This study provides empirical benchmarks that quantify typical changes in students' reports of social and emotional skills in a large, diverse sample. Data come from six cohorts of students (N = 361,815; 6% Asian, 8% Black, 68% White, 75% Latinx, 50% Female) who responded to the CORE survey from 2015 to 2018 and help quantify typical…

Creativity has fascinated scholars for generations, and its identification as one of the key 'twenty-first century skills' necessary for economic growth has led to renewed interest. This creates two challenges for the OECD: its flagship Programme of International Student Assessment (PISA) does not directly measure creativity. Secondly, the…

Problem: In 1972, the Marland Report included visual arts in the federal definition of giftedness, yet service for those with artistic aptitude remains elusive (Rinn, Mun & Hodges, 2022). This qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study (Creswell, 2014; Finley, 2009; Leavy, 2017; Marme Thompson, 2014; Van Manen, 1990) explores the…

Responsive coaching at engage2learn is an innovative, and with this and previous reports--an evidence-based solution. This 2021-2022 study compellingly validates the efficacy of the engage2learn program through an exploration of NWEA MAP® Growth™ and STAAR test scores for Math and Science, Grades 6-8. LXD Research, an independent research firm,…

Background and Context: Social-emotional skills contribute to psychological well-being and achievement (Durlak, et al. 2011), and also forecast long-term outcomes like high school graduation and earnings (e.g., Dweck, Walton, & Cohen, 2011). A recent national survey of 884 principals in PreK-12 shows that 98% of principals believe that all…

There has been a growing interest among districts and schools to expand their definition of student success to focus on the whole child, yet many still lack the measures needed to prioritize and inform this work. The CORE Districts, a group of districts in California committed to measuring and supporting an expanded definition of student success,…

The Diocese of Charleston is composed of 32 schools, of which 26 are parish elementary, two parish PK through 12, and 4 diocesan secondary schools. Unlike many dioceses in the United States, the Diocese of Charleston is unique in that it encompasses the entire state of South Carolina. This poses a challenge not only geographically, but also in…

Over the past two decades awareness has been growing that English language teachers need good English language proficiency and professional training to teach effectively. To address this issue, a benchmark--minimum standards assessment test--was initiated, developed, and introduced in Hong Kong in 2001. Because more than a decade and a half has…

As a scholar practitioner, the goal is to use the most effective teaching strategies available to help eighth-grade social studies students retain the vocabulary from each unit of study and increase both their short- and long-term memories. The problem identified for this action research was that the current use of the word wall (WW) vocabulary…

Over the years, government mandates and various studies have emphasized the need for effective professional learning for educators. However, a review of the literature revealed that while it is easy to determine qualities that make professional learning activities effective, these qualities are not consistently evident in practice. This mixed…

This article describes the development, implementation, and results of an extensive assessment of students and student learning outcomes in an interdisciplinary, integrative learning community. This assessment project took a comprehensive view of student learning by examining specific data and direct and indirect measures of academic growth for…

This article elaborates on design research in a final capstone industrial design studio unit and on the application of outcomes over eight years within a School of Engineering and its recent incarnation as School of Computing, Engineering and Mathematics. Research and curriculum innovation linked students to the new global design-driven innovation…

Purpose: Critical thinking pervades formal educational benchmarks in the United States, including the Common Core State Standards. However, little information is available on how it develops. Hence, the primary purpose of this study was to examine the development of critical thinking in adolescents using a written language-sampling task. We also…

The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is one of the most influential assessments of student achievement conducted every four years. It provides reliable data on mathematics and science achievements in grade 4 and grade 8 as well as information about instructional curricular and teaching-learning process. This helps to…

In 2015, the Minnesota Legislature enacted a state postsecondary educational attainment goal that 70% of Minnesota adults (age 25 to 44) will have attained a postsecondary certificate or degree by 2025 (Minn. Laws 2015 Chapter 69 Article 3 Sec. 6). Most importantly, the law also sets 30% and 50% educational attainment benchmarks for all races and…