Background: The ability to effectively teach culturally and linguistically diverse students is critically important. Research has shown that providing teacher candidates educative experiences through critical service-learning can better prepare future teachers and can foster a social justice stance. Purpose: This study examines teacher candidates'…

This self-study explores an educational policy-making project initiated, facilitated, and implemented by direct stake-holders through a deliberative, intentional process involving teacher educators, policy-makers, and state regulators. As such, it serves as an example of a high-stakes political change process using principles of deliberative…

After passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) in 2015, states assumed greater responsibility for designing their own accountability and assessment systems. ESSA requires states to measure "higher order thinking skills and understanding" and encourages the use of open-ended performance assessments, which are essential for…

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) opened up new possibilities for how student and school success are defined and supported in American public education. States have greater responsibility for designing and building their assessment and accountability systems. These new opportunities to develop performance assessments are critically important…

This paper discusses the benefits of using student portfolios in undergraduate leadership education at Saint Michael's College. There appears to be a natural link between the use of portfolios as a tool to facilitate and document leadership growth and development. The Business Administration and Accounting Department at Saint Michael's College…

Drawing on Zeichner's levels of reflection (Liston and Zeichner 1996), this study uses a fine-grain analysis of portfolio entries to describe the reflective practice of a cohort of preservice secondary education teachers as they student teach, participate in a student teaching seminar, and prepare the Vermont Licensure Portfolio. The paper raises…

There have been many articles written about the variety of ways faculty and students define eportfolios, collect artifacts, write reflections, and use finished eportfolios. However, little has been written about the dynamic process of adopting electronic portfolios in schools of education. This study employs cross-case analysis to investigate…

Although Vermont was the first to initiate a statewide portfolio assessment program, two other states are making progress using this approach. Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) is experimenting with portfolios kept by junior high students in music, visual arts, and writing. New York has an ambitious hands-on program to test fourth graders' science…

Although portfolio assessment offers exciting alternative to traditional testing methods, ensuring accurate representation and measurement of student performance is challenging task. As Vermont's experience shows, reliability of teacher evaluation is very low, and setting acceptable standards is difficult. Before adopting portfolio approach,…

State-supported teacher networks like the California Subject Matter Projects and the Vermont Portfolio Networks can be a useful alternative to conventional inservice training programs. Networks are cost-effective and connect teachers with resources, provide ongoing support, and expand teachers' leadership opportunities. A mix of constructed and…

Responding to concerns over the lack of statewide assessment, Vermont educators, with citizen support, have decided to use portfolios of student work, beginning with writing and mathematics and expanding into other curriculum areas. Standardized tests will play an important, although secondary role. Student and teacher responsibility will increase…

A Vermont elementary school principal offers advice to other schools attempting to revise their assessment approaches and stack their bulky armfuls (student portfolios) in a better load. Educators are advised to integrate portfolios into current classroom practices, share both the burden and the benefits, adapt portfolios to their own needs and…

Describes the development, beginning in 1988, of Vermont's portfolio-based writing assessment program, pointing out the inevitable tension in assessment programs between the need for measurement and a wish for professional development that leads to improved instruction. (SR)

Education policy shapers in Vermont are engaged in a statewide innovative assessment of fourth and eighth graders' mathematics and writing progress. The portfolio assessment of mathematics uses student work to assess problem solving and communication skills using seven criteria. This article describes institutes and other training provided for…

Portfolios, a term derived from the carrying case of paintings or drawings that artists present as proof of their talents, are collections of student work. With the nationwide efforts to raise graduation standards and the increasing use of standardized testing, the idea of basing promotion and graduation decisions on portfolios of students' work…