The portfolio management models (PMM) has emerged as an important idea in educational governance over the last decade. In PMM systems, a district or other form of authorizer oversees a collection of independent organizations that operate schools according to their particular philosophy and strategic orientation. Yet underlying the design of PMMs…

In the wake of COVID-19, the California legislature mandated that local educational agencies (LEAs) develop detailed Learning Continuity and Attendance Plans (LCPs) to address student learning and progress during the 2020-21 academic year. This brief summarizes results of an analysis of nearly 1,000 LCPs from public school districts across the…

As the COVID-19 crisis disrupted schooling, recovery efforts to ensure educational continuity in California included the adoption of Senate Bill 98, which mandated local educational agencies (LEAs) to complete Learning Continuity and Attendance Plans (LCPs). These plans act as critical snapshots of sensemaking in the midst of crisis; however,…

Administrators need an easily accessible training resource for improving their underperforming schools that includes professional development and progressing monitoring tools for teachers, research-based interventions for students, and strategies to help their faculty and staff cope with the challenges of the school turnaround process. This…

Imagine getting on the tandem bike of co-teaching. You have a lot to decide. Who sits in the front and takes the lead? Who takes the backseat? The fact is, neither classroom teachers nor secondary content-area teachers have proven eager to give up leading their lesson when they have a co-teacher present, whether to support ELLs or students with…

Decades of research have confirmed that teachers are the most important in-school factor for improving student achievement. Furthermore, studies find that access to effective teachers is most critical for students who struggle academically. Data from Tennessee shows that, on average, students who score at the lowest proficiency level see the…

With its 208 schools, 130,000 students, and 19,000 employees, Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) in Maryland is one of the country's largest school districts. Serving a high-poverty student population from urban, suburban, and rural communities, the district requires leadership that can enable its learners to combat the conditions of…

In contrast to prior federally mandated school reforms, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) allows states more discretion in reforming their lowest performing schools, removes requirements to disrupt the status quo, and does not allocate substantial additional funds. Using a regression discontinuity design, we evaluate a state turnaround…

This publication serves as a technical paper or How-To-Guide through a detailed description of the intentional step-by-step process Kentucky's executive leaders, educators, and stakeholders used to co-create a Mathematics Usable Innovation. The How-To-Guide includes italicized links to resources: Kentucky Examples, activities and research on the…

The massive, systemwide move to remote learning over the past few months created huge frustrations for educators. Those sentiments showed up in the results from surveys conducted by the EdWeek Research Center and in Education Week's reporting. Teacher morale dropped, student engagement was down, and budget cutting plans were already starting. But,…

The sudden closure of educational facilities due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has brought about many trials and struggles. For families and students, it means the loss of structure, connection, and valuable instructional time. For administrators, educators, and support staff, it means a sudden shift in the way teaching and learning…

In schools, a Code Red alert indicates a potential or immediate threat within a building or on a campus and is the signal for a full-scale lockdown of all classrooms. This book, "Code Red: Conversations and Solutions for an Educational System in Crisis," presents a variety of voices from teachers, administrators, teacher preparation…

Research shows that teachers of color can benefit all students, particularly students of color, yet only one in five teachers are individuals of color, compared to more than half of K-12 public school students. Increasing the diversity of educators can not only benefit students, but recruiting, preparing, and retaining more teachers of color who…

Why do workforce data matter? A strong education prepares students to succeed in their chosen careers, but education, training, and employment pathways are changing. Individuals take multiple paths into the workforce. Some get jobs after completing high school, some after earning a college degree. To develop and support a strong workforce,…

Addressing student absenteeism continues to permeate education policy and practice. California and a majority of other states have incorporated "chronic absenteeism" as an accountability metric under the Every Student Succeeds Act. It is therefore a crucial time to take stock of what we know on the research, policy, and practice to…