This brief provides a summary of Tier 3 or "promising" evidence of Istation's Early Reading program in improving K-3 student performance in reading and English language arts (ELA). This quasi-experimental study examined whether students who attended schools that piloted Istation's Early Reading program during the 2017-18 school year had…

Classroom observations remain the predominant data source used in teacher evaluations, but little is known about how rater characteristics may affect teachers' scores. For special educators, whose instructional practice requires specialized knowledge and skills, school administrators (i.e., the raters) without experience in special education…

There is growing interest in student-centered learning as a model to better support individual learners. In recent years, state policymakers have pursued multiple approaches to implement this instructional model, but many leaders still experience policy barriers that affect progress. This Policy Brief offers an analysis of policy trends,…

Salaries are one of the most powerful policy levers states and school districts can use to attract qualified, effective, and diverse teachers. What role do states play in supporting strategic use of salaries? This report examines the state teacher compensation policies that influence districts' potential strategic use of teacher pay. It analyzes…

Objectives: In the USA, 18% of school-aged young people are classified as obese, and rural populations appear to be particularly at risk. Achieving high levels of fitness reduces the risk of obesity and underlying health conditions. To better understand youth obesity trends and fitness levels, annual fitness testing ([FT], that is, surveillance)…

We examined the impact of a state-mandated K-12 mathematics professional development course on knowledge, self-efficacy, and beliefs of nearly 4,000 teachers and administrators. Participants completed the Mathematical Thinking for Instruction course, emphasizing student thinking, problem-solving, and content knowledge specific to mathematics…

A Toolkit of Emerging Best Practices and Opportunities for Charter Support Organizations Approximately 6.4 million students--roughly 13 percent of the student population between ages 6-21--receive special education and related services in public schools every year. While students identified as eligible for special education require supports and…

States use their accountability systems to identify low-performing schools, which can receive added support and are expected to improve. Alternative schools serve students whose needs are not met in a regular school. They often serve at-risk students who are struggling academically or behaviorally. Given this unique population, the Government…

To effectively plan, launch and scale high-quality personalized, competency-based learning models, most educators and school leaders require intentional, sustained capacity-building supports. Therefore, states are identifying sustainable funding strategies for statewide initiatives to build this capacity. Options include state funding for a…

Students, teachers, and school leaders are seeking flexibility and supports to enable powerful, personalized learning experiences both inside and outside of the traditional classroom. In personalized learning, instruction is tailored to each student's strengths, needs, and interests--including enabling student voice and choice in what, how, when,…

Two years ago the state officially chose to adopt the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) as Idaho's new Core Standards in mathematics and English language arts. For Idaho's students these standards are not only higher but also comparable with those in any other country in the world. These new standards will bring significant changes for Idaho…

Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) provide the basis for meeting the challenges and expectations in today's educational environment. Effective PLCs provide the framework for school improvement and ultimately impact student academic success. School leadership is fundamental in this process (Bennis, 2009; Buffum, Mattos, & Weber, 2009;…

Assessments matter in education. Testing is nothing new; tests have been around as long as school itself. However, over the last 15 years, state assessments have grown to be an increasingly central, and often controversial, part of schooling. As states raise their standards, it is more important than ever to ask: What is a high-quality assessment?…

What are other states doing to assess whether K-12 teachers are meeting the technology proficiency standards (NET) outlined by ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education)? What are alternatives to the IC3 test? This question was answered by contacting state leaders and also by finding information on the Internet. Many states have an…

Inverness Research studied the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) Seminars on Science program for eight years, from its inception in 1998 to 2006. In 2009, Inverness Research conducted additional studies of the AMNH's new online course, The Solar System. This paper presents teacher survey ratings for The Solar System, along with profiles of…