Hot Topics in Education
As an extension of our research advocacy, each month NCEA gathers and shares the latest research and data from across the country on issues affecting K-12 students on the path to college and career readiness (CCR). To examine Hot Topics resources organized by NCEA focus area, use navigation keys provided to the right on this page.
Recommended Reading for This Month
Gaining Ground in the Middle Grades: Why Some Schools Do Better
This report from researchers at EdSource and Stanford University provides the findings of EdSource's large-scale study of 303 middle grades schools in California. Using students' test scores as one part of evaluations for teachers, principals, and superintendents is associated with better academic performance at middle schools, according to the report. Other common practices of high-performing schools included: setting measurable goals for boosting test scores; having a school-wide focus on improving student achievement; aligning instruction and curriculum; focusing on preparing students for academic demands in the future; and using data to monitor student progress and improve instruction. Read More…
Principles for a Comprehensive Assessment System
This policy brief from the Alliance for Excellent Education outlines basic criteria for new assessment systems that support instruction and are aligned to standards for college and career readiness. The paper was designed to inform federal policy activities, such as the $350 million competitive grant investment in new state assessments, states forming consortia to build new systems, and the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act which will likely set guidelines for assessments and their use. Read More…
Performance Counts: Assessment Systems that Support High-Quality Learning
This paper by Linda Darling-Hammond of Stanford University was released at an event sponsored by the Council of Chief State School Officers, an organization also involved in developing the Common Core State Standards Initiative and promoting consortia to develop common assessments. The paper describes what a student assessment system could look like if built from the principles and best practices found in effective systems in the U.S. and high-achieving nations around the world. Read More…
The Alliance for Excellent Education released this report as part of an extended project to look at the special challenges of maintaining high quality leadership and instruction in rural high schools. One third of the nation’s high schools are rural and the number of rural schoolchildren is on the rise. A shortage of teachers trained to deliver a rigorous college- and career-prep curriculum, difficulty in addressing the needs of an increasingly diverse student body, limited social service support, and less access to teacher professional development create other challenges in ensuring that all students in rural areas graduate from high school prepared. Read More…