Across the United States, vacancies in the educator workforce have drastically increased, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Leading up to the 2021-22 school year, Colorado schools sought to fill 5,729 teaching positions, representing 10.33% of all teaching positions in the state. A high-leverage need to attract, prepare, and retain teachers in…

Developed by the Region 12 Comprehensive Center in partnership with the Colorado Department of Education, this document supports Colorado teams in exploring the geographic information system (GIS) map, facilitating conversations on the data presented in the map, and developing recommendations to strengthen Colorado's educator workforce pipeline.…

This study aimed to identify best practices for collecting and reporting state teacher supply and demand data. The study examined data systems for monitoring teacher demand and supply data, such as district position vacancies by certification area, candidate recruitment, and the performance and productivity of educator preparation programs.…

A defining feature of honors education is meaningful engagement within and across disciplines, yet significant challenges for creating and sustaining meaningful transdisciplinary research remain. One such challenge involves a nuanced understanding of a discipline, or what educational researchers call "disciplinary literacy." This article…

In this 22-question activity, high school students investigate the spatial distribution of marijuana stores in Colorado using an interactive web map containing stores, centers, highways, population, and other data at several scales. After completing this lesson, students will know and be able to: (1) Use interactive maps, layers, and tools in…

(CDOC) Reentry Systems Mapping project, provides an overview of policies in Colorado that shape adult reentry services and how those policies are implemented across the network of service providers. The report describes the landscape of reentry services as they exist today, including those services that were enhanced under recent legislative…

Although previous studies have proven the usefulness and effectiveness of geographic information system (GIS) use in the K-12 classroom, the rate of teacher adoption remains low. The identified major barrier to its use is a lack of teachers' background and experience. To solve this limitation, many organisations have provided GIS-related teacher…

This article discusses the development, implementation, and evaluation of a tiered internship program for undergraduate students in geospatial science and technology (TIMSGeoTech). The internship program assists education programs in providing skill development that is relevant and useful, and it aligns graduates and their skills with industry…

Since 2013, states have witnessed significant legislative activity related to secondary- and postsecondary-level career/technical education (CTE). One key goal of much recent policymaking activity has been to improve alignment between high school and postsecondary CTE programs, including by developing state or regional structures to design career…

REL Pacific at McREL, one of 10 Regional Educational Laboratories (RELs) funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES), serves educators in American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia (Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap), Guam, Hawai'i, the Republic of the…

Science education can build a bridge between research carried out by scientists and relevant learning opportunities for students. The Broader Impact requirements for scientists by funding agencies facilitate this connection. We propose and test a model curriculum development process in which scientists, curriculum developers, and classroom…

We present the results of a study designed to provide insight into interactive simulation use during guided-inquiry activities in chemistry classes. The PhET Interactive Simulations project at the University of Colorado develops interactive simulations that utilize implicit--rather than explicit--scaffolding to support student learning through…

Awarding credits based on student mastery of content and skills can remove barriers to increasing student readiness for college and careers, according to a new issue brief released by the National Governors Association. This brief shows how governors can lead efforts to foster alternative methods of awarding credit by working to: (1) Build…

The Master of Science in Computer Information Systems (MS-CIS) program at Colorado State University (CSU) was one of the first in the country when it was established in 1967 according to the model provided by the Data Processing Management Association (DPMA). Beginning in 1967, CSU initiated delivery of its MBA at a distance and graduated the…

During the summer of 2012, the Louisiana State University (LSU) field camp program was affected by close proximity to the large Waldo Canyon Fire in Colorado Springs, CO, as well as by a fire incident on the field camp property. A mapping exercise was created that incorporated spatial data acquired on the LSU property to investigate research…