As states begin to implement the Common Core, there has been an increased focus on English Language Learners, or ELLs, in the classroom. An estimated 25% of children in America live in households where a language other than English is spoken. How can “regular” classroom teachers support the needs of these students? A new report Read more about Preparing Teachers to Meet the Needs of ELLs[…]
Education Week is again offering new “Spotlights on Education” for free. Spotlights are collections of recent articles grouped by theme to give readers an in-depth look at education issues. The currently offered Spotlights are: Implementing Online Learning Blended Learning Sports Variety of Approaches Spotlight Turns Toward Virtual Ed Accountability School Districts Team Up on Virtual Read more about New Education Week ‘Spotlights’[…]
The State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE), the nonprofit research and advocacy group that is the major partner in effecting change in Tennessee’s K-12 public education system, released its annual report on Tennessee’s education reforms earlier this month. SCORE also outlined what it believes are four priority areas the state will need to focus on Read more about SCORE Releases “State of Education in Tennessee” Report[…]
The US Department of Education is continuing its work to determine how online communities of practice (COPs) may help teachers improve their practice. For the past year, the Department’s Offices of Innovation and Improvement (OII) and Educational Technology (OET) have been researching several critical issues that may influence the effectiveness of online COPs. During this Read more about What Role Can Online COPs Play in Achieving Teacher Excellence?[…]
The Center for American Progress (CAP) has released a report that analyzes how states can use the results of their teacher evaluation systems in a meaningful way. In other words, “what kinds of strategies should they adopt to increase the amount of measured effectiveness in the teacher workforce over time?” In October 2011, the National Read more about Movin’ It and Improvin’ It[…]
Education First and the Editorial Projects in Education Research Center have released a joint study on the progress of implementation planning for the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Forty-seven states have adopted the standards so far. Not only did the study look at curriculum realignment to fit the new standards, but also at how teacher Read more about A National Perspective on CCSS Implementation Planning[…]
Last month, Wendy Kopp of Teach for America and Dennis Van Roekel of the National Education Association discussed their thoughts on ways to improve the teaching force in the US in an article that appeared in USa Today. “As [education] leaders…we know from experience that great teachers are made, not born…Unfortunately, not all teachers are Read more about Three Ways to Improve America’s Teachers[…]
The annual turnover rate in rural Alaskan schools can be as high as 35%, compared with urban rates as low as 5%. A new program in rural Alaska seeks to halt this trend through a new program that pairs rural schools with big-city counterparts. Funded by a federal grant of nearly $2 million to launch Read more about Group Aims to Reverse Rural Teacher Turnover Rate[…]
Last month, Robert Pianta of the Center for American Progress released a report reflecting on new evidence-based approaches to professional development and training of teachers. He notes the lack of a “stockpile” of effective teacher preparation and PD approaches to help states and districts meet the needs of their teachers, which has led to districts Read more about Teaching Children Well[…]
In a recent blog post for Education Week, educator Nancy Flanagan reflected on a recent encounter she had with a young teacher after a panel discussion. The teacher described her loneliness at her school, which is focused on raising test scores and has an atmosphere of fear and bitterness among the teaching staff subsumed by Read more about Six Ideas about Professional Growth for Teachers[…]
It is projected that over the next decade, one million teachers will retire from the profession. This estimate forms the basis of the current Department of Education policy objectives to transform the teaching profession by reforming teacher evaluation systems, identifying and rewarding effective teachers while removing the ineffective, and recruiting a “new brand” of teacher. Read more about What We Lose When Teachers Retire[…]
A $99 million teacher bonus program that Washington legislators designed to lure good teachers into high-poverty schools has not worked as intended, according to a new analysis from the University of Washington Bothell’s Center on Reinventing Public Education. Washington State provides $5,000 bonuses to those teachers who undergo and pass the rigorous national board certification Read more about Questioning the Effects of Bonuses for National Board Certified Teachers[…]
The state of Maryland has released a new teacher self-assessment tool. It is available at http://pdot.marylandlearninglinks.org/ This free tool is designed to facilitate teacher reflection related to instruction of students wih special needs. Teachers log in and rate themselves on indicators in ten areas, using a five-point scoring tool. The system then prints a results Read more about Teacher Self-Assessment Tool[…]
Core Education has always been focused on providing exceptional professional development to preservice, induction, and inservice teachers. We are also dedicated to promoting the state and district policies that make this type of professional development possible. Now, new research provides insights into the policies of four states that support outstanding professional development. Learning Forward (previously Read more about Seeking Exceptional Professional Development?[…]