Opportunity to Learn, Responsibility to Lead

Posted on February 14, 2023February 12, 2023 by coreeducation

State policymakers are the constitutional stewards and primary funders of America’s public schools. Through standards, data systems, funding, accountability expectations, and learning supports, as well as many other decisions, state policy significantly shapes and influences whether students have access to the opportunities they need and deserve. Opportunities to learn – the resources, experiences, and expectations Read more about Opportunity to Learn, Responsibility to Lead[…]

4 Education Policy Tools to Use

Posted on January 8, 2023January 8, 2023 by coreeducation

Writing for EdNote, Erin Whinnery recently shared four new education policy tools. Excerpts from the piece appear below: How can education leaders better support students, families and teachers in these unprecedented times? What needs can be met with policy changes? Education Commission of the States supports education leaders with four unmatched state policy resources. The State Read more about 4 Education Policy Tools to Use[…]

State of the States: State Reporting of Teacher Supply and Demand Data

Posted on April 13, 2022April 11, 2022 by coreeducation

For any labor market to function properly, clear information is needed to guide decision making; its absence invariably leads to less than optimal decisions and inefficiencies. While the broader labor market is riddled with imperfect information, the teacher labor market is particularly vulnerable—largely for the lack of the most basic information. In a new analysis Read more about State of the States: State Reporting of Teacher Supply and Demand Data[…]

49 of 50 States Now Enable Competency-Based Education

Posted on March 26, 2020March 24, 2020 by coreeducation

The Aurora Institute (previously iNACOL) released the updated CompetencyWorks map, a snapshot of K-12 competency education state policy across the United States. Since 2012, iNACOL’s CompetencyWorks initiative has published an annual snapshot map of the United States, categorizing states into levels at which their policy environments and state activities support competency-based education. In 2012, nearly Read more about 49 of 50 States Now Enable Competency-Based Education[…]

Transforming Professional Learning: Actions for States to Help Teachers Continuously Improve Their Instructional Practices

Posted on February 6, 2020February 4, 2020 by coreeducation

If schools want to significantly improve student outcomes, they need to help millions of hardworking teachers continuously improve their instructional practice. Yet in many districts, the professional development fails to produce positive changes in the classroom, despite substantial investments of money and time. To develop their instructional practices, teachers require a professional learning system with Read more about Transforming Professional Learning: Actions for States to Help Teachers Continuously Improve Their Instructional Practices[…]

Few States Consider Prior Job Performance When Licensing Out-of-State Teachers

Posted on January 23, 2020January 21, 2020 by coreeducation

New data from the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) reveal that the majority of states (35) do not ask for evidence of prior successful teaching for those teachers coming from out of state who are applying for a teaching license-in spite of imposing many demands covering a host of other factors. As important, there Read more about Few States Consider Prior Job Performance When Licensing Out-of-State Teachers[…]

Dual Enrollment Access Policy Snapshot

Posted on January 21, 2020March 3, 2020 by coreeducation

A new policy scan from Education Commission of the States reveals the incredible growth of dual enrollment policies across the nation. Because dual enrollment programs offer advanced learning opportunities to high schoolers and can lower the cost of college for students and families, state policymakers have been looking at ways to expand access to these Read more about Dual Enrollment Access Policy Snapshot[…]

Supporting Teachers Through Policies for Personalized Learning

Posted on September 3, 2019April 30, 2020 by coreeducation

If state leaders want more student-driven learning in classrooms, creating policies that support teachers is critical. That’s according to a new report from iNACOL, a nonprofit that supports competency-based education. The report outlines five recommendations for state policy leaders on how to help develop teachers so they’re prepared for competency-based instruction: 1. Convene a state Read more about Supporting Teachers Through Policies for Personalized Learning[…]

Reimagining the Teaching Profession for the 21st Century

Posted on July 25, 2019March 3, 2020 by coreeducation

In a new issue brief, iNACOL outlines five key opportunities for state policymakers to transform the teaching profession to enable it to support the shift toward student-centered learning models in K-12 education. Modernizing the Teaching Workforce for Learner-Centered, Competency-Based, Equity-Oriented Education: State Policy Recommendations makes five recommendations to leverage the unique role of state policymaking: Read more about Reimagining the Teaching Profession for the 21st Century[…]

Few States Have Policies to Fully Address Student Trauma

Posted on February 20, 2019February 16, 2019 by coreeducation

Despite the pervasive effect of traumatic experiences on student performance,only 11 states encourage or require school staff training on the effects of trauma. Half of states have policies on suicide prevention. And just one state, Vermont, requires a school nurse to be available daily at every school campus. Those are among the key findings of Read more about Few States Have Policies to Fully Address Student Trauma[…]

Growth Data: It Matters, and It’s Complicated

Posted on February 6, 2019February 2, 2019 by coreeducation

Forty-eight states and Washington, DC have committed to measuring and reporting on individual student growth under ESSA. This means everyone in those states – from parents to policymakers – will have more information than before on student performance and school quality. But the questions they’ll be able to answer depend on how states measure growth. Read more about Growth Data: It Matters, and It’s Complicated[…]

Strong Teacher Evaluation Systems Go Hand-in-Hand With Improved Teacher Quality

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

Analysis from the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) finds tangible evidence that teacher evaluation systems, when implemented well, are coinciding with real and measurable benefits for students and teachers alike. The past decade has been marked by rapid changes in teacher evaluations. While many districts and states announced their intention to install better systems, Read more about Strong Teacher Evaluation Systems Go Hand-in-Hand With Improved Teacher Quality[…]

Promoting Professional Learning Through Teacher Licensure Renewal Policies

Posted on September 6, 2018September 3, 2018 by coreeducation

Writing for New America, Melissa Tooley and Taylor White highlight how the policies undergirding most states’ licensure renewal systems not only conflict with what is known about best practices in adult learning, but that “whether a teacher grows considerably while fulfilling her state’s renewal requirements or does not improve at all is of no consequence Read more about Promoting Professional Learning Through Teacher Licensure Renewal Policies[…]

Every State’s Economic Future Lies with School Reform

Posted on June 26, 2018June 24, 2018 by coreeducation

Eric Hanushek recently wrote an issue brief for AEI detailing the connection between quality education and a state’s economic future. Key points of the brief include the following: A key element of any successful economy, whether a nation or a state, is the quality of its workforce. The economic gains to each state from improving Read more about Every State’s Economic Future Lies with School Reform[…]