Houston Independent School District (HISD) strives to provide an equitable education to all its students. To uphold the district's mission, the Teacher Appraisal and Development System (TADS) was designed with the goal of promoting effective teaching by providing systematic, rigorous feedback on teacher effectiveness in the classroom. Through the…

The 2015 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as well as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), continues to require states to disaggregate participation and performance data at the state level for all students and student subgroups. This report presents information on publicly reported…

Governments, organizations, and companies are generating copious amounts of data and analysis to support education decision-making around the world. While continued investments in data creation and management are necessary, the ultimate value of information is not in its "production," but its "use." Herein lies one of the…

Houston Independent School District (HISD) strives to provide an equitable education to all of its students. In an effort to uphold the district's mission, the Teacher Appraisal and Development System (TADS) was designed with the goal of promoting effective teaching by providing systematic, rigorous feedback on teachers' effectiveness in the…

The Houston Independent School District (HISD) launched the Effective Teachers Initiative (ETI) in 2010 with the goal of increasing teacher effectiveness to improve student achievement. As part of this initiative, HISD implemented the Teacher Appraisal and Development System (TADS) in the 2011-2012 school year to provide teachers, principals, and…

The OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) examines what students know in reading, mathematics and science, and what they can do with what they know. It provides the most comprehensive and rigorous international assessment of student learning outcomes to date. Results from PISA indicate the quality and equity of learning…

The Houston Independent School District (HISD) launched the Effective Teachers Initiative in 2010 in order to provide every student in HISD with excellent instruction. As part of this initiative, HISD implemented the Teacher Appraisal and Development System (TADS) in 2011 to provide teachers, principals, and district officials the information they…

The Houston Independent School District (HISD) Teacher Appraisal and Development System (TADS) is intended to improve teacher performance and increase student achievement. This report analyzes results from the TADS Evaluation Survey, which assessed teacher and appraiser perceptions about TADS in 2016-2017. Perceptions about TADS are presented by…

In recent years, many schools have grown into more autonomous organisations and have become more accountable to students, parents and the public at large for their outcomes. PISA results suggest that, when autonomy and accountability are intelligently combined, they tend to be associated with better student performance. In countries where schools…

Maryland's demanding new Kindergarten Readiness Assessment was administered statewide for the first time. Its results are revealing and sobering. Many states do not even check in any systematic way on their children's readiness for kindergarten, and in previous years, Maryland used metrics based on modest expectations, outdated standards, and…

The OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) examines not just what students know in science, reading and mathematics, but what they can do with what they know. This report is the product of a collaborative effort between the countries participating in PISA, the national and international experts and institutions working within…

The Houston Independent School District (HISD) launched the Effective Teachers Initiative in 2010 in order to provide every student in HISD excellent instruction. As part of this initiative, HISD implemented the Teacher Appraisal and Development System (TADS) in 2011-2012 school year to provide teachers, principals, and district officials the…

As part of the Maryland State Department of Education's (MSDE's) ongoing commitment to early learning and school readiness, a comprehensive Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA) was administered for the first time this school year. This assessment, which builds on and advances the MMSR, is part of our new Ready for Kindergarten: Maryland's Early…

Progress monitoring focuses on individualized decision making in general and special education with respect to academic skill development at the elementary grades. Progress monitoring is conducted frequently (at least monthly) and is designed to: (1) Estimate rates of improvement; (2) Identify students who are not demonstrating adequate progress…

This study explores the question of how Boston Public Schools (BPS) can strengthen and support autonomy and accountability across its portfolio to promote innovation and expand access to equity and high performance. Some of the specific questions guiding this work are: (1) Should all schools within BPS operate within autonomous structures? (2) Is…