The current context of standards-based reform has positioned regional service centers (RSCs), intermediary governmental agencies that support state policy implementation in local districts, as a critical source of professional development (PD). In this article, we ask how a governing body that districts often interact with during challenging…

The current context of standards-based reform has positioned regional service centers (RSCs), intermediary governmental agencies that support state policy implementation in local districts, as a critical source of professional development (PD). In this article, we ask how a governing body that districts often interact with during challenging…

This study explored K-12 teachers' understanding and implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) during and after participation in a professional development (PD) program that included the development of science teachers' conceptual understanding of science. We add to the literature with our focus on a multi-year PD program…

The K-8 Early Implementers Initiative has found that careful planning is critical. With thin planning, unexpected detours or dead ends are likely. However, with solid planning, districts are more likely to achieve their implementation goals and may discover some express lanes for their implementation journey. This evaluation report documents…

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…

The purpose of this study was to compare experiences of teachers and learners in the implementation of the National Strategy on Inclusive Education between primary and secondary schools in Malawi using a qualitative methodology with a phenomenological approach. The findings show that there is no clear difference in the way the National Strategy on…

In 2010, California adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for math and English. The new standards are part of a state effort to prepare students for college and careers in the 21st-century global economy and narrow longstanding achievement gaps. The state's implementation is complete, but because districts decide whether and when they…

In 2012, the Maine legislature passed a bill requiring public school districts to implement proficiency-based high school diploma requirements. Amendments were passed in subsequent years, and several additional bills related to this policy were introduced in the most recent 128th Legislative Session in early 2018. These bills were considered by…

This paper aims to provide a comprehensive narrative of the current status of Chinese language teaching at upper secondary schools in the Czech Republic. Processes involved in developing the Chinese language curriculum in upper secondary schools were mapped through a qualitative survey. Representatives of 20 schools were interviewed to identify…

NGSS Early Implementers is a four-year initiative 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). This evaluation report describes how site and district administrators are making critical contributions to the…

In the 127th Maine State Legislative Session, "An Act to Implement Certain Recommendations of the Maine Proficiency Education Council" (S.P. 660 -- L.D. 1627) was passed into law as Chapter 489. This amended the chaptered law passed in 2012, "An Act to Prepare Maine People for the Future Economy" (S.P.439 -- L.D.1422),…

An online survey in Florida and New York of community college librarians with responsibility for information literacy instruction provides a snapshot of instructional objectives and practices, including librarians' beliefs about students' information literacy needs, strengths, and weaknesses. Survey results point to the influence of the…

This evaluation report describes a central professional learning strategy that the California NGSS Early Implementers Initiative used to help teachers effectively transition to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The Initiative's approach to lesson study, called a Teaching Learning Collaborative (TLC), brings together teams of teachers…

The California Next Generation Science Standards (CA NGSS) Toolkit for Instructional Materials Evaluation (TIME) is a suite of tools and processes for evaluating and selecting instructional materials aligned with the CA NGSS. This 11th report in the NGSS Early Implementers Initiative evaluation series is intended for school and district…

Instructional technologist plays an important role in K-12 CCSS transition. However, few studies were conducted to explore what roles instructional technologist has played in technology integration during CCSS transition. This study explored the roles of instructional technologists in technology integration. This study also investigated the…