Various district-level factors contribute to the successful implementation of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) in schools, a widely implemented evidence-based framework supporting students' social, emotional, and behavioral development. Prior research has identified the district PBIS coordinator as a critical factor supporting…

This descriptive case study aimed to understand the perception and needs of Michigan public high school science teachers during the implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and subsequent preparedness to teach the content found in the new curriculum. A questionnaire was distributed to science teachers state-wide, with twenty…

Background: A mismatch between organizational priorities and system-level policies can negatively impact implementation and sustainment of classroom-based physical activity (PA) interventions. The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) present methods to systematically identify organization- and system-level implementation barriers, and (2) align…

Approximately 11% of Michigan's roughly 199,620 elementary and secondary students are eligible for special education under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Students with disabilities placed in a self-contained classroom by an individualized education program (IEP) committee are usually those in need of the most intense programs…

The retention of Black teachers in the teaching profession remains challenging due to historical events and policies, low salaries, lack of support from administrators, and other school factors. This action research study aimed to investigate, develop, and implement a retention support program for Black teachers employed in their first-fifth year…

The Accelerated Learning Work Group's introductory Guide to Accelerated Learning offers descriptions, resources, and examples of state education agencies implementing Accelerated Learning into their programs. It also answers questions, such as: (1) How should Accelerated Learning be implemented?; (2) How are educators best supported during…

With the push toward personalized learning, many districts are finding that teachers are unprepared for a completely new method of teaching. In this article, the authors describe a professional development program from Ottawa Area Intermediate School District in western Michigan called FuturePREP'd. In the program, teachers experience personalized…

Water scarcity is a global problem in which, through consumption and eutrophication of freshwater, agriculture has contributed. The impact of water scarcity necessitates research into how agriculture, food, and natural resources (AFNR) educators can support solutions. A subset of AFNR educators in the Great Lakes Basin participated in a…

The National Math + Science Initiative (NMSI) is a nonprofit organization committed to improving educational outcomes that traces its roots back to the early 1990s. NMSI's College Readiness Program (CRP) is a long-standing program with the goal of promoting STEM education in high schools to improve students' preparation for college. The three-year…

Education Policy Innovation Collaborative (EPIC) partnered with the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) to conduct a multi-year study of Michigan's implementation of competency-based education in K-12 schools. This mixed-methods study seeks to investigate the implementation and effectiveness of CBE using data from surveys administered to 21j…

The Middle-Grades Leadership Development (MLD) Project was designed to develop principal leaders and leadership teams who create high-performing middle-grades schools. Designed by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform, the four-year project was funded from 2013 to 2017 by a U.S. Department of Education Investing in Innovation (i3)…

In September 2011, the Association of American Universities launched a major initiative to improve undergraduate STEM education. The overall objective was to influence the culture of STEM departments at AAU institutions so that faculty members are encouraged and supported to use teaching practices proven by research to be effective in engaging…

The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) in the U.S. Department of Education funded the National Center on Intensive Intervention (NCII, or the Center) in 2011. NCII's mission during the first five years of funding was to build the capacity of local education agencies (LEAs) to support schools, practitioners, and other stakeholders in the…

It has been three years since Race to the Top grant-winning states piloted new teacher evaluation systems and many of them have made considerable progress, yet according to media coverage and a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report published in April 2015, struggles remain and most grantees have asked to extend the timetables for…

In 2012, WestEd received a "Development" grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Investing in Innovation (i3) competition to develop and implement Internet-based Reading Apprenticeship Improving Science Education ("iRAISE"). "iRAISE" was implemented in Michigan and Pennsylvania and was provided to over 100…