Low levels of mathematics and reading skills are associated with a range of negative outcomes in life, including reduced employment and earnings, and poor health. This review examines the impact of a broad range of school-based interventions that specifically target students with or at risk of academic difficulties in Grades K-6. The students in…

Research suggests that takeovers are not a silver bullet for improving struggling school systems. State takeovers of school districts have happened in all major regions of the country but disproportionately affect some types of communities more than others. There are two main reasons states typically give for enacting takeover: low academic…

This memorandum introduces a set of 10 principles--"from" states and "for" states--to inform the design and management of effective systems to improve or replace low-performing schools. The principles are derived from what is known based on current research, evidence, and experience, and the input of state leaders, key…

Background: Given its ability to exacerbate health inequities through its disproportionate impact on low-income communities, the need exists to better understand factors that influence substance use among adolescents. Moreover, given its multi-etiological nature, preventing adolescent substance use requires addressing intrapersonal, interpersonal,…

Pharmacy school applications have steadily declined over the past several years. Thus pharmacy schools are not only searching for effective means to increase enrollment of qualified candidates, but are also focusing on the development of programs to improve academic performance and retention of enrolled students. To address the needs of struggling…

Connecticut is one of 29 states that require beginning teachers to complete an induction program to mitigate high turnover and lower efficacy among early-career teachers. Its two-year Teacher Education and Mentoring (TEAM) Program provides guidance to beginning teachers through several mechanisms, including five instructional modules and ongoing…

Connecticut is one of many states that implements an induction program for beginning teachers to mitigate high turnover and lower efficacy among early-career teachers. The state's Teacher Education and Mentoring (TEAM) Program requires beginning teachers to complete five instructional modules, have a certain number of contact hours with a mentor,…

Education in Oklahoma is at a critical state due to significant staff shortages, state funding cuts, and an increasing number of reported behavioral difficulties within the classroom. Research indicates that one of the most promising frameworks to address low performance of schools, like those in Oklahoma, is multitiered systems of support (MTSS).…

Faced with many applicants with very low math skills, community colleges are responding with a variety of reforms, including restricting developmental courses to students with high-school-level skills. This brief provides context for the policy changes and describes the alternatives two colleges offer to those who don't make the cut. [This brief…

The Texas Education Agency offers grants for districts to implement school turnaround strategies at low-performing schools. Districts that receive these grants can implement a school turnaround strategy (referred to as a district-managed restart strategy) that includes replacing principals and teachers at schools that the district identifies as…

During the 21st century, more students have been enrolled in U.S. higher education than ever before. These individuals are entering postsecondary education from more diverse backgrounds and with a much broader range of overall goals, values, and skills than their peers before them. As first-year students begin to navigate higher education, they…

The "Elementary and Secondary Education Act" ("ESEA"), as amended by the "Every Student Succeeds Act" ("ESSA") has transformed federal support for low-performing schools by moving away from prescriptive models of school turnaround toward supporting state innovation. State approaches to implementing…

This report provides findings from various surveys regarding parent, student, and teacher perceptions of Afterschool Centers on Education (ACE) programs at Austin Independent School District (AISD) campuses. The ACE program was highly rated and thought to help maintain AISD enrollment.

The literature review showed the relationship with the lesson study with other practices such as CPD [continuous professional development], SBI [school-based in-service teacher training] through Peer learning altogether contributing to the implementation of Rwandan CBC [competence-based curriculum]. Lesson study practices showed tremendous…

The purpose of this paper is to open the methods, construction and assumptions of a new performance benchmark to examination, critique, and improvement by technical experts. The paper begins with known technical questions about this new benchmark. In includes suggestions made by technical advisors. It then details the construction of the…