A survey administered in the spring of 2013 by the Center on Education Policy (CEP) inquired into the implementation of Common Core State Standards at that time. Based on self-reports by state officials, the survey found that curricula aligned to the common core were already being taught in at least some districts or grade levels. All states…

Beginning in the spring of 2011 the Center for the Study of Curriculum at Michigan State University conducted a survey of school district curriculum directors/supervisors in the 41 states that had officially adopted the new Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM). The Center's goal was to provide baseline information to inform and…

This report, based on a spring 2013 survey of state education agency officials in Common Core-adopting states, focuses on state efforts to prepare students with disabilities for the Common Core State Standards. The report also addresses the challenges states face with supporting teachers of students with disabilities and state plans for assessing…

This report, based on a spring 2013 survey of state education agency officials who oversee K-12 education in Common Core-adopting states, describes states' perceptions about the variety of ways in which they are collaborating with their state's postsecondary institutions to prepare for and implement the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Other…

To learn more about states' experiences with implementing school improvement grants (SIGs) funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the Center on Education Policy (CEP) administered a survey to state Title I directors. (Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act provides federal funds to schools in low-income…

In 2009, the federal government committed over $3 billion nationwide to help states and districts turn around their worst-performing schools. The U.S. Department of Education intended for the School Improvement Grants (SIGs) to spur dramatic change.This report looks at the results of a field study of the first-year implementation of those grants…

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), also known as the stimulus package, appropriated $100 billion for education and included $3 billion for school improvement grants (SIGs) to help reform low-performing schools. This amount was in addition to the $546 million provided by the regular fiscal year 2009 appropriations bill for…

Nearly every high-priority item in national, federal, state, and local discussions about education--and policy proposals across the political spectrum--requires high-quality longitudinal data to inform its design, implementation, and evaluation. This factsheet shares Data Quality Campaign's (DQC's) analysis of what "Data for Action 2011:…

The "29th Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 2007" follows the 2006--i.e., the 28th annual report--in sequence. The "29th Annual Report to Congress" is, however, the first to have three volumes. In the 28th and earlier editions, volume 2 consisted of data tables…

This newsletter issue focuses on the subject of mandatory testing of prospective teachers prior to certification. The following questions are discussed: (1) What are the major types of teacher tests? (2) How prevalent are teacher tests? (3) What are the major teacher tests? (4) What problems do teacher testing programs address? (5) What are the…

Principals in Indiana were asked to rate proposed guidelines for sex education programs on the basis of public acceptability and potential for implementation. Eighteen of 20 guidelines were rated capable of implementation with average difficulty or less. Individual guidelines and their ratings are given. (PP)

A survey of 46 Arizona school districts revealed that the districts use computer assisted instruction most frequently in language courses; 37 percent of the responding districts use microcomputers, but 45 percent of all microcomputers are used in only one district; use of microcomputers is planned for both administration and instruction; and…

The General Concerns Inventory: Least Restrictive Environment was administered to superintendents, special education coordinators, and principals from 60 Alabama school districts. Of 4 factors (social/personal concerns, staff and curriculum concerns, fiscal concerns, and legal concerns), only social/personal concerns discriminated among the 3…

The report summarizes the findings of a study of the processes, strategies, and experiences of 61 individuals involved with or affected by implementation of Public Law 94-142 (the Education for All Handicapped Children Act) in Oregon. The focus of the survey is on school districts' initial attempts to determine requirements of the law and develop…

Special education administrator competencies associated with the implementation of special education programs within the context of federal, state, and local changes that affect special education and general education were examined in a survey of 164 administrators. The analysis identifies some domains that are more important than others. (SLD)