For much of the last two decades, the narrowed focus on raising test scores under No Child Left Behind left important aspects of education untended. Since 2016, when the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) enabled a more comprehensive look at accountability, state leaders have heard growing demands for a whole-child approach that emphasizes…

Due to a surplus in the State General Fund, California's Pre-K-12 teachers and administrators have an additional $490 million to spend on programs supporting professional development. The $490 million represents one of the largest investments in professional development and teacher effectiveness ever made by California and has the potential to…

This is the executive summary for the guidance document, "Maximizing the Use of New State Professional Learning Investments to Support Student, Educator, and School System Growth: State Guidance for Key District Stakeholders." It has been created to help districts determine the most effective uses of new state professional learning money…

From the unique perspective gained heading Obama's education policy transition team, Darling-Hammond describes President Obama's commitment to making the education of every child a collective responsibility and reviews the major tenets of the new administration's plans for education. She reflects on the importance of suggested policy changes,…

Research indicates that state pre-k programs with higher teacher qualification requirements improve children's school readiness so states get the most out of their investment in early education. This 2010 report, authored by Marisa Bueno, Linda Darling-Hammond and Danielle Gonzales, reviewed research on training for pre-k teachers and concluded…