The purpose of this study is to examine self-rated levels of reading motivation and reading activity among Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (DHH) Adolescents and the relationship to overall Language Arts skills. This study is framed by social learning theory and self-determination theory. DHH Adolescents (n=38), between the ages of 11 and 17, with…

While America is becoming increasingly diverse, educational stakeholders seek programs that address varied language and cultural needs, which is reflected by the growing popularity of dual language immersion (DLI) programs in recent decades. The problem is an extensively persistent academic achievement gap between students with native English and…

Focusing on a large study of the implementation of secondary English Language Arts curriculum in California and Washington, we assess how teachers use learning goals to support students developing expert learning practices. Highlighting the value of goal setting to support students' agency in learning to write, we describe teachers' reasons for…

Students with emotional and behavioral disabilities (EBD) show low academic growth and are most likely to be placed in restrictive learning environments. This research study explored correlations between class settings and the academic achievement of middle school students with EBD. The academic achievement measures are based upon California's…

Prior work has shown that students' self-reported levels on social-emotional measures predict achievement levels and gains, but we have little evidence on whether within-student changes in self-reports on social-emotional surveys are predictive of changes in theoretically related academic and behavioral outcomes. We use large-scale data from the…

Modern educational settings have been heavily integrated and dependent upon the use of technology. To keep up with the rigorous demands of Common Core State Standards, California schools have emphasized technology dependency to augment academic performance with today's schools. The purpose of the study focused on parental perception of technology…

This non-consecutive, three-year qualitative study explored the testing experiences of high school juniors who used Chromebooks to take their Smarter Balanced Standardized Assessments (SBAC) in English Language Arts and Mathematics. The study began in 2015, the first year in which SBAC was administered to students across California and other…

The purpose of this evaluation was to examine the impact of i-Ready Personalized Instruction on ELA achievement, as measured by SBA scores. We compared "striving learner" students who were assigned to use i-Ready Personalized Instruction (Treatment students) and "striving learner" students assigned to only receive i-Ready…

While policymakers have demonstrated considerable enthusiasm for "science of reading" initiatives, the evidence on the impact of related reforms when implemented at scale is limited. In this pre-registered, quasi-experimental study, we examine California's recent initiative to improve early literacy across the state's lowest-performing…

The return to in-person schooling post-COVID-19 pandemic has brought increased pressure on educators to ensure academic success for students. This study examines the school climate of 40 elementary and middle schools in California's Central Valley and its impact on academic performance and attendance, comparing pre-pandemic (2018-2019) with…

This research brief highlights throughput rates for students enrolled in Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSPS) by disability type. Findings show that throughput rates increased for every disability type from 2015-16 to 2019-20 in both English and mathematics. Evidence supports that AB 705 has resulted in improved outcomes for students…

Tiered instructional supports are on a steep growth trajectory in the US and getting underway internationally as a means to providing equitable education to all student groups. In the US, the Department of Education funded the expansion of multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) through school and personnel improvement grants to states. This…

The Smarter Balanced Assessment System consists of three components: (1) interim assessments designed to support teaching and learning throughout the year; (2) a suite of tools and resources in Tools for Teachers that support classroom-based formative assessment practices; and (3) end-of-year summative assessments designed for accountability…

We address the concern that classification of English learners (ELs) primarily based on standardized tests does not accurately reflect what students know and can do with English. While qualitative classroom discourse analyses show that ELs' language-in-use is not as limited as test scores indicate, available evidence is sparse and prone to…

There are 1.1 million English learner (EL) students in California, representing 18 percent of the statewide student population (California Department of Education [CDE], 2021b). Following some background on California's standards-aligned instructional materials and on the state's EL student population, this brief summarizes California findings…