This annotated bibliography is reformatted and customized by the Center for Positive Practices. Some of the authors featured on this page include Barbara J. Dougherty, Roberta Golinkoff, Jobs For the Future, Vermont Agency of Education, Joan E. Talbert, Mary Shea, Brian Verdine, Tyson J. Sorenson, James H. Fife, and Aaron J. McKim.
(2013). Automated Scoring of Mathematics Tasks in the Common Core Era: Enhancements to M-Rater in Support of "CBAL"âÑ¢ Mathematics and the Common Core Assessments. Research Reports. ETS RR-13-26, ETS Research Report Series. The m-rater scoring engine has been used successfully for the past several years to score "CBAL"âÑ¢ mathematics tasks, for the most part without the need for human scoring. During this time, various improvements to m-rater and its scoring keys have been implemented in response to specific CBAL needs. In 2012, with the general move toward creating innovative tasks for the Common Core assessment initiatives, in traditional testing programs, and with potential outside clients, and to further support CBAL, m-rater was enhanced in ways that move ETS's automated scoring capabilities forward and that provide needed functionality for CBAL: (a) the numeric equivalence scoring engine was augmented with an open-source computer algebra system; (b) a design flaw in the graph editor, affecting the way the editor graphs smooth functions, was corrected; (c) the graph editor was modified to give assessment specialists the option of requiring examinees to set the viewing window; and (d) m-rater advisories were implemented in situations in which m-rater either cannot score a response or may provide the wrong score. In addition, 2 m-rater scoring models were built that presented some new challenges. [More] Descriptors: Mathematics, Scoring, Educational Assessment, Academic Standards
(2015). Mathematics Instruction and the Common Core: Where Do We Go from Here? Q&A with William Schmidt, Ph.D. REL Mid-Atlantic Webinar. In this webinar, Dr. William Schmidt of Michigan State University discussed helpful instructional tools for promoting the higher order conceptual thinking found in the Common Core Standards. The PowerPoint presentation and webinar recording are also available. [More] Descriptors: Mathematics Instruction, Common Core State Standards, Mathematical Concepts, Thinking Skills
(2015). 12 Math Rules That Expire in the Middle Grades, Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School. Many rules taught in mathematics classrooms "expire" when students develop knowledge that is more sophisticated, such as using new number systems. For example, in elementary grades, students are sometimes taught that "addition makes bigger" or "subtraction makes smaller" when learning to compute with whole numbers, only to find that these rules expire when they begin computing with integers. However, middle-grades students, especially those who are struggling, often try to force-fit the rules that they remember from the elementary grades to new concepts or skills. In this article, the authors present 12 persistent rules that expire. These are "rules" that have been found prevalent for many years of working with students, from mathematics education literature, or in some cases, rules that the authors themselves have taught and later regretted. In each case, they offer mathematically correct and more helpful alternatives. The 12 rules that expire are: (1) KFC: Keep-Flip-Change; (2) Use the factor rainbow to factor; (3) The absolute value is just the number; (4) Multiplication is repeated addition; (5) PEMDAS: Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally; (6) A solution to an equation must be in the form x = ?; (7) The "Butterfly Method" for comparing fractions; (8) The most you can have is 100 percent of something; (9) Two negatives make a positive; (10) Use keywords to solve word problems; (11) A variable represents a specific unknown; and (12) FOIL: First, Outer, Inner, Last. [More] Descriptors: Mathematics Instruction, Secondary School Mathematics, Middle School Students, Standards
(2013). High-Quality Professional Development for Teachers: Supporting Teacher Training to Improve Student Learning, Center for American Progress. Professional development in education has gotten a bad reputation, and for good reason. Everyone on all sides of the education reform and improvement debate agrees that what most teachers receive as professional opportunities to learn are thin, sporadic, and of little use when it comes to improving teaching. This paper is the first of a periodic series of reports and briefs by the Center for American Progress looking at professional learning–what states and districts are doing that is working, and what policies are in place to support effective teacher-training activities. The work of improving instruction to help students achieve deserves attention, particularly now when it is an important part of powerful reforms. This report is an attempt to map the landscape of professional learning to prompt ideas that can grow from the foundation–albeit small–that is already in place around professional learning. [More] Descriptors: Faculty Development, Teacher Education, Educational Change, Common Core State Standards
(2013). Project Learning in Science: 6th Graders' Scientific Investigations, Journal of Inquiry and Action in Education. This article presents rationale for an enhanced inquiry approach to science education that authentically integrates content knowledge and application skills in a middle school science curriculum. Such pedagogy ensures students' attainment of national and state standards for learning science and multiple literacies (e.g. language arts and technology) recognized as tools for science achievement; it also provides developmentally appropriate instruction aligned with characteristics of young adolescent learners. Two projects are described; in both, students research, experiment, construct, create, compose, and report, integrating multiple complex skills in ways that simulate real world science investigation. Results demonstrate that students recognize their work as relevant and take responsibility for quality and outcomes. [More] Descriptors: Student Projects, Teaching Methods, Grade 4, Middle School Students
(2015). English Language Learners and the New Standards: Developing Language, Content Knowledge, and Analytical Practices in the Classroom, Harvard Education Press. In "English Language Learners and the New Standards," three leading scholars present a clear vision and practical suggestions for helping teachers engage ELL students in simultaneously learning subject-area content, analytical practices, and language. This process requires three important shifts in our perspective on language and language learning–from an individual activity to a socially engaged activity; from a linear process aimed at correctness and fluency, to a developmental process, focused on comprehension and communication; and from a separate area of instruction to an approach that embeds language development in subject-area activities. In "English Language Learners and the New Standards," the authors: (1) Clarify the skills and knowledge teachers need to integrate content knowledge and language development; (2) Show how teachers can integrate formative assessment in ongoing teaching and learning; (3) Discuss key leverage points and stress points in using interim and summative assessments with ELLs; and (4) Provide classroom vignettes illustrating key practices. Finally, the authors explain the theories and research that underlie their vision and examine the role of policy in shaping pedagogy and assessment for ELL students. [Foreword written by Kenji Hakuta.] [More] Descriptors: English Language Learners, Common Core State Standards, Second Language Instruction, Educational Practices
(2013). Rethinking 12th Grade: Preparing All Students for College "before" College. Jobs for the Future and the Community College Research Center convened educators, policymakers, and researchers to discuss strategies for increasing college readiness and success by redesigning the senior year and improving the transition to postsecondary education. This brief highlights key issues and recommendations that grew out of the event "Making the Most of 12th Grade in the Common Core Era: Ensuring Every Student Is Ready for College Before College." Questions for policymakers and practitioners are included. [More] Descriptors: High School Seniors, Grade 12, College Preparation, College Readiness
(2013). Statewide Data on the Supply and Demand of Principals in Illinois as a Result of Illinois' New Principal Endorsement. The quality of Illinois schools and the performance of their principals play significant roles in determining the future for children. Their success hinges on recognition that principals play a critical role in shaping the environments in which children learn. Illinois schools can and will be enriched by developing a principal pipeline system that responds to the current and future needs of the schools and students. For nearly a decade, stakeholders throughout Illinois have engaged in work to strengthen principal preparation and development. Efforts to reform the preparation of school leaders began with the Illinois Commission on Principal Preparation (2006), which led to recommendations made by the Illinois Taskforce on School Leadership (2008), and culminating with legislative changes through Illinois Public Act 096-0903. This report presents data on the Type 75 certificate, which qualifies educators for a variety of administrative positions (principal, assistant principal, department chair, athletic director, special education director, etc.). [More] Descriptors: Statistical Data, Supply and Demand, Principals, Administrator Education
(2015). Next Steps: Life after Special Education. Diplomas Count, 2015. Education Week. Volume 34, Number 33, Education Week. After spending years in a special education system that carefully spells out their rights and the services they should receive, students with disabilities often find it daunting to contemplate their next steps after high school. Should they apply to college, look for a job, or stay in the special education system until they "age out" at 21? And, if they do opt for college or work, what kinds of supports and accommodations are these students entitled to? Families must puzzle out the options for themselves. And while federal special education law requires schools to provide students with transition planning before they turn 16, parents often complain that the discussion starts too late or is too general. This report examines the transition out of K-12 schooling for students with disabilities, who account for 8.5 percent of the nation's 6- to 21-year-olds. The 2015 Diplomas Count report also includes the latest statistics on the nation's overall, on-time high school graduation rate. The news is good: 81 percent of the class of 2013-a historic high-graduated in four years, as tabulated by the Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate. One highlight of this year's report is five profiles of young adults with a range of disabilities who are currently in the transition pipeline. They discuss their successes and disappointments and their drive to succeed. Articles in this issue include: (1) After Special Ed., Path Is Less Certain (Christina A. Samuels); (2) In College, Students Face Choice: Seek Help or Go It Alone? (Holly Yettick); (3) After K-12, Students Must Be Self-Advocates (Sarah A. Sparks); (4) For Job-Oriented Students, Work Experience Is Critical (Christina A. Samuels); (5) Discipline Policies Push Students Off College-and-Career Path (Evie Blad); (6) State Diploma Requirements Vary (Christina A. Samuels); (7) Common Core: Will Bar Rise For Students With Disabilities? (Catherine Gewertz); and (8) Graduation Rates Reach New Highs, But Gaps Remain (Holly Yettick & Sterling C. Lloyd). [More] Descriptors: Special Education, Disabilities, Transitional Programs, Graduation Rate
(2016). Geometric Toys in the Attic? A Corpus Analysis of Early Exposure to Geometric Shapes, Grantee Submission. Preschoolers' experiences with shapes are important because geometry is foundational to aspects of mathematics and it is now part of the Common Core for school-readiness. Exposure to shapes also provides experiences that are key to developing spatial thinking more broadly. Yet achieving a strong conceptual understanding of geometric categories can extend well into elementary school (Satlow and Newcombe, 1998) despite a general sense that many kindergarten children "know their shapes." The extended time period may be partially a product of the nature of the spatial input to which children are exposed. This study characterizes the geometric input preschoolers receive from three sources: shape books, sorters, and interactive digital content. These shape materials were examined for the types of shapes they include. Shapes were further classified as canonical (e.g., equilateral triangles) vs. non-canonical (e.g., isosceles or scalene), and whether the shape was presented as a geometric form vs.everyday object and in isolation vs. embedded in a scene. The quantity of shape terms was documented for each shape material. The level of sophistication of associated shape language was assessed by tracking the presence of geometric adjectives and explicit definitions. Findings suggest that children are exposed to a limited number of shape categories and very few non-typical variants within those categories. Shapes were typically labeled with only a single generic identifier (e.g., "triangle") and few of the materials provided explicit definitions, geometric adjectives (e.g., "scalene"), or identified similarities and differences across shapes. Findings suggest a need for more thoughtful design of shape learning materials to provide variety and evoke discussion of their defining properties. [More] Descriptors: Geometry, Geometric Concepts, Mathematics, Mathematics Instruction
(2015). Learning the Digital Way: Evaluating Progress, Tackling Challenges. Technology Counts, 2015. Education Week. Volume 34, Number 35, Education Week. Lofty ed-tech visions are always tempered by reality. Unexpected problems that arose during a launch of a 1-to-1 computing program and ambitious digital curriculum initiative in Los Angeles led to the dialing back of the effort. Financial, legal, and managerial repercussions continue to swirl in the wake. These problems should not prevent schools from innovating or striving to put in place thoughtful, well-planned, and cost-effective 1-to-1 and digital curricula initiatives. This 2015 edition of "Education Week's Technology Counts" looks at both the challenges and the opportunities such programs offer. Articles in this issue include: (1) Reality Check Reveals Ed-Tech Challenges (Kevin C. Bushweller); (2) Why Ed Tech Is Not Transforming Teaching (Benjamin Herold); (3) Device Decisions Revolve around Grade-Level Needs (Robin L. Flanigan); (4) District Smooths 1-to-1 Initiative by Heeding Others' Mistakes (Malia Herman); (5) Companies Face Rising Demand for Bite-Size Chunks of Curricula (Michele Molnar); (6) Curriculum Choices Fueled by Common Core (Michelle R. Davis); (7) Districts Put Open Ed. Resources to Work (Sean Cavanagh); (8) Making the Best Use of Digital Devices at Home Is Tricky Balancing Act for Students and Schools (Michelle R. Davis); and (9) Districts Learn to Embrace Ruckus Brought by "BYOD" (Sean Cavanagh). [More] Descriptors: Educational Technology, Technology Uses in Education, Barriers, Educational Change
(2016). High-Stakes Accountability and Teacher Efficacy, Professional Development, Instructional Practices, and Disability Classification Rates, ProQuest LLC. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of new Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) legislation on professional development, instructional practices, differentiated professional development and teacher efficacy. Additionally, teacher perceptions regarding the impact of APPR standards and Response to Intervention (RTI) on the disability classification rate was examined. A mixed-method survey was conducted comparing two public school districts, categorized as average need by the Needs/Resource Capacity Index in New York. Both districts educate students with similar demographics but report differing disability classification rates. District 1 reported a disability classification rate above the state the average and District 2 below. Four hundred and eighty four surveys were distributed via email with a Google Forms attachment and 140 surveys were returned for a return rate of 29 percent. The results of this study revealed that the implementation of APPR legislation significantly affected teacher's perceptions of professional development, instructional practices, differentiated professional development and teacher efficacy. Professional development proved to be of high importance for all teachers in both districts. Perceptions of instructional practices and differentiated professional development were higher for teachers in grade level 3-8 and K-2. Overall, there was little consensus about the effects of RTI and APPR on the disability classification rate in either district, and most teachers were unable to respond to this question. Generalization of these findings should be done with caution, as this study was limited to two similar, moderate need school districts in New York State. This study was limited to two public school districts in a suburban area of New York State. The results of this study rely on teachers perceptions, and retrospective reflections of the impact of state mandates on the variables. Concurrent layout of new curriculum, Common Core Learning Standards tied to professional review with little guidance. Results of this study can be used to inform professional practice and add to the current body of research guiding educators. Specifically, teachers can use the results of this study to improve their understanding of teacher efficacy and instructional practices as they relate to educating students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment. Administrators can use the results of this study to examine teachers' perceptions of the type and quality of professional development opportunities that are offered to improve the quality of professional development in their district, and ensure proper implementation of strategies and best practices into the classroom setting. Further, the results of this study can be used to re-examine instructional practices used with students with disabilities as it relates to disability classification rates. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: www.proquest.com/en-US/products/disserta… [More] Descriptors: High Stakes Tests, Accountability, Teacher Effectiveness, Faculty Development
(2013). A Vision for Teaching, Leading, and Learning: Core Teaching and Leadership Standards for Vermont Educators. The purpose of this document is to serve as a resource for educators, leaders, districts, professional organizations, teacher education programs, and others. As each set of standards included here emphasizes the skills and knowledge needed for 21st century teaching and learning, they form the basis for teacher preparation, licensure, and professional learning. This document was created to replace "A Vision for Schooling," adopted by the Vermont Standards Board for Professional Educators (VSBPE) in August 2003. The previous "Apple Book" included the Five Standards and Sixteen Principles for Vermont Educators. The new "Tree Book" includes: (1) Core Teaching Standards for Vermont Educators; (2) Core Leadership Standards for Vermont Educators; (3) Professional Learning Standards; and (4) Code of Professional Ethics. This book has been divided into sections devoted to each set of standards. Each section includes an introduction as well as the detailed standards themselves. This allows each section to function alone or in relation to the other standards. Individual sections contain references. [More] Descriptors: State Standards, Academic Standards, Teacher Competencies, Leadership
(2016). Exploring the Role of Agriculture Teachers in Core Academic Integration, Journal of Agricultural Education. Core academic skills are essential for success in our society. However, an abundance of research has identified a large proportion of secondary school students are under performing in core academic areas such as literacy and math. Researchers have suggested integrating core academic content throughout all secondary coursework as a potential solution to students' underperformance in core academics. This study focused on core academic integration in secondary agricultural education classrooms and explored a conceptual model for teachers' core academic integration competence in the areas of math and literacy. Results indicated pedagogical competence and technical knowledge were significant predictors of teachers' reading integration competence. Pedagogical competence was also a significant predictor of respondents' writing and math integration competences. These findings highlight the importance of agriculture teachers' ability to engage students through effective pedagogical strategies as a potential precursor to competence integrating reading, writing, and math. Implications and strategies for utilizing the proposed model and the findings from this research are discussed. [More] Descriptors: Agricultural Education, Teacher Role, Secondary School Teachers, Secondary Education
(2013). Strategic Inquiry: Starting Small for Big Results in Education, Harvard Education Press. "Strategic Inquiry" is an innovative model for promoting teacher collaboration around identifying specific "learning gaps" that keep struggling students from succeeding. Gaps may include anything from the proper use of commas and conjunctions to concepts such as "slope" in math. The authors argue that addressing these critical learning gaps can lead to big changes in student success, in teachers' sense of efficacy, and in school culture. The strategic inquiry model has been implemented in schools and districts around the country, including New York City, where it was rigorously evaluated with impressive results. As Common Core standards raise the bar for student learning ever higher, this proven approach promises to build teachers' capacity for closing the gap between where struggling students are and where they need to be. [Foreword written by Michael Fullan.] [More] Descriptors: Inquiry, Teacher Collaboration, Student Needs, Teaching Methods