The adoption of the Common Core State Standards by 46 states and the District of Columbia represents a dramatic departure in U.S. education. In the past, national efforts to improve education have been directed by the federal government and have emphasized resources or organizational structure. In contrast, the Common Core State Standards in math…

Forty-six states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Department of Defense schools have adopted the Common Core State Standards. Adoption was only the first step. Ensuring that the standards will improve student learning will require new assessments, curriculums, instructional materials and resources, and professional development.…

The underlying premise of Response to Intervention (RTI) is that schools should not wait until students fall far enough behind to qualify for special education to provide them with the help they need. Instead, schools should provide targeted and systematic interventions to all students as soon as students demonstrate the need. However, schools…

Recently, two of the authors (Amrein-Beardsley & Collins, 2012) studied the impact of Education Value-Added Assessment System (EVAAS), a value-added model used to judge Houston teachers' performance. They examined the cases of four teachers who were terminated in summer 2011, at least in part because of their subpar EVAAS scores. Talking to…

What would happen if schools offered all students the same challenges and opportunities that some schools now offer only their "best" students? The Southern Regional Education Board addressed that question in 1987, when it developed the High Schools That Work Model. Blending challenging college-preparatory content with modern vocational and…

The Michigan Education Assessment Program (MEAP) has developed both formal and informal reading assessments reflecting current reading theory. A test development committee created a MEAP blueprint of four elements: constructing meaning, knowledge about reading, attitudes and self-perceptions, and topic familiarity. Includes two references. (MLH)

As the limited success of Boston Public Schools' Compact shows, school-business partnerships need to consider the time interval between investment and results. Several partnerships focusing on particular portions of the curriculum have had remarkable effects. A sidebar provides general guidelines for establishing school-business partnerships.…

Despite the growing popularity of Madeline Hunter's Program for Effective Teaching staff development model, there is little evidence that student achievement increases after such a program has been implemented. A recent study of South Carolina achievement test data corroborates this assertion. Coaching length and quality may be key factors in…

The Mukilteo (Washington) School District developed an assessment plan to provide reliable feedback on primary students' reading performance, allow documentation of student progress over time, and enlighten parents. Collaborating with the University of Washington, the district decided to employ timed oral reading fluency measures to screen all K-3…

SAGE is a five-year class-size-reduction program being implemented in 80 Wisconsin schools. A longitudinal, evaluative study is being conducted in 30 SAGE schools. Small classes have three effects leading to increased individualization: fewer discipline problems, greater knowledge of students, and more teacher enthusiasm (using directive methods).…

Explains why schoolwide reform models do not work. Reviews several validated school-improvement principles and discusses their implementation. (PKP)

Based on individual educational and instructional programing and goal-setting strategies, the Wisconsin Program for the Renewal and Improvement of Secondary Education has improved student achievement, attitudes, and attendance in Wisconsin high schools. The program has worked largely because of its adaptability to each individual school's needs.…

According to advocate Robert J. Marzano, standards are the only policy mandate that can significantly improve student achievement. The standards identification process was clumsy, but started a national conversation about desirable subject-area knowledge requirements. Standards content should be cut by two-thirds; teacher-made tests can be…

Researchers found that a Washington State fourth-grade teacher successfully met the demands of standards-based writing instruction without compromising her teaching stance or diverse students' learning. She instituted 15-minute class meetings to address student problems, read aloud from books with relevant characters, and used innovative,…

Searching for ways to help students feel more connected to one another and to the school community as a whole, a junior high school implemented the social house approach. Social houses divide students into multiple social units, rather than into separate academic entities. Each unit has its own identity and theme.The different groups mix during…