The importance of so-called noncognitive skills--which include abilities and traits such as critical thinking skills, problem solving skills, social skills, persistence, creativity, and self-control--manifests itself in multiple ways throughout life. This policy brief, which focuses on a set of skills that can and should be taught in schools, is…

As states begin to revisit or revise their accountability systems to include an additional indicator of school quality or success under the new Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the Center on Standards and Assessment Implementation (CSAI) has received queries regarding whether and how states are measuring school climate and stakeholder…

The Commission on Teacher Credentialing's current "Accreditation Framework" was adopted in 2006. The accreditation system is the primary means by which the Commission ensures quality in educator preparation in California. The system is designed as a 7 year cycle comprised of three major components or activities: (1) biennial reports; (2)…

This study aims to inform the California Department of Education (CDE) in ensuring the standards contained in Title 5 appropriately promote the planning and design of healthy, safe and educationally suitable K-12 school facilities. The study gathers and analyzes K-12 facility standards in ten case study states across the country to understand…

The purpose of this study was to inform the California Department of Education (CDE) in ensuring the standards contained in Title 5 appropriately promote the planning and design of healthy, safe and educationally suitable K-12 school facilities. The study gathers and analyzes K-12 facility standards in other states across the country to understand…

K-3 Plus was established in 2007 as a six-year pilot project that permitted schools with high numbers of at-risk students to begin the school year 25 days earlier for kindergarten through third grade. The purpose of the K-3 Plus program is to demonstrate that increased instructional time in kindergarten and the early grades narrows the achievement…

This is the third in a series of reports that are the culmination of two years of research by the Campaign for Educational Equity, a policy and research center at Teachers College, Columbia University, and significant input from the Safeguarding Sound Basic Education Task Force, a statewide group made up of representatives from New York's leading…

This is the seventh in a series of hearings to inform this committee's reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. The focus of this hearing, teacher preparation, is profoundly important for all students, from the very youngest to adult students. Study after study shows that teacher quality is the decisive in-school factor in boosting student…

The State University System (SUS) of Florida is committed to excellence in teaching, research and public service--the traditional mission of universities. This is achieved through a coordinated system of institutions, each having a distinct mission and each dedicated to meeting the needs of a diverse state and nation. This past year, the System…

This system accountability report provides the Data Tables that are appended to the 2014-2015 accountability report. The data tables include detailed statistical information presented in a tabular format on the following subject matter: (1) Financial Resources; (2) Personnel; (3) Enrollment; (4) Undergraduate Education; (5) Graduate Education; and…

The Ministry of Advanced Education (British Columbia) continues to work on key deliverables outlined in the "Minister's 2015/16 Mandate Letter" (see Appendix B) and the "BC Jobs Plan" to contribute to a strong economy and secure tomorrow for British Columbians. The ability of citizens to take full advantage of their growing…

Higher education accountability measures for student success are becoming more linked to state funding of higher education. This multiple-case study was conducted to explore and describe institutional efforts at small- to medium-sized teaching focused universities in states with performance funding policies. Specifically, the perspectives of…

Aim/Purpose: To investigate the effectiveness of incorporating wiki technology in an undergraduate biostatistics course for improving university students' collaborative learning, approaches to learning, and course performance. Methodology: During a three year longitudinal study, twenty-one and twenty-four undergraduate students were recruited by…

Three decades of reform aimed at improving disadvantaged student achievement have not substantially narrowed achievement and graduation gaps. This article reviews the research around eight essential components of effective high schools emerging from a review of the effective schools and high school reform literature, and provides a framework for…

An important part of "doing" science is engaging in collaborative science practices. To better understand how to support these practices, we need to consider how students collaboratively construct and represent shared understanding in complex, problem-oriented, and authentic learning environments. This research presents a case study…