The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted education around the world and created extraordinary new challenges for students, families, educators, and policymakers. Its impacts on students' learning and well-being are far reaching, though not yet fully understood. However, early evidence indicates disproportionate effects on students with disabilities, a…

There's unprecedented opportunity for state and local educators to invest in digital tools and professional development to transform teaching and learning. Rapidly evolving technology has provided new ways for all students, including those with disabilities to learn and for educators, students, and their families to interact. At the same time, the…

This paper focuses on engaging and enabling educators to play new roles and take new leadership in the paradigm shift between traditional and competency-based education: a system of learning designed to ensure that all learners are prepared with the knowledge, skills and dispositions to be successful lifelong learners. The paper re-envisions…

This book explores what constitutes successful schooling for Maori students in the 21st century. Editor Paul Whitinui has drawn together academic contributions from diverse fields of matauranga (education), matauranga hinengaro (psychology), whakaako hauora (health), akoranga takakau-a-ora (sport and leisure) and others. The book aims to provide a…

Communities across the country are grappling with different approaches to improving their schools. Introducing or expanding charter schools is one of the approaches that states and school districts have considered or implemented. Charter schools serve more than 5 percent of public school students nationwide and make up close to 7 percent of all…

Charter schools are largely viewed as a major innovation in the public school landscape, as they receive more independence from state laws and regulations than do traditional public schools, and are therefore more able to experiment with alternative curricula, pedagogical methods, and different ways of hiring and training teachers. Unlike…

This book embraces the idea of listening to and learning from students. Although many educational theorists have long argued that incorporating children's perspectives about teaching and curriculum has the potential for increasing students' interest and participation in learning, their radical perspectives are still ignored or dismissed in theory…

This publication includes up-to-date information about charter schools in Wisconsin. It is intended to present best or promising practices of charter schools to each local educational agency in the state. It is a means of demonstrating agency accountability for informing the public, legislators, and those interested in charter schools, both within…

Language and literacy skills are critical to success in school. For low-income preschoolers, increasing early literacy and math skills is vital to closing the achievement gap between them and their more advantaged peers. New research shows that an intentional curriculum and professional development and supports for teachers are important…

Discusses, analyzes, and provides anecdotes about the calculus reform movement, in general, and the experimental, undergraduate calculus classes at Duke University, in particular. (JJK)

Each edition of the IDRA Newsletter strives to provide many different perspectives on the issues in education topics discussed and to define its significance in the state and national dialogue. This issue focuses on Enlightened Public Policy and includes: (1) Texas Education Policy: Prospects for 2009 (Albert Cortez); (2) Bilingual Education in…

Based on the premise that a school reading program must focus on the learner and the text, this guidebook is designed to serve as a resource for school districts, groups, or individuals involved in planning, implementing, and evaluating reading programs. The guidebook is divided into two phases. Phase 1, "Guidelines for Developing and…

In response to the rapid growth of computer crime and such illegitimate practices as piracy and fraud, the National Institute of Justice and the Office for Educational Research and Improvement have formed a partnership to promote school programs on the ethical uses of new technologies. This report, the first of the partnership, is designed to…

Drawing on information from 15 sources, this literature review discusses advantages/disadvantages of small schools and summarizes practices for both rural and urban small schools to follow to maintain educational quality despite dwindling enrollments and resources. Small school disadvantages in the areas of staff, instructional program, and…

This report contains the proceedings of a conference convened to build on the work of those pioneering better teaching and learning techniques for boys. Teachers at the conference were asked to present their schools' experiences in a case study format to maximize the learning and discussion among participants. The report begins with a schedule of…