How and what schools report as grades is important. Academics argue that traditional grading reduces teaching effectiveness and the accuracy of reporting (Marzano & Heflebower, 2011). Many education experts advocate for standards-based grading (SBG) as a research-based response (Link & Guskey, 2022; O'Connor, 2018; Townsley et al., 2019).…

In this study on educational change in Pennsylvania from 1790 to 1838, I reexamine the history of how the state established its common school system, the predecessor to the state's public school system. In doing so, I identify a series of three leaders, argue that poverty was the primary catalyst for educational reform, and explain the nature of…

The promotion and measurement of standards in compulsory education systems has been a prominent feature of Western education systems for centuries. But the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) have made the limits of current standards-based approaches to assessment more evident. Louis Volante, Don A. Klinger, and…

This article explains how education in Scotland is different from that in other parts of the United Kingdom, noting the importance of both traditional values and the current political context. Concerns about standards are discussed in relation to three main issues: the Scottish curriculum; the comprehensive principle; and attempts at structural…

The introduction of Science Education Standards for the K-12 education system of the United States and those of Bhutan is aimed at providing students with equitable access to quality science instruction and to promote a scientifically literate society. These reforms in education systems require teachers who are well prepared to translate the…

This report describes the authors' findings from a scoping literature review on the topic of instructional system coherence. The authors reviewed 77 pieces on coherence published from 1990 to 2023, including articles, reports, books, dissertations, and conference papers. The scope and definition of alignment and coherence have seemed to expand…

Purpose: Most empirical work using a distributed perspective to frame research on leadership practice uses the school as the unit of analysis, focusing on how leadership is stretched over people and aspects of the situation within schools. This study investigates leadership practice for elementary science, using a multilevel distributed framework,…

This paper presents a qualitative, multisite comparative case study from two midwestern high schools investigating high school stakeholder perceptions of grading practices experienced while transitioning from a system that primarily utilized historical grading practices to a more contemporary, reformed system implementing an iteration of…

Part of the reason many districts fail to achieve the promise of high-quality professional learning is that they operate with what the authors call a "PD mindset." This mindset manifests in sporadic, one-time events, inservice sessions, guest speakers, webinars, and workshops that are not part of a larger plan or vision. The authors…

The purpose of grading is to measure progress and assess learning. As students' progress through school, a record of their progress and learning serves as a demonstration of knowledge gained. Educators, students, parents, and other stakeholders agree that grading, or assessment of some sort is necessary. The most prevalent grading system is the…

Science reforms in the United States' education systems have been ongoing for over the last 50 years. These reforms are continually revised in response to the demand to increase employment in STEM careers. The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) released in 2013 are the most recent standards-based science reform effort created using years of…

School reform efforts are situated within social and political contexts and, as such, are susceptible to the commonsense discourses circulating through, and shaping, society. Two discourses prevalent in US education reform are those perpetuating the ideologies of neoliberalism and neoconservatism. These ideologies are inherently…

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) demand that science educators shift from traditional to NGSS teaching and learning. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the change process of shifting from traditional one-dimensional teaching to NGSS three-dimensional teaching and learning. A survey was sent to all science…

When Nia Thornton became an assistant principal at Central Gwinnett High School in Georgia, one of her responsibilities was to lead professional learning for the school staff. She and the school leadership team were excited engage the staff in meaningful, day-to-day learning. They knew that their work needed to be rooted in current research and…

Background: Comprehensive sex and sexuality education (CSE) is an evidence-based intervention associated with improved sexual and reproductive health outcomes. Currently, there are no standardized requirements for sex and sexuality education in the United States, despite expert recommendations. Contributions to Theory: In the United States, a…