The authors of the book argue that a fundamentally complex problem--how to assess the knowledge of a child--cannot be reduced to a simple test score. "Beyond Testing" describes seven forms of assessment that are more effective than standardized test results: (1) student self-assessments, (2) direct teacher observations of students and…

After a two-year reboot of a 40-year portfolio tradition, Manhattanville College has moved from a required, one-size-fits-all undergraduate portfolio to a series of developmentally-scaffolded ePortfolio courses. This new approach allows students to reflect upon and integrate their learning at the first-year, sophomore, junior, and senior levels,…

This article chronicles the development of a portfolio system used primarily to assess special education high school students on a variety of traditional and non-traditional standards and skills. Developing, capturing, sharing, and assessing student learning can be problematic when traditional testing or classroom assessment methods are not an…

States and teacher preparation programs across the country are increasingly using a teacher candidate assessment called edTPA. The purpose? To make sure that teacher candidates are ready and able to teach before they begin their careers. The teacher performance assessment requires candidates to compile a portfolio that consists of lesson plans,…

This case study seeks to explore three research questions: (1) What science teaching and learning processes, perspectives, and cultures exist within the science classroom of an urban portfolio community high school? (2) In what ways does the portfolio-based approach prepare high school students of color for college level science coursework,…

Amid the growth of charter schools, autonomous schools, and private management organizations, an increasing number of urban districts are moving toward a portfolio management model (PMM). In a PMM, the district central office oversees schools that operate under a variety of governance models. The expansion of PMMs raises questions about local…

A strong focus on teacher performance is resurfacing in teacher-preparation programs across the US. EdTPA, a teacher-performance assessment designed to determine K-12 teacher candidates' readiness for the classroom, has become central in teacher-preparation programs in several states and promises to be implemented in more states in the coming…

This researcher had two purposes. The investigator's purpose in this action research was to develop a working prototype of a music teacher digital portfolio within the Moodle environment, which included artifacts, as they relate to New York State's Annual Performance Review (APPR) legislation. The regulation on teacher evaluation is New York State…

The "Quality Practice Project" (QPP) is the National Association of Charter School Authorizers' (NACSA's) multi-year research initiative to identify what high-performing authorizers do to achieve stellar student and public interest outcomes. Participants and researchers collaboratively investigated the perspectives and practices of…

We used ePortfolios to promote and assess identity change in a summer research program for 81 underrepresented minority community college students. We hypothesized that ePortfolios would increase students' development of academic identity, future orientation, and scholarly community. Students completed weekly ePortfolio journal entries and…

The lack of productivity of school systems stems from a number of reasons, including the way in which schools are governed. The author explains in this paper that policies from on high often work against campuses being more productive. His list includes state policies that stop districts from hiring experts to teach subjects that other educators…

As states across the country continue their implementation of the Teacher Performance Assessment Portfolio (edTPA), a complex and high-stakes certification requirement for teacher certification, there are important lessons for educators and education advocates to learn from New York State's implementation. As Linda Darling-Hammond, developer and…

Until recently, states focused on ensuring the presence of a "highly qualified teacher" in every classroom. Under the 2001 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB), this title described a teacher holding at least a bachelor's degree and the appropriate state license and…

People are inundated with technology on campuses and in their lives. Students are increasingly technology savvy, expecting faculty and administrators to function comfortably within the digital world. They have responded by using technology more and more in teaching and learning. In this article, the author focuses on one such use--student…

It has been called many names: Continuous Progress Format, Advancement Based on Competency (ABC), Continuous Progress Schools, and Continuous Progress Education. The idea of "Continuous Progress" refers to academic and developmental growth of students in a multi-age program. Students learn new materials as they are ready, regardless of…