In 2019, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) began exploratory data collection for the School Pension Survey (SPS). The SPS is a new data collection of elementary/secondary school teacher pension data collected at the school district level. The SPS was developed primarily in response to public demand for data on teacher and other…

STEM achievement gaps between Latinx and their non-Hispanic White (NHW) counterparts emerge in early childhood and persist through adulthood. Culturally relevant STEM interventions can help counter some of the Latinx higher attrition rates in STEM, especially if they are initiated in elementary school. This study assesses the feasibility,…

In an effort to improve upon Calculus I instruction at our institution, we designed a pilot study that incorporated a variety of evidence-based classroom practices. The goal was not to formally test known successful teaching interventions. Rather, the purpose was to develop and identify course materials and instructional methods that would not…

Giant maps offer a potentially useful pedagogical tool for teaching mathematics and map skills. In this pilot study, giant maps were distributed to elementary schools in Colorado and New Hampshire and teachers were provided with guided activities designed to integrate mathematics and geography skills. In an assessment of student skills, it was…

Discussion of alternative education is growing across the country as states and districts look for ways to better serve students whose needs are not met in traditional high school settings. Alternative settings, however, vary greatly in how they operate, whom they aim to enroll, and the methods they use to educate students. The variation of…

The project setting was a remote rural county school district located in a mountain western state with some overrepresentation of English Learners (ELs) in special education. Referral issues are especially prominent in rural school systems due to continued challenges associated with limited resources and lack of contemporary professional…

There is significant and growing interest in teacher pay reform as a number of states and localities have begun experimenting with departures from the single salary schedule--a pay system employed in most school districts, which links teacher pay solely to degree and experience level (Chait, 2007; Goldhaber, 2009; Podgursky and Springer, 2007).…

In 2011, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation extended grants to three educational organizations working to develop or enhance competency-based approaches in large, urbanized school systems. The grant initiative, called Project Mastery, funded the development of technology-enhanced tools, including curriculum materials and online learning…

In 2011, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation created the Project Mastery grant program to support competency-based education initiatives in large school systems that serve a high proportion of disadvantaged youth. Competency-based education meets students where they are academically, provides students with opportunities for choice, and awards…

This article summarizes the creation and implementation of a concurrent support class for TRS 92--Intermediate Algebra, a developmental mathematics course at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. The concurrent course outlined in this article demonstrates a statistically significant increase in student success rates since its inception.…

Purpose: This study reports the baseline knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and personal practices of health care professionals regarding colorectal cancer (CRC) screening in the High Plains Research Network (HPRN) of rural Colorado prior to a community-based educational intervention. It also examines the association between health care staff members'…

A pilot study in three rural Colorado communities that focused on health service delivery problems related to cancer concentrated on perceptions of community influentials, health care providers, and patients and their families. Results indicate that qualitative methods can identify crucial problems for most people without losing sight of outlier…

This report summarizes the findings of the pilot administration of the Colorado Survey of first- and third-year teachers and their administrators. These surveys reflect the opinions of the teachers and administrators regarding the effectiveness of Colorado teacher preparation institutions in preparing teachers to meet performance-based standards.…

The report is composed of a collection of materials related to a pilot project undertaken to gain further insight into the operational aspects of internship programs, while providing expanded opportunities for both graduate and undergraduate vocational students as well as potential vocational teachers to better prepare for service in vocational…