There has been a wealth of research examining learning environments as one of the variables that contributes to academic success for students studying science. A constructivist learning environment has been explored as one way to assist students in achieving greater success with science learning. There is a lack of research concerning how and if…

The 2009 "State Teacher Policy Yearbook" provided a comprehensive review of states' policies that impact the teaching profession. As a companion to last year's comprehensive state-by-state analysis, the 2010 edition provides each state with an individualized "Blueprint for Change," building off last year's "Yearbook"…

A rationale and series of steps are provided for use by local school districts in Iowa in developing a teacher evaluation program. The four basic questions to be asked by teacher evaluation program planners are: (1) What shall be our criteria of desired teacher performance? (2) How high shall our standards be? (3) How do we want to measure and…

Shows how a mastery teaching program was applied to one Iowa school district to improve and evaluate teacher performance. Emphasizes the principal's role in such a program. (JW)

For five years running, the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) has tracked states' teacher policies, preparing a detailed and thorough compendium of teacher policy in the United States on topics related to teacher preparation, licensure, evaluation, career advancement, tenure, compensation, pensions and dismissal. The 2011 State Teacher…

As schools move from corporate to collegial forms of organization, it will become necessary to adapt evaluation systems to collegial environments. This paper outlines a system that utilizes features of professional self-regulation from higher education while maintaining dispute resolution mechanisms from the public sector. Features of the system…

This study was conducted to identify the characteristics of effective clinical instruction as perceived by faculty and students in a sample of associate degree nursing programs in Iowa. From the population of 18 associate degree nursing programs in the state, a stratified random sample of approximately one-third was chosen for voluntary completion…

This study was commissioned by the State of Iowa to identify the current status and applicability of performance-based teacher compensation plans. After a review of the literature to establish the current status of merit pay and to identify districts throughout the United States that are presently using performance-based compensation plans, a…