COVID-19 has had tremendous effects on all aspects of society. In the intervening years, there have been issues with finances, health, and education (Duraku & Hoxha, 2020; Harris, 2020; ODE, 2020; Safi, et al., 2020; Terada, 2020; Whittaker, 2020). The purpose of this study was to understand the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the job…

This study examines challenges faced by middle-level social studies teachers in West Gojjam, Ethiopia, while implementing the Constructivist Teaching and Learning Approach (CTLAT). 178 social studies teachers were randomly selected and eight were chosen using maximum variation sampling based on characteristics such as teaching experience, female…

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the perceptions and emotions of teachers during the global pandemic, specifically looking at the "how" and the "what" teachers experienced during the pandemic, focusing on the emotions deriving from the participants' lived experiences with technology. The…

The culture of competition in music education is pervasive, reflecting the overall growth in standardization and accountability measures in education. With this study, I addressed the intersection of two underexamined topics in music education: teachers' experience with competitive ensemble events and the structural challenges of working in a…

This article describes the challenge of engaging educators in professional development (PD) that is timely and relevant to their work, and effective in stimulating instructional changes to improve student learning. The authors highlight the competing needs and goals for PD that create tensions among the external accountability demands, school…

The study focused on the impact of scheduling configurations on schools' middle-level social studies test performance levels and "barriers" affecting time allocated for social studies. Results of South Carolina's accountability assessment system's social studies seventh-grade performance levels in 117 schools, as well as a survey…

Grounded in the belief that data will drive instructional change, data-driven decision making continues to be a prevalent reform strategy in schools. However, the use of data does not always prompt teachers to change their instructional practices, particularly in low-performing schools where accountability pressures loom large. Drawing on in-depth…

The California Next Generation Science Standards (CA NGSS)--adopted in 2013--have the potential to improve scientific literacy and strengthen the global competitiveness of California's workforce. However, longstanding underinvestment in science education and the unprecedented disruptions caused by COVID-19 have heightened challenges faced by…

California adopted the Next Generation Science Standards (CA NGSS) in 2013, with the aim of improving scientific literacy and strengthening the global competitiveness of the state's workforce. But the COVID-19 pandemic has been especially disruptive for science education, which has long been a lower priority than math and English language arts.…

This report explains how Michigan could pursue a flexible funding program that would give learners greater agency, especially for middle-school and secondary students and their families. Charting a path to complete a diploma, every student would be allowed to use a portion of their per-pupil allotment to "purchase" courses from schools…

We report on one teachers' efforts to re-design an entire instructional unit as a coherent storyline about forces and motion as a part of a multiyear professional development (PD) project around the NGSS. Designing coherent storylines demands that teachers create opportunities for students to meaningfully engage in science practices in order to…

Educators, researchers, and policy makers concerned about college under-enrollment among underserved groups of students have traditionally focused reform efforts at the high school level. Over the last several decades, however, there has been a growing interest in improving college readiness beginning at the elementary level. Recently, the…

Democratic education focuses on developing students using democratic principles and processes in the classroom. In this study, we aim to understand how self-identified democratic educators practice democratic education in public-school classrooms. Nine participants, teachers in K12 schools, were interviewed for this qualitative study. In…

The California Next Generation Science Standards (CA NGSS)--adopted in 2013--have the potential to improve scientific literacy and strengthen the global competitiveness of California's workforce. However, longstanding underinvestment in science education and the unprecedented disruptions caused by COVID-19 have heightened challenges faced by…

The final report on the evaluation of House Bill (HB) 5 provides (1) an update on changes made to the current policy for graduation, including coursework, testing, and accountability during the 84th and 85th Texas Legislative Sessions; (2) an update on the implementation of HB 5 by school districts since 2014-15; and (3) a preliminary look at the…