This appendix accompanies "Gaining Ground in the Middle Grades: Why Some Schools Do Better. A Large-Scale Study of Middle Grades Practices and Student Outcomes. Initial Research Report." This appendix contains the full bibliography of all research and policy documents consulted during the development of the ten research domains and three…

This study explores the effects of school-level characteristics on North Carolina students' reading and math achievement from fourth through eighth grade, focusing on the relationships between achievement and the racial and poverty composition of schools. After creating race-by-poverty cohorts of schools, I use multilevel models to examine math…

Traditional comparisons of teacher salary averages fail to consider factors beyond pay raises that affect those averages. Salary averages do not show: regional and national variations among states' average salaries; the variation of salaries within an individual state; variations in the cost of living; the highest degree earned by teachers and the…

This discussion paper provides a rationale for the development of professional teaching standards in Australia. It is the result of a 2000 national forum on professional teaching standards held in Melbourne, Australia, which included 150 educators who explored contemporary issues associated with such standards and constructed a framework for…

This report discusses literacy coaching as one strategy for professional development, describing how three San Francisco Bay Area school districts use literacy coaching, highlighting the benefits of using literacy coaching, and offering recommendations to districts and states. The report describes why the Bay Area School Reform Collaborative and…

This research reports on the characteristics of middle level teachers, their work environment, their professional and academic preparation, their leadership roles, and their competency levels as perceived by their principals. The research design was constructed as the third of three "decade studies" which focused on middle level schools and were…

In 1990 the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME), and the National Education Association (NEA) published "Standards for Teacher Competence in Educational Assessment of Students." Standard 1 of this document states, "Teachers should be skilled in choosing assessment methods appropriate for…

This report provides an overview of the main reasons why secondary teachers supported their schools' efforts at educational reform through membership in the Coalition of Essential Schools. The Coalition is a grassroots reform movement focused on improving classroom teaching and learning and helping students to use their minds well. Researchers…

North Carolina and Florida lead the nation in total number of teachers with National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certification. About 71 percent of all NBPTS certificates were awarded to teachers in Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) states in 2000-01. Seven SREB states were among the top 10 states in number of teachers…

Describes the development of learning communities among student teachers, university supervisors, and master teachers to increase the quantity and quality of technology integration in student teaching experiences. Project TALENT (Teaching and Leading for Educational Needs with Technology), funded by the Department of Education's PT3 (Preparing…

Separated Massachusetts colleges and universities into three categories to examine their differentiated responses to teacher testing in Massachusetts, where poor results have resulted in much controversy. The finding that institutions of higher education have responded effectively to teacher testing does not preclude critique of teacher testing as…

Introduces a theme issue concerning the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) and certification, presenting a brief history of the NBPTS and reviewing the collection of articles, which highlight such issues as moving toward a research agenda, social and cultural contexts of NBPTS certification, NBPTS certification and special…

Deans of education in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education have developed a State System Teacher Quality Assurance Program to help graduates of all Pennsylvania state system universities. For the proposed program, the deans examined qualifying conditions and remedial interventions, planning a highly replicable pilot program for…

To identify a procedure for establishing cut scores for National Occupational Competency Testing Institute examinations in Pennsylvania, an expert panel assessed written and performance test items for minimally competent workers. Recommendations about the number, type, and training of judges used were made. (Contains 18 references.) (SK)

Presents preliminary competencies for faculty advisors of Hispanic student organizations; the competencies are presented, defined, and illustrated with examples. Concludes with implications for research. (EV)