Earning a college degree has long been critical to unlocking many high-paying jobs -- and, as a result, to economic mobility and security. Increasingly, however, the traditional "norm" of a college student--one who enrolls straight out of high school, receives some support from their parents, lives on campus, and does not have…

Districts across the country are facing severe shortages of teachers--especially in certain subjects (math, science, special education, career and technical education, and bilingual education) and in specific schools (urban, rural, high-poverty, high-minority, and low-achieving). The severity of the teacher shortage problem varies significantly by…

The field of learning analytics is being discussed in many circles as an emerging concept in education. In many districts and states, the core philosophy behind learning analytics is not entirely new; for more than a decade, discussions of data-driven decision making and the use of data to drive instruction have been common. Still, the U.S.…

This report of the Joint Committee on Educational Goals and Evaluation to the California Legislature discusses the need for educational goals and evaluation, the committee investigation, and the collection of information. As a result of the investigation, it was concluded that: (1) it is essential that the goal-setting process include the…

Comments on the effects of the national accountability drive on the teacher. Briefly reports on the results of one accountability program in one school district. (Author/RK)

Two studies were commissioned by the National Forum on Education Statistics to address concerns about the confidentiality and security of education data. The first, "Issues in Education Data Confidentiality and Access," by Ellen Pechman, Eileen O'Brien, Amy Hightower, and Angela Williams covers major court challenges, data collection issues…