The purpose of this study is to introduce an activity which has been designed in accordance with Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) education within the scope of 5E learning model and to present the implementation steps of it. The activity plan is on the topics of Nerves, Hormones and Homeostasis in Human Physiology Unit in 11th…

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the implementation and impacts of the Building Assets, Reducing Risks (BARR) model in its first year of implementation in 66 schools across the U.S. and to document scale-up progress during the Investing in Innovation (i3) grant period (2017-2021). The impact evaluation included 21,529 9th grade students…

The purpose of this Professional Pathways for Teachers (PPfT) evaluation was to examine the measurement validity and reliability of PPfT appraisal data from the 2017-2018 school year in the Austin Independent School District. The PPfT appraisal is a multi-measure system that covers three areas: instructional practices (IP), professional growth and…

This report summaries the Professional Pathways for Teachers (PPfT) appraisal scores and teachers' perceptions of the appraisal system. The PPfT appraisal system was developed and refined during the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 school years. The 2016-2017 school the appraisal system was implemented district-wide. The 2016-2017 appraisal scores will…

The purpose of the "Accelerating Student Progress: Increasing Results and Expectations" (ASPIRE) Award Survey was to gain insight regarding the level of knowledge and perceptions of Houston Independent School District (HISD) teachers and staff after nine years of implementation of growth-based performance pay in HISD, as well as their…

In January 2007, the Houston Independent School District (HISD) inaugurated the Teacher Performance-pay Model, 2005-2006, becoming the first school district in the nation to implement a performance-pay system of this magnitude based on individual teacher effectiveness. The experience gained in the first year and consultations with national experts…

The importance of teacher effectiveness is well supported by studies that document variation in teachers' abilities to contribute to student achievement gains. All else being equal, students taught by some teachers experience greater achievement gains than do students taught by other teachers. In response to initiatives to increase educator…

The purpose of the ASPIRE Award Survey was to gain insight regarding the level of knowledge and perceptions of Houston Independent School District (HISD) teachers and staff after seven years of implementation of growth-based performance pay in HISD, as well as their perceptions regarding the overall concept of teacher performance pay.…

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…

Early in the Effective Teachers Initiative (ETI), Houston Independent School District (HISD) prioritized the design and implementation of a Teacher Appraisal and Development System (TADS) that gives teachers, principals, and district officials the information they need to improve instructional practice and make staffing decisions that ensure that…

The Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) framework, which uses a systems approach to promote school improvement and support all students in improving academics and behavior using data-based problem-solving, is a key part of the Wake County Public Schools System (WCPSS) Strategic Plan. As of 2017-18, MTSS schools were at the initial stages of MTSS…

This is the final external evaluation report prepared by SRI International for the Rural Math Excel Partnership (RMEP) project, an investing in innovation (i3) development project funded by the U.S. Department of Education. Operated by Virginia Advanced Study Strategies, Inc. (VASS), the RMEP project included six rural school districts (LEAs) in…

This report measures trends in performance among urban schools receiving federal School Improvement Grant (SIG) awards as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The Council of the Great City Schools aims to document how member districts of the Council of the Great City Schools implemented SIG and specifically what…

Hurricane Katrina set the stage for a transformation of public education in New Orleans, replacing the city's existing school system with a decentralized choice-based system of both charter and district-run schools. Using principal, teacher, and parent surveys administered three years after Katrina, this study examined schools' governance and…

This report is based on research conducted by the Urban Institute's Justice Policy Center on the violence prevention activities taking place at the Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter High School during the 2008-2009 school year. Based on an assessment of the school's violence prevention approach using qualitative and quantitative data from…