed a pseudoscience by many in the field due to a lack of clear data and results that pointed to effective practice. In response, researchers began designing field experiments to test the effectiveness of programs and practices. In recent years, as concern over U.S. educational performance has increased, Read more about Want to Fix Education? Give a Kid a Tutor[…]

Policy Change is not the Only Path to School Reform

Posted on May 18, 2016May 13, 2016 by coreeducation

A recent opinion blog, written by Michael J. Petrilli, President of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, discusses the education sector’s exhaustion with policies on education reform. Mr. Petrilli writes: It strikes me, and several others with whom I’ve spoken in recent months, that education reform is at a turning point. It’s not just the new Read more about Policy Change is not the Only Path to School Reform[…]

Does the focus on Content Standards detract from rigor?

Posted on February 26, 2015 by coreeducation

States should focus more on setting high performance standards than on debating the content of their academic standards. This is according to a new report out from the American Institutes for Research. THE ISSUE Content standards, not performance standards, have been almost the sole focus of state policies and recent conversations about academic standards. Although Read more about Does the focus on Content Standards detract from rigor?[…]