A new accountability and data collection system that the U.S. Department of Education proposed for teacher preparation programs last fall already faces challenges. Regulations proposed under the Obama administration to improve transparency around teacher preparation require states to provide a lot of data—including placement and retention rates, feedback from graduates and employers, student learning outcomes, […]
Education faces no shortage of important challenges in the quest to improve our nation's schools. Whether it's the debate over testing, racial issues, learning standards or shrinking funding, 2017 promises to be a year of change—for better or worse. We asked education thought leaders and experts to identify a single issue in K12 education where […]
Superintendent Yolanda Valdez takes messaging seriously. Not emoji-filled texts or IMs, but messages that convey a goal for 4,000-plus students at Cutler-Orosi Joint USD in rural California: That they will attend college. Superintendent Yolanda Valdez takes messaging seriously. Not emoji-filled texts or IMs, but messages that convey a goal for 4,000-plus students at Cutler-Orosi Joint […]
It's no secret teachers are jumping ship in record numbers, and the dwindling numbers of incoming grads don't even come close to patching the gap as the demand for teachers rises. The Learning Policy Institute reported in 2016 that enrollment in teaching programs is down 35 percent nationwide (and has been for years), and the […]
High school math classes focus traditionally on solving equations. The world of mathematical modeling emphasizes creating equations. The nonprofit Association of Computational and Mathematical Modeling is developing a free mathematical modeling curriculum that it plans to share with teachers by early 2017. It will show students how to construct equations that solve complex real-world engineering, […]
When the Clark County School District in Las Vegas, Nevada, wants to turn around elementary schools, it looks to Principal John Haynal. He's already improved outcomes at two elementary schools in this, the country's fifth largest school district. In Clark County's Franchise School program, principals who have demonstrated academic growth supervise an additional school using […]
Using multiple measures, instead of just test scores, to determine an education endeavor’s success can lead to enhanced student performance, better decision making, and a more comprehensive view of school quality and student achievement. There’s no single way to do multimetric evaluation right. Each state and local community must determine for itself the ideal outcomes […]
As one of today's most promising models for instruction, blended learning is growing rapidly across the country. But what really is blended learning, and how can educators use it to improve student outcomes? In a blended learning environment, students learn through a combination of online instruction—with some element of student control over time, place, path […]
Like many teachers, I've been grateful throughout my life for the professionals I've called upon for vital services and expert guidance. Similarly, students and parents rely on me every day. Yet many teachers find themselves isolated in classrooms without the right training or support. Others receive only one or two afternoons of PD per year. […]
Apart from the sciences, there are few areas as heavily steeped in research as education. But, as Stanford University education professor says Linda Darling-Hammond says, "too often, important education research is left on the shelf and not used to inform policy decisions." Apart from the sciences, there are few areas as heavily steeped in research […]
