Teacher preparation programmes (TPPs) find many ways to shape the development of their teacher candidates while bridging the research to practice gap in university and school partnerships. Recently, accountability models built on high-stakes standardised student assessments (Value-Added Models [VAM]) have been mandated as a way to evaluate the…

The Tennessee Achievement School District (ASD) is among several state-run districts established to turn around underperforming schools. Like other such districts, the ASD removes schools from local control and is not accountable to local political institutions. Despite its authority, the ASD has encountered opposition within Memphis where its…

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) has ushered in an era of renewed focus on English Learners (ELs) in states' accountability systems. The new law not only emphasizes the academic achievement and growth of ELs alongside their peers, but it also demands that states prioritize English language acquisition and proficiency for ELs. Under the No…

The Healthy Schools Campaign (HSC) has worked at the intersection of education and health for the last 15 years, supporting schools, districts, states and national stakeholders as they work to create healthy schools where children can learn and thrive. In the fall of 2017 the Healthy Schools Campaign engaged RESOLVE, a D.C.-based nonprofit…

Thirty-six states potentially are ignoring the academic needs of large numbers of African American and Latino students, students from low-income families, English language learners, students with disabilities, and other groups of historically underserved students because the state accountability systems fail to capture these student subgroups.…

In December 2015, the U.S. Congress passed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and, with it, ushered in a new era of education policy in America. Leaving behind many of the most criticized aspects of its predecessor, No Child Left Behind (NCLB), this new incarnation of the primary federal legislation guiding K-12 education provides state and…

There is a growing body of research that suggests the first year of high school is a critical transition point for students. It also finds course-taking and successful completion of those courses in 9th grade to be valuable predictors of students' success in high school. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) provides states an opportunity to…

In a recent volume published by Harvard Education Press, "The Convergence of K-12 and Higher Education: Policies and Programs in a Changing Era" (see ED568824), Christopher Loss and Patrick McGuinn gathered a group of researchers to explore the "convergence" of US education policy fifty years after the passage of the Elementary…

For the past dozen years, the federal government has held schools accountable for students' achievement in reading and mathematics. Schools that have not demonstrated improved student scores have faced heavy sanctions, including reconstitution and closure. In response to this high-stakes environment, schools appear to have extended the time…

There are several types of data systems that support data from Part C/619 programs. Although the system types have similarities, each has its own unique characteristics and purposes. The attributes that make one type of data system a particularly good fit for one data-related need or function can be less desirable for another need or function. In…

2015 has proved to be another active year for public charter school legislation across the country. This report provides a summary of the state legislative highlights for public charter schools during the 2015 state legislative sessions. To detail the plethora of activity that's taking place, this summary is organized into the following…

The quality of a teacher's instruction is widely understood to be the most important school-based factor in student learning. By taking positive steps to retain their strongest teachers, principals can maximize the impact of teacher retention on instructional quality, a process referred to as "selective retention." This brief from the…

This study examines how staff working for one Ontario school board perceive two distinct approaches to school discipline policy: the Safe Schools Act (Bill 81) and Progressive Discipline and School Safety (Bill 212). The more centrally controlled and rigid Safe Schools Act was criticized by interviewees and cited for human rights violations.…

Since No Child Left Behind was passed nearly 20 years ago, test-based accountability policies have grown more comprehensive in scope than ever before. Tests have always mattered, but they have become substantively empowered, now dominating classroom conversation and activity. To ascertain the impact they have on people's lives one must involve…

Purpose: This study addressed the current policy push to improve students' college and career readiness (CCR) as manifested within the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and examined CCR policy in the state of Illinois as a case study, noting ways in which provisions for CCR programs prepare all students, including those historically underserved by…