Those closest to students have the greatest impact on their success. Given this belief, Louisiana has focused its efforts to support and empower principals in their role as school leaders. Successful principals reflect and plan, using data throughout the year to set goals and improve instruction. The Department helps principals develop their…

In this paper, we report on teachers' use of curricula and other instructional resources to address Common Core State Standards (CCSS), as well as how use of instructional materials is related to instructional practice. We draw on data from the American Teacher Panel, a nationally representative sample of teachers who periodically provide…

In an ongoing study, RAND researchers are evaluating the effectiveness of Carnegie Learning's Cognitive Tutor Algebra I (CTAI) curriculum, a technology-based curriculum that combines classroom instruction with individualized instruction by a computer-based tutor. While the effectiveness of the curriculum in raising student achievement is the main…