As schools work to implement the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), a team at Stanford University found that project-based learning is an effective framework for engaging students. The team used project-based learning, group activities, and performance-based assessments to design an effective, engaging curriculum. Over a three-year period,…

Two papers examine the positive impact of professional development on student achievement. One discusses experiences in California which show that standards, assessment, and accountability are more likely to succeed when accompanied by extended opportunities for professional learning grounded in teachers' practice. The second explains that the…