This brief presents the case for the reform of assessment systems as an essential component of systemic reform. The scope includes ways to share conceptual understanding among all stakeholders in the educational system, ways to evaluate the impact of systemic reforms in terms of student attainment of relevant goals, and ideas on how assessment can…

This brief discusses some of the results and conclusions from the Professional Development Project of the National Institute for Science Education (NISE). The project was intended to explore whether the science, mathematics, and professional development communities share a common understanding of what professional learning experiences look like…

Professional development that aims to transform teaching and build substantial knowledge of science and mathematics content is not a simple task of "design and implement"; rather, it involves remaining alert to the changing context in which professional developers are working, the stages of development teachers move through as they develop new…