This exploratory sequential mixed methods study aimed to understand teachers' perceptions of the impact of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) on school climate and student engagement, which is an area of study lacking in current literature. The research questions which guided the study were: What are teachers' perceptions of the connection between a…

Mathematical proficiency during the early years is directly linked to later success in life, both regarding academics and economics. First grade educators must have the knowledge and skills to integrate the West Virginia Mathematical Habits of Mind (WV MHM) into their existing classroom instructional practices to help establish strong foundations…

This study explores the instructional decisions made by elementary principals in implementing dual language programs, with a focus on the choice of language for state reading assessments. Utilizing a qualitative phenomenological approach, the research examines the lived experiences of eight principals in a South Texas school district, offering…

In this article the authors examine elementary education teacher candidates' reflections while participating in a senior course that included a book study on equity-based teaching and an intensive clinical practice experience which included teaching mathematics small groups. Findings indicate that candidates started to make progress towards…

Research Findings In this study, we examined states' kindergarten entry assessment (KEA) policies between 2011 and 2018 and the possible impact federal funding policies may have had in their implementation. Between 2011 and 2018, 31 states received federal Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge awards and/or Enhanced Assessment Grants to support…

This study examined the impact of the levels of fidelity of teacher implementation of a research-based middle school mathematics program, implemented systemically across a district, on student achievement benchmarks. By examining the systemic implementation based on the level of fidelity to the written curriculum, this quantitative study sought to…

Physical education (PE) programs provide learning experiences designed to fulfill developmental and behavioral needs of the whole child. In the state of Illinois and across the country, however, student-centered PE programs are being limited or eliminated. Illinois laws reduced the requirements of PE and gave school district administrators the…

The problem investigated in this study was the decline in student achievement since the implementation of project-based learning (PBL) by the third- through sixth-grade teachers at the local elementary school. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to investigate teachers' perceptions at the study location about their knowledge of PBL and…

The State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP), WV GRADUATION 20/20 was implemented during the 2015-2016 academic school year beginning with 69 schools in 36 counties, representing 59% of West Virginia's high schools. During the 2016-2017 academic year the number of high schools grew to 72 and the cohort included 20 middle schools bringing the total…

The NGSS Early Implementers Initiative was created to help eight California school districts and two charter management organizations, supported by WestEd's K-12 Alliance, implement the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Many educational initiatives are funded for only a couple of years. This unique initiative spanned an extraordinary six…

More than ever, schools across the United States and around the globe are embracing social and emotional learning (SEL) to assist students in adopting these skills and many other interpersonal (e.g., teamwork, leadership) and intrapersonal (e.g., self-regulation, resilience) capabilities. This dedication to SEL is well supported by research.…

The State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP), WV GRADUATION 20/20, was implemented during the 2015-2016 academic school year beginning with sixty-nine (69) schools in thirty-six (36) counties representing fifty-nine (59) percent of West Virginia's high schools. During the 2016-2017 academic year the number of high schools has grew to seventy-two…

Over the course of six years, a diverse group of school districts and charter management organizations in California ran a substantial experiment in implementing the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in elementary and middle grades. WestEd led an extensive evaluation of that effort, the California K-8 NGSS Early Implementers Initiative,…

RAND researchers present results from a spring 2019 survey of a nationally representative sample of kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) public school teachers about their approaches to supporting students' social and emotional learning (SEL) and the factors that might influence those approaches. The authors explore teachers' SEL practices,…

This 13th report in WestEd's evaluation of the K-8 Early Implementers Initiative for the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) provides an extensive response to the following question: What does NGSS science teaching look like in the classroom? The report first discusses Initiative teachers' experiences with four instructional practices that…