The synthetic control method (SCM) is a popular approach for estimating the impact of a treatment on a single unit with panel data. Two challenges arise with higher frequency data (e.g., monthly versus yearly): (1) achieving excellent pre-treatment fit is typically more challenging; and (2) overfitting to noise is more likely. Aggregating data…

A revision-based assessment system, driven by clear rubrics, can mean less stress, more effective feedback, and greater student learning. English teacher Alexis Wiggins shares an effective and time-friendly revision-based assessment system she developed that allows students to focus on learning, not their grade.

Multiple measures assessment (MMA) is an alternative placement system that involves the consideration of alternative measures of students' performance--such as high school grades or GPA--in addition to or in place of standardized test scores to better place students. While the evidence for MMA is strong, placement reform has yet to spread to many…

Though "assessment is an integral part of the learning process," unfortunately, struggles are not uncommon, and for various reasons, some students struggle with specific assessments. So, the question becomes, what should be done about it? Discussions on inclusive educational practices have exploded as a part of a renewed push for greater…

It is difficult for libraries to keep track of resource accessibility when libraries often subscribe to thousands of resources. One means for recording a resource's accessibility is the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT). Completed by the product vendor, a VPAT documents whether the resource does or does not support accessibility over…

K-12 educators' digital literacy skills have been designated as a national and state priority by education and accreditation agencies in Texas, resulting in the need for curriculum alignments to the 2017 ISTE Standards for Educators and implementation of a digital literacy evaluation. The purpose of this validation study was to develop a…

Research indicates that teacher performance is a critical focus for school districts, administrators, and teachers. Pre-service teacher preparation, teacher retention, job satisfaction, mentoring, continuous feedback, and onboarding support for new teachers are all factors that influence teacher performance (Carver-Thomas & Darling-Hammond,…

A significant movement is underway across the nation to design K-12 assessment systems that better equip stakeholders to provide an equitable and excellent education to each child. While some of these innovations emerged before the pandemic, the massive disruption to instruction fueled a new urgency to rethink the potential of assessments to drive…

Despite the perspectives of music educators in classroom evaluation processes, the perspectives of Texas administrators using the newest teacher evaluation process, the Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T-TESS), have yet to be examined. The administrators' perspectives matter because the complexity of the T-TESS process coupled with the…

In this study, the researcher used the quantitative descriptive methodology to explore and more clearly describe teachers' knowledge of dyslexia to improve dyslexia referral and evaluation practices for students on at-risk campuses. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine what English-language arts teachers who teach kindergarten,…

This article shares the results from a quasi-experimental mixed-methods study of a promising transition-focused professional development approach. The 12-week team-based intervention resulted in positive outcomes among intervention group participants' knowledge and capacities. The intervention group exhibited statistically significant changes in…

Principal evaluations can be important tools for improving leadership practice, but evaluations have often described by principals and researchers as unsystematic and lacking timely and actionable feedback. This study examines principal perceptions of the Texas Principal Evaluation and Support System (T-PESS). Survey data and interviews of…

Despite knowledge of COVID-19's expected impact on the 2020 and 2021 academic school years, policymakers, professional organizations, and test publishers have failed to offer consistent, well-defined or corresponding advice to educational evaluators on how to meet the unique challenges the pandemic has introduced. The directive vacuum that was…

The United States continues to grow in both population and diversity. The trigger for this project was the dramatic increase in patient diversity in Texas and the lack of adequate cultural competency training for providers at a Texas oncology clinic network. Clinicians must increase their self-awareness and knowledge to provide culturally…

This article presents an experience in teaching mathematical thinking through games in a math course for non-science majors. The course described here has run twice on the campus of Sam Houston State University and is a combination of escape room pedagogy and game-based pedagogy. From these courses, I note an increased engagement of students with…