The imposed policy reform of the "Common Core State Standards" ("CCSS") represents another attempt at an "enlightened proposal for change" currently in play at the ground level in the American education system, setting new standards for college and career readiness. This qualitative, comparative case study explored…

This updated third edition provides teachers and administrators with strategies and resources for examining and discussing student work, such as essays, math problems, projects, artwork, and more. The authors describe two ways of looking together at student work--The Tuning Protocol and The Collaborative Assessment Conference--including how to…

This study provides empirical evidence on preservice teachers' (PSTs) dispositions by surveying them on topics of educational policy in their first required course for a teacher preparation program in one mid-sized public university. Our survey used the same questions as did the Ed Next/Harvard Program on Education Policy and Governance poll,…

Physical activity (PA) has been shown to increase cognitive function, with higher test scores being reported for students engaged in higher levels PA. Additionally, the integration of the Common Core content into physical education allows for more Common Core content practice while students meet physical education objectives. Integration can be…

This study examines the influence of a year-long mathematics professional development program on Kindergarten teachers' beliefs, content knowledge, instructional practices, and their students' achievement. The professional development program is grounded in the theoretical construct of learner-centered professional development and focuses on…

This study examines Middle School Mathematics Teachers' (MSMTs') (N = 1,241) perceptions of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) and its impact on the instructional environment. A total of eight factors appear in the data. These factors include professional support, teachers' use of district-adopted and non-district-adopted…

Many educators may view use of Open Educational Resources (OERs) as a new trend that has emerged in various school districts, especially those OERs that are (Common Core State Standards) CCSS-aligned. However, OERs certainly aren't new to education. Many educators have been using these types of materials since the late 1990s (Godwin 2016).…

The purpose of this study was to: (1) describe elementary teachers' perceptions on their preparedness to implement the English Language Arts Common Core State Standards (ELA-CCSS); (2) determine how perceptions influenced changes in instructional practices; and (3) to explore ELA-CCSS implementation challenges and/or barriers in supporting teacher…

Since the implementation of the New York State Common Core Standards, two primary problems have arisen for elementary instrumental music teachers. First, instrumental music teachers' time to work with students is diminishing. The demands of the rigorous curriculums developed to teach the Common Core Standards create a climate where English…

When it comes to mathematics, standards aligned is achievement aligned… In the short time since "The Common Core Mathematics Companions" for grades K-2, 3-5 and 6-8 burst on the scene, they have been lauded as the best resources for making critical mathematics ideas easy to teach. With this brand-new volume, high school mathematics…

Teachers are on the front line in any educational controversy. Increasingly, some bloggers, newspaper articles, and other media have criticized the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) (CCSSI 2010) as being inappropriate for children in kindergarten and first grade. However, both research and expert practice reveal that children are…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the public policy reshaping the assessment terrain for English learners (ELs) across the USA and to consider the implications and impact of these practices on sustaining and supporting a diverse student population in today's schools. Design/methodology/approach: The authors review the…

Inclusive educational practices are rooted in a body of research indicating that when students in need of support through special education are meaningfully included in schools, academic and social outcomes improve for all students. To realize this promise of better outcomes, traditional schools with separate classrooms and even schools designated…

Education standards do not flop spectacularly. Their failure gives rise to nothing like the black-and-white films of early aeronautical experiments: no missiles exploding on launch pads or planes tumbling from the sky. But 10 years after 46 of the 50 states adopted the Common Core standards, the lack of evidence that they have improved student…

In the last several years a good deal of public discourse was devoted to describing the effects that more than two decades of education reforms, the last iteration of which was known as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), has had on teaching and learning. It is widely argued that coupling teacher evaluations with students' test scores, enforced…