2018 PDK Poll of the Public’s Attitude Toward the Public Schools

Posted on September 5, 2018September 3, 2018 by coreeducation

The PDK Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools is the most trusted source of public opinion about K-12 education. This poll queried U.S. adults about a range of issues confronting education, including teacher pay and the teaching profession, school security, options for improving the public schools, perceptions of opportunities for different groups Read more about 2018 PDK Poll of the Public’s Attitude Toward the Public Schools[…]

Continuous Improvement in Practice

Posted on August 28, 2018March 3, 2020 by coreeducation

Calls for “continuous improvement” commonly arise in discussions about school improvement in the K-12 education system. But educators have various definitions of continuous improvement, and few know what continuous improvement looks like in practice. To advance this conversation, a new brief from WestEd helps to define continuous improvement both in theory and in practice, and Read more about Continuous Improvement in Practice[…]

A Policymaker’s Playbook for Transforming Teaching

Posted on July 11, 2018July 6, 2018 by coreeducation

District of Columbia Public Schools has been a source of some sensational headlines over the past decade, from an on-camera firing of a school principal to recent revelations of watered-down diplomas. But the school district arguably has done more to modernize public school teaching than any other in the nation. It is powerful work, yielding Read more about A Policymaker’s Playbook for Transforming Teaching[…]

Gates Foundation bet on Teacher Evaluation Reform Falls Short

Posted on July 5, 2018July 3, 2018 by coreeducation

Matt Barnum, writing for Chalkbeat, has summarized the findings of a RAND report on the $575 million investment from the Gates Foundation into teacher evaluation reform. Excerpts of the article appear below: New research commissioned by the Gates Foundation finds scant evidence that changes [related to human capital reform for teachers] accomplished what they were Read more about Gates Foundation bet on Teacher Evaluation Reform Falls Short[…]

Next Steps for Teacher Evaluation Reform

Posted on June 14, 2018June 10, 2018 by coreeducation

Matthew Kraft, an assistant professor of education and economics at Brown University, has researched teacher evaluation reform extensively, through surveys of principals and multiple studies of state teacher-rating systems. FutureEd Director Thomas Toch spoke with Kraft to get his perspectives on the teacher evaluation landscape. Below, he talks about the value of having multiple rating Read more about Next Steps for Teacher Evaluation Reform[…]

Preparing Educators and School Leaders for Effective Arts Integration

Posted on May 29, 2018May 26, 2018 by coreeducation

Research shows the positive impact of arts integration on students’ cognitive skills, engagement and attitudes about learning. How can states support educators and school leaders as they work to integrate the arts into core curricula? The Education Commission of the States has produced a new Preparing Educators and School Leaders for Effective Arts Integration report Read more about Preparing Educators and School Leaders for Effective Arts Integration[…]

Reimagining Middle School

Posted on May 10, 2018May 6, 2018 by coreeducation

Robert C. Pianta, Dean of the University of Virginia Curry School of Education, recently wrote an article for RealClear Education in which he discusses the pitfalls of middle school and the possibilities for middle grades education. Excerpts from his piece appear below: Compliance. Restraint. Passivity. These are the behaviors and habits of mind that our Read more about Reimagining Middle School[…]

School Staffing Innovations

Posted on April 19, 2018April 13, 2018 by coreeducation

How can schools begin to address all their students’ individual learning needs? Blended learning is increasingly part of the answer schools consider, but what about a broader rethinking of how schools are organized and staffed? Public Impact and the Clayton Christensen Institute have been taking a close look at eight schools/school networks serving disadvantaged populations Read more about School Staffing Innovations[…]

‘No-Excuses’ Charter Schools Could Close the Achievement Gap

Posted on March 8, 2018March 1, 2018 by coreeducation

A new survey of research into charter school effectiveness has linked so-called no-excuses practices in urban charter schools to sizable academic gains. Published in the Winter 2018 edition of The Future of Children, a journal jointly published by Princeton University and the Brookings Institution, the survey found that spending three years in one of these Read more about ‘No-Excuses’ Charter Schools Could Close the Achievement Gap[…]

Evidence for Student-Centered Learning

Posted on March 6, 2018March 3, 2020 by coreeducation

For the past 35 years, the prevailing narrative about America’s public education system is that it is “broken.” Reform efforts have failed to find a fix because they fundamentally misunderstand this reality: the system is not broken. It is doing exactly what it was designed to do-educate the masses in a standardized fashion that completely Read more about Evidence for Student-Centered Learning[…]

Building Systems Knowledge for Continuous Improvement

Posted on February 12, 2018February 9, 2018 by coreeducation

In California, recent policy shifts have created a high degree of local control with the expectation that school districts will think differently about school and district improvement. However, many districts lack the individual expertise and organizational capacity to support these changes at scale. In large part, this is due to a lack of a shared Read more about Building Systems Knowledge for Continuous Improvement[…]

The Elements of Success: 10 Million Speak on Schools that Work

Posted on February 7, 2018March 3, 2020 by coreeducation

Based on a review of seminal documents from the Learning First Alliance member organizations, the Alliance has identified six elements around which successful schools are organized, whether formally or informally, that each impact several important aspects of schooling. These elements are: Focus on the Total Child Successful schools support all students’ needs, inside and outside Read more about The Elements of Success: 10 Million Speak on Schools that Work[…]

Recommendations for Early College High School Programs

Posted on December 15, 2017March 3, 2020 by coreeducation

A working group that includes members from some of the country’s most influential education groups released new recommendations aimed at high school programs offering college credit. These programs, often dual-enrollment partnerships with local colleges, have grown in popularity, as have concerns about the rigor, costs and ultimate impact on college success. The group, convened Read more about Recommendations for Early College High School Programs[…]

The ‘A’ Word: Accountability – The Dirty Word of Today’s Education Reform

Posted on November 27, 2017November 26, 2017 by coreeducation

Throughout this year, the Bush Institute has interviewed education leaders at length about what school accountability means to them. The result is the launch of The “A” Word: Accountability–The Dirty Word of Education Reform. Throughout this interview series, recognized leaders identify why accountability practices matter and how they have used them. They also provide an Read more about The ‘A’ Word: Accountability – The Dirty Word of Today’s Education Reform[…]

Chiefs for Change’s Bipartisan Vision for America’s Schools

Posted on November 21, 2017November 19, 2017 by coreeducation

A functional consensus is emerging among the nation’s boldest education leaders, producing not identical policies, but a set of vital principles that drive approaches shaped to the needs of each of their communities. It’s a set of principles born of extensive work, with the needs of students at the center. It’s worthy of the attention Read more about Chiefs for Change’s Bipartisan Vision for America’s Schools[…]

Walking Together: A Practical Guide for Strengthening Partnerships Between Schools, Families, and Communities

Posted on November 6, 2017November 4, 2017 by coreeducation

Imagine this: A community comes together to set a vision for its public schools. In local libraries, neighborhood associations, school cafeterias, and places of worship, families sit down together and share their hopes and dreams for their children. They think about what schools need to do to better equip students for college, career, entrepreneurship, and Read more about Walking Together: A Practical Guide for Strengthening Partnerships Between Schools, Families, and Communities[…]