Ensuring that students graduate high school prepared for college and careers has become a national priority in the last decade. To support this goal, states have adopted rigorous college and career readiness (CCR) standards in English language arts (ELA) and mathematics. Additionally, states have begun to require students to pass assessments, in…

To date, most of the public narrative and pushback on new teacher evaluation systems has centered around their use for high-stakes personnel decisions such as pay, promotion, and dismissal, but these systems were always intended to promote and support improvements for all teachers--not just the superstars or laggards. Why is teacher development…

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) builds upon recent state efforts to reinvigorate the commitment of education to prepare students, not just for college and career, but also for citizenship and full participation in democratic life. This report outlines how ESSA strengthens opportunities for states to expand and support civic learning and…

The following profiles address how the state departments of education are helping educators prepare for and implement the Common Core and aligned assessments through professional learning. The major professional development efforts around the Common Core were examined in order to understand the overall efforts of each state. An exhaustive list of…

The following profiles address how the state departments of education are helping educators prepare for and implement their states' new college- and career-readiness standards and aligned assessments, through professional learning. SREB researchers examined each state's major professional development efforts around its new standards in order to…

Implementation of college- and career-readiness standards is some of the most important work currently underway in states to improve student achievement and public education overall. SREB examined the efforts of 14 states--including 11 SREB states--to support implementation of new college- and career-readiness standards. The goal of the research…

The following profiles address decisions and actions that state education policy-makers--in the state departments of education, unless otherwise noted--are taking to foster successful statewide implementation of their states' new college- and career-readiness standards and aligned assessments. These profiles provide a descriptive overview of each…

Jeb Bush campaigned for governor on a clear and bracing set of education reforms in 1998. Having won office, he immediately pursued a dual-track strategy for reforming Florida's K-12 education system: standards and accountability for public schools, choice and options for parents. Florida lawmakers followed those reforms with additional measures.…

Children's access to Medicaid dental services is a long-standing concern. The tragic case of a 12-year-old boy who died from an untreated infected tooth that led to a fatal brain infection renewed attention to this issue. He was enrolled in Medicaid--a joint federal and state program that provides health care coverage, including dental care, for…

This report is an overview and summary of the Arizona Governor's Forum: Linking Ready Kids to Ready Schools. The forum, supported by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the Education Commission of the States, was held on May 30, 2008 in Phoenix, Arizona. Six dozen educators, education experts and advocates gathered during the one-day forum to map out…

Addresses the impact of technology-driven change, especially as it relates to South Dakota, its citizens, and their future. Discusses the impact and peripheral consequences of technology; accepting, managing, and leading change; and rural revitalization and the quality of life. Outlines critical new mindsets, involving technology-driven change,…

One of a series of reports concerning state policies and practices in child care and early education, this report provides highlights and updates regarding state actions during 1998. The report is intended to serve as a supplement and companion to the more comprehensive information presented in "State Developments in Child Care and Early…

The development and implementation of Kentucky's Program for Educationally Deficient School Districts is examined in this case study. Implemented in 1987, the program required districts to meet certain performance, planning, and reporting criteria. Districts failing to comply could be placed in categories of noncompliance. Data were derived from…

This second annual report identifies the specific progress made by South Dakota during 1991-92 toward achievement of the six National Education Goals. The state's objectives to achieve each of the six goals are outlined, as well as actions taken and proposals made. "Families First," a state initiative that focuses on strengthening the…

This document details the progress made toward achieving the eight National Education Goals. The Goals 2000: Educate America Act marked its first year with school-improvement plans in 47 states and $85 million in the hands of state and local school districts. The publication contains: (1) a list of the National Education Goals; (2) a description…