This document is designed as a self-assessment tool for districts to gauge their progress in implementing college- and career-readiness standards. This tool was primarily designed to help central office leaders and staff assess implementation at a systems level. Each section provides a core set of leading questions, along with descriptions of what…

Due to a surplus in the State General Fund, California's Pre-K-12 teachers and administrators have an additional $490 million to spend on programs supporting professional development. The $490 million represents one of the largest investments in professional development and teacher effectiveness ever made by California and has the potential to…

In response to the need to develop leaders to guide the implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), the Carnegie Corporation of New York provided funding to WestEd to develop a framework that defines the leadership knowledge and actions needed to effectively implement the NGSS. The development of the framework entailed…

The "Professional Learning Readiness Self-Assessment Tool" helps districts assess their capacity for effective, comprehensive professional learning. For the purposes of this tool, effective professional learning strategies are those strategies based upon research and aligned with professional standards. Comprehensive professional…

Now in its second edition, this essential textbook and professional development resource offers a new foreword by James Hiebert. Drawing on the authors' work over the past decade, two important new chapters focus on the ways in which the book can be used to support the learning of teachers and administrators. Chapter 11 illustrates the various…

Many educators agree that we already know how to foster student success, so what is keeping common sense from becoming common practice? The author provides step-by-step guidance for overcoming the barriers to adopting the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and achieving equity and excellence for all students. As an experienced teacher and…

This guide will help policymakers understand and define the principles behind fusing core subject knowledge and higher-order thinking skills. Recommendations that reflect these principles will help policymakers support 21st century readiness for all students throughout a reauthorized ESEA and other federal legislation.

The School Improvement Specialist Project prepared seven modules. School improvement specialists, as defined by the Appalachia Educational Laboratory at Edvantia, are change agents who work with schools to help them improve in the following areas so as to increase student achievement. These modules are intended to provide training materials for…

Science education standards are criteria by which to judge the quality of what students know and are able to do, of the science programs that provide the opportunity for students to learn science, of science teaching, of the system that supports science teachers and programs, and of assessment practices and policies. This document summarizes the…

This report provides guidance and information on resources to assist elementary schools, parents, community members, and policymakers in implementing a systemic approach to standards-based education. It makes clear recommendations on how schools can achieve a coordinated system in which standards, assessment, accountability, and curriculum are…

This guide is part of a series of curriculum guides for the middle grades that use a special framework to examine and implement standards-based curricula. In this guide, for developing science curricula for the middle grades, a set of critical questions is posed for curriculum decision making that corresponds to a framework of three components of…

Teacher education programs preparing for national accreditation must develop and represent knowledge base models used in curricula. Auburn University's College of Education devised decision seminars, a systematic review process that lets each program be represented according to its own professional knowledge base, assisting in quality assurance…

Outlines the components for educational reform proposed by the Carnegie report "A Nation Prepared." Includes discussion on the report's leadership-by-teachers recommendation as well as teacher training and salaries. Includes a summarization of eight points that make up the reform plan. (MD)

This book targets students who are going to be K-12 teachers and points out the responsibilities that both science and education faculty members face. These responsibilities not only include providing fundamental information and skills related to teaching, but also mentoring teachers to reflect their understanding. The National Science Education…

This introductory article describes key factors in teacher preparation and continuing professional development and efforts promulgated by the Council for Exceptional Children on special educator standards and assessments. The need to align standards for state licensing, program accreditation, and national certification is emphasized. The following…