The tools charts are some of the most frequently visited resources on the NCII website. Furthermore, current and prior federal legislation and increasingly state legislation, emphasizes the use of educational programs, interventions, and assessments that have an evidence base supporting their effectiveness. State education agencies (SEAs) play an…

The Region 15 Comprehensive Center (R15CC) supported the Nevada Department of Education (NDE) in developing an evidence-based menu of more rigorous interventions (MRI) for the state's Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) schools. Under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), schools identified as CSI, including the bottom 5 percent of Title…

Although the COVID-19 pandemic required schools and districts to quickly pivot to a remote and hybrid learning system of education, some stakeholders benefited in this new model of learning. Through this project, R1CC supported two district teams in self-identifying remote and hybrid learning strategies and integrating those strategies more…

Shifts in the education system to more student-centered learning will require state and local education agencies to rethink how they do their work. Current accountability systems focus on compliance with standards, as demonstrated in annual summative assessments. Mark Elgart explains that a new approach to accountability will offer more authentic…

New Hampshire has several initiatives underway that support work-based learning (WBL) opportunities for students. However, a recent review of those initiatives indicated that the state uses eight different definitions explaining the characteristics and expectations of a WBL experience. As a result of the lack of a common definition, local…

The Forum is pleased to present the "Forum Guide to Student Learning Data During Pandemic School Closures and Beyond." The purpose of this resource is to review how local education agencies (LEAs) and state education agencies (SEAs) changed their approaches to collecting and using student data during the pandemic and how they are working…

Launching new, pioneering programs to improve student outcomes requires consistent support to help maximize impact. The Region 1 Comprehensive Center (R1CC) and the Maine Department of Education (Maine DOE) wanted to provide evidence-based strategies to support pilot programs launched under the state's Rethinking Responsive Education Ventures…

The primary source of federal aid to elementary and secondary education is the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The ESEA was initially adopted in 1965 (P.L. 89-10), and was most recently reauthorized and amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA; P.L. 114-95), which authorized appropriations for ESEA programs through FY2020.…

The charge of the Comprehensive Center program is to support State education agencies (SEAs), regional education agencies (REAs), local education agencies (LEAs), and schools so they can improve educational outcomes for all students, close achievement gaps, and improve the quality of instruction. The U.S. Department of Education defines…

"Using Education Indicators: A Forum Guide for State and Local Education Agencies" was developed to provide timely and useful information on education indicators, how their collection and use have changed over time, and how agencies use them strategically. Since the publication of the 2005 document "Forum Guide to Education…

Students need far more than traditional academic skills to succeed in school, work and civic life. Decades of discussion about the knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviors that facilitate success in the information age have produced consensus that students should learn 21st century competencies. However, many schools struggle to meaningfully…

Linguistic diversity is an integral thread in the tapestry of America. As such researchers how linguistic differences across ethnoracial groups can be understood as resources rather than problems. The aim of this study was to examine ideologies concerning race/ethnicity and language in the discourse of educational language policies that guide…

Balanced assessment systems provide feedback and support decision-making to improve instruction and learning. "Supporting Continuous Improvement Efforts Through Balanced Assessment Systems: Components, Integration, and High-Leverage Actions" outlines key features and components, integration of various assessment approaches, and guiding…

According to Maine's Education Commissioner, the pandemic has stretched both the Maine Department of Education (DOE) staff and local educational leaders. To ensure efficiency and effectiveness of limited time, the Maine DOE sought to increase communication opportunities with the field. Specifically, the Maine DOE prioritized communications on…

In 2015, President Obama signed the reauthorization of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), a significant United States education policy. ESSA replaced the No Child Left Behind Act, preserving certain aspects of standardized testing while introducing newfound flexibility for states and local educational agencies in shaping their accountability…