This 2014-2015 "Alabama Education Report Card" includes a wide variety of data and financial information that, when taken together, provides a holistic picture of the world of K-12 education in the state of Alabama and is committed to academic excellence which provides education of the highest quality to all Alabama students, preparing…

The purpose of this report is to explore the content-related validity evidence supporting the English language arts (ELA) components of the "ETS"® National Observational Teaching Exam (NOTE) assessment series, a kindergarten through 6th-grade teacher licensure assessment. To establish the content knowledge required for the effective…

The purpose of this study is to explore the validity evidence supporting the high-leverage practices (HLPs) of the ETS® National Observational Teaching Exam (NOTE) assessment series, a kindergarten through 6th grade teacher licensure assessment. HLPs include "tasks and activities that are essential for skillful beginning teachers to…

This study examined mathematics teacher content knowledge in terms of policy maker recommendations, college coursework and teacher certification mathematics test scores. Transcript analysis indicated poor alignment of national policy maker recommendations for mathematics teachers and college degrees in mathematics. Teacher certification test…

This article examines the status of certification requirements for school social workers across the United States and the policy context in which certification is embedded. The article also details findings of a study on the curriculum available at various schools of social work offering training in school social work. The article makes a case for…

This report addresses the reporting requirements of Public Law 26-26 and the provisions of "No Child Left Behind" ("NCLB") as described in the Guam Department of Education Board adopted "District Action Plan" ("DAP"). Public Law 26-26, Section 3106 states that "No later than thirty (30) days following…

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 required all schools, including those located in historically disadvantaged areas, to employ highly qualified teachers. Schools in areas with higher levels of poverty and students of color have historically employed a higher percentage of less qualified teachers (Clotfelter, Ladd, & Vidgor, 2005,…

The Education for All (EFA) goals, established for countries to improve educational performance, are most challenging for many developing countries. Notwithstanding the challenges, each country must implement suitable programme intervention in order to accomplish these goals. Goal 6 calls for the overall improvement of the education product, which…

This report shares the findings and lessons learned from an investigation into the economics of disaggregated models for assessing and accrediting informal learners undertaking post secondary education. It presents some key economic and governance challenges for universities to consider in implementing OER assessment and accreditation policies. It…

In this introduction to the special issue on evolving changes in our field, we have intentionally chosen to use the power of a vastly different metaphor to promote deep reflection. Specifically, we will introduce the notion of selection pressures and its impact on an evolutionary process, illustrating how special education teacher education has…

Opportunities for K-12 students to choose virtual and blended learning experiences continue to grow. All 50 states including Washington, D.C., now offer some virtual experience in K-12 education. Of these, 40 states have state virtual schools or state-led online learning initiatives. In addition, federal and state support for this type of learning…

The increased attention given to the implementation of personnel preparation programs in the field of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has directly paralleled the significant increase in the number of students identified with ASD. For this study, we sought to analyze key aspects of programs for professionals who work with students with ASD. In…

The purpose of this study was to investigate how science teachers use instructional technologies in science classrooms. Participants were 63 teachers who have just completed an alternative teaching certificate program in one of the largest universities in Turkey. They were asked to make a lesson plan based on any topic by assuming that they had an…

In implementing a university-wide programmatic innovation to prepare graduate students to become more effective instructors in their future careers as university educators, a faculty development center encountered various types of resistance, ranging from the structural to the cognitive to the affective. Elaborating upon models of organizational…

The study reviewed in this article provides empirical evidence that effective professional development has a positive and significant impact on instructional practices, not only for those who directly experience professional development, but also for colleagues who receive help and support from those who have participated directly and thus gained…