Yes! We know that coaching can increase teacher effectiveness and student learning. This new edition of "Coaching Matters" builds on the authors' ongoing research and work with school systems to design coaching programs that improve learning. The result is a book that clarifies the complex issues and operational details of effective…

This is the sixth in a series of six practitioner training modules developed as part of the Career & Technical Education (CTE) Research Network Lead. Designed for CTE practitioners and state agency staff, these modules are designed to strengthen the capacity to access, understand, and use CTE data and research as well as conduct one's own…

Some practitioners wonder why all the right program components can be in place and yet still not meet program goals. A program evaluation is a critical tool for assessing whether a program is working or not and why. This is the third in a series of six practitioner training modules developed as part of the Career & Technical Education (CTE)…

This resource provides step-by-step guidance to teams who are developing, strengthening, or expanding a College Promise program. The Guidebook is organized into three sections that cover topics ranging from how to frame your College Promise program to evaluating and implementing it. Each section includes embedded tools and exercises to help you…

In education, practitioners are increasingly looking for strategies to bring data and evidence into decisionmaking and to roll out programs in intentional ways that allow for ongoing improvement. This toolkit acts as a guide to improvement strategies for teams of practitioners at colleges, providing them with the knowledge and tools they need to…

The middle grades have become the agreed upon starting point for high-quality Career Technical Education (CTE) programs, as this represents a critical time for students making important decisions that may have a lasting impact on their careers. However, there lacks a common view among state and local leaders on what makes up a high-quality middle…

This guide aims to support state education agencies and early education partners develop coherent, research-based policy by guiding thinking, discussion, data collection, and gap analyses of current practices and policies that can lead to more intentional decision making relative to young Dual Language Learners (DLL) and English Learners (EL).…

Helping more students achieve their dreams involves identifying a wider set of student needs--including financial challenges and family responsibilities--and offering redesigned support services to meet them holistically. This holistic student supports approach emphasizes the need for colleges to redefine the way they understand, design, integrate…

Many higher education sport management programs are currently in the process of seeking accreditation from the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA). This article provides a best-practice method for aligning student learning outcomes with a sport management program's mission and goals. Formative and summative assessment procedures…

As researchers, decision-makers, and practitioners focus on continuous improvement in education, local-level change is gaining importance. Yet, many local school improvement efforts fail to be fully implemented. Even those that are fully implemented often fail to sustain improvements because the schools are embedded in systems that face multiple…

This article is an outgrowth of the evaluation and assessment process in a large interdisciplinary studies (IDS) program at West Virginia University. We argue for the importance of collecting and assessing quantitative and qualitative data concerning learning outcomes, student satisfaction, career choice and development, and graduate education…

The Guide to Blended Learning is an introduction using technology and distance education teaching strategies with traditional, face-to-face classroom activities. This Guide has been designed to assist teachers adopt blended learning strategies through a step-by-step approach taking constructivist and design-based approach and reflecting on…

Beginning teachers face significant challenges as they assume the complex work of teaching while they are still learning to teach. In addition to the activities involved with learning to effectively teach, they must also learn to work with others; collaborate with colleagues, administrators, paraprofessionals, and parents; and manage varied…

Some young people naturally flourish in school; others struggle due to difficult life circumstances. There is also another group of young people who have no substantial issues or barriers but are still at risk of disengaging from learning. Through research, it is known that the majority of young people who are not in education, employment or…

In January 2011, a Joint Committee of representatives from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) began work to establish cross-agency guidelines for improving the quality, coherence, and pace of knowledge development in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. Although the…