Purpose: The purpose of this study was to inform school-based services for children with acquired brain injury (ABI) by describing and analyzing functional student-outcome data from a state-wide, school-based, school re-entry consultation program, BrainSTEPS (Strategies Teaching Educators, Parents, and Students), in Pennsylvania. Method: A…

State early childhood administrators are planning to strategically invest the federal appropriations in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) to address disruptions in children's care and learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. State leaders must consider how this one-time funding can be used effectively while understanding the context around…

This resource was prepared in response to a request from a Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) State for information about the Transformation Zones that 10 RTT-ELC States had included as key projects in their RTT-ELC plans. This information will be helpful to other States as they consider how to continue to increase the quality of…

This resource was prepared in response to a request for information from a Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) State about which RTT-ELC States are using the Pyramid Model for Supporting Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children. The State also requested information about other projects States have designed to…

When adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) demonstrate impairment in academic performance, school professionals have the option of using strategies that reduce expectations (formally or informally), using interventions that facilitate skill development in the student, or both. Because there are unintended consequences of…

No Child Left Behind legislation and high stakes testing have increased the pressure for public schools to ensure academic achievement for all students. Each year, a large number of students do not demonstrate adequate achievement and are retained to repeat the grade level. The large number of students retained is an indication that the system…

The mixed methods correlational study examined the problem that AYP of Pennsylvania gifted middle school students who have met state-mandated proficiency requirements under No Child Left Behind (NCLB) has been reliant upon minimum proficiency tests. The purpose of the mixed methods study was to examine the correlations between the current measure…

This report documents the efforts underway in 12 states and localities to tackle the enduring problem of African American, Native American, and Latino families faring worse than others being served by the child welfare systems. The publication, produced by Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP) as part of the work of the Alliance for Racial…

Over the last four decades, legislative mandates have increased both educational opportunities and accountability measures for students with identified disabilities in the public school setting. The intertwined relationship between those mandates and the processes used to monitor the progress of a student's individualized goals is complex. This…

Though elementary and secondary schools remain among the safest places for children, school safety concerns continue to garner considerable attention from school and community stakeholders, as well as policymakers. As affirmed in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), it is clear that all children need a safe environment in which to learn…

Accountability is not new to the educational arena; however, emphasis on using student achievement data as a means of holding schools accountable is (Betebenner & Linn, 2009). The No Child Left Behind Act requires local schools and districts to measure performance with student achievement data (NCLB, 2002). This requirement becomes…

In recent years, interim assessments have become an increasingly popular tool in districts seeking to improve student learning and achievement. Philadelphia has been at the forefront of this change, implementing a set of Benchmark assessments aligned with its Core Curriculum district-wide in 2004. In this article, we examine the overall context…

With the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, classrooms are now mandated to employ behavioral methods to address target behaviors. These relevant behavioral strategies have long been advanced and disseminated by the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Notwithstanding this capability, proponents of the…

The turnaround recommendations and framework in "The Turnaround Challenge" grew out of both new research and synthesis of extensive existing research, as carried out by Mass Insight Education & Research Institute and its partners since September 2005. If the main report is the tip of the proverbial iceberg, this supplement represents…

The need to improve math education around the country has been well documented, especially in urban school systems like Philadelphia. In Spring 2010, only 56.6% of students in Philadelphia Public schools scored proficient or advanced on the Pennsylvania State Standardized Assessment (PSSA). In Philadelphia Empowerment Schools, the 107 lowest…