This article examined the extent to which administrative decisions that affected the implementation fidelity of Direct Instruction programs were related to student achievement. Data from three studies showed that administrative decisions that disregarded recommended protocols regarding teacher training, teacher preparation, and student schedules…

Evidence-based reform in education refers to policies that enable or encourage the use of programs and practices proven to be effective in rigorous research. This article discusses the increasing role of evidence in educational policy, rapid growth in availability of proven approaches, and development of reviews of research to summarize the…

A 5-year model demonstration project designed to improve literacy instruction and special education referrals for English learners (ELs) in grades K-3 in three rural community elementary schools was completed with specific attention to sustainability 1 year after implementation. The model, which was developed and implemented through a…

In this article, we present the results of an international comparative study on the concept of Community School across nine eastern European and Eurasian countries. The study sample consists of two schools considered to be Community Schools from each country (N = 451 teachers); a teacher survey was conducted and the implementation of the…

The National Bilingual Programme was launched in order to promote English learning in Colombia. The failure of this programme and subsequent iterations is well-documented, and research has also examined some of its negative effects for different societal groups. However, a comprehensive study of the social justice implications of Colombia's…

This Reflection on Practice is based upon a change in the undergraduate course "Family and Community Relations." Historically, this course has been taught on campus in a lecture format, as well as small and large group activities. However, during a spring semester at a midsized Midwestern University, it was altered to provide more direct…

This report highlights successes and lessons learned from Austin Independent School District's 2020 virtual learning summer school programs. More than 13,000 AISD students in prekindergarten through grade 12 participated in these programs, which offered academic enrichment or acceleration, course credit recovery, and grade level transition.…

Over the course of six years, a diverse group of school districts and charter management organizations in California ran a substantial experiment in implementing the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in elementary and middle grades. WestEd led an extensive evaluation of that effort, the California K-8 NGSS Early Implementers Initiative,…

This guidance is designed as a companion resource to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction's (OSPI's) "Reopening Washington Schools 2020: District Planning Guide" (ED606044), issued June 2020. The goal of this companion document is to provide guidance, best practices, resources, and unique considerations for supporting…

RAND researchers present results from a spring 2019 survey of a nationally representative sample of kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) public school teachers about their approaches to supporting students' social and emotional learning (SEL) and the factors that might influence those approaches. The authors explore teachers' SEL practices,…

The Multidisciplinary Education, Training, and Support (METS) program is designed to meet the linguistic and academic needs of recently arrived English Learners (ELs) who are identified as Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education (SIFE). The METS program in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) includes students in elementary,…

The integration of computational thinking (CT) and computer science (CS) into formal K-12 learning experiences are critical for students to be competent 21st Century problem solvers. Building student competency with these areas is dependent upon educators who have the pedagogical content expertise to integrate CT and CS within their disciplines…

This commentary examines the rationale behind the use of participatory approaches to the design and development of educational interventions, particularly with respect to the inclusion of students in the process. The perspectives and claims put forth in this special issue are examined against an emerging approach to designing more usable…

Rigorous tests of theory-based programs require faithful implementation. Otherwise, lack of results might be attributable to faulty program delivery, faulty theory, or both. However, once the evidence indicates the model works and merits broader dissemination, implementation issues do not fade away. How can developers enhance the likelihood that…

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems are considered the price of entry in today's business environment, and the number of small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) retiring legacy systems in favor of ERP systems is increasing exponentially. However, there is a lack of knowledge and awareness of ERP systems and their potential benefit and…