What's Hot?
The following is a list of selections recently in the national or local news pertinent to school reform and student achievement. The documents and websites listed are not created or supported by The Texas Turnaround Center.
Achievement Gaps: How Black and White Students in Public Schools Perform in Mathematics and Reading on the National Assessment of Educational Progress.
This study, published by The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) within the Institute of Education Sciences provides detailed information on the size of the achievement gaps between Black and White students at both the national and state level and how those achievement gaps have changed over time. Most of the data in this report is derived from the results of the 2007 main NAEP assessments, and is supplemented with data from the long-term trend assessments. The study found that Texas was one of four states that narrowed the achievement gap in eighth-grade mathematics performance between 1990 and 2007. Additionally, Texas was one of 15 states since 1992 to narrow the math achievement gap between these student groups at fourth grade.
Characteristics of the 100 Largest Public Elementary and Secondary School Districts in the United States: 2006-07
The National Center for Education Statistics within the Institute of Education Sciences has released this report which provides basic information from the Common Core of Data about the nation's largest public school districts in the 2006-07 school year. The data include such characteristics as the number of students and teachers, number of high school completers and the averaged freshman graduation rate, and revenues and expenditures. Findings include: In 2006-07, these 100 largest districts enrolled 23 percent of all public school students, and employed 22 percent of all public school teachers. The districts produced 17 percent of all high school completers (both diploma and other completion credential recipients) in 2005-06. Across the districts, the average freshman graduation rate was 75.6 percent. Three states -- California, Florida, and Texas -- accounted for almost half of the 100 largest public school districts. Current per-pupil expenditures in fiscal year 2003 ranged from a low of $5,719 in the Puerto Rico School District to a high of $19,749 in Boston, Massachusetts.
Helping Students Navigate the Path to College: What High Schools Can Do
This latest IES Practice Guide, produced by the What Works Clearinghouse recommends steps that educators, administrators, and policymakers can take, beginning in the 9th grade, to increase access to higher education. The guide targets high schools and school districts and focuses on effective practices that prepare students academically for college, assist them in completing the steps to college entry, and improve their likelihood of enrolling in college. The recommendations address the discrete steps that students need to take throughout high school, and describe how high schools can use mentors and peers to support students' college aspirations. Recognizing that simply providing students with information is insufficient, the guide recommends that high schools offer hands-on assistance and guidance in preparing students for college. The guide also acknowledges possible implementation challenges and suggests solutions for circumventing the roadblocks.
High School Dropout and Completion Rates in the United States: 2007
This report builds upon a series of National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reports on high school dropout, completion, and graduation rates that began in 1988. The report includes discussions of many rates used to study how students complete or fail to complete high school. It presents estimates of rates for 2007 and provides data about trends in dropout and completion rates over the last three and a half decades (1972-2007) along with more recent estimates of on-time graduation. Among findings in the report was that among reporting states in 2006, the averaged freshman graduation rate (AFGR) was 73.2 percent. The rate provides an estimate of the percentage of public high school students who graduate with a regular diploma 4 years after starting 9th grade. The report also shows that students living in low-income families were approximately 10 times more likely to drop out of high school between 2006 and 2007 than were students living in high-income families. In October 2007, approximately 3.3 million civilian non-institutionalized 16- through 24-year-olds were not enrolled in high school and had not earned a high school diploma or alternative credential.
Late High School Dropouts: Characteristics, Experiences, and Changes Across Cohorts
The National Center for Education Statistics within the Institute of Education Sciences has released the report "Late High School Dropouts: Characteristics, Experiences, and Changes Across Cohorts." This report presents information about selected characteristics and experiences of high school sophomores in 2002 who subsequently dropped out of school. It also presents comparative data about late high school dropouts in the years 1982, 1992, and 2004. The findings address only dropping out in late high school and do not cover students who dropped out before the spring of 10th grade. For this reason, the reported rates are lower than those based on the students’ entire high school or earlier school career.
Models of Response to Intervention in the Northwest Region States
The National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance within the Institute of Education Sciences recently released this report from REL Northwest. This report provides information on the response to intervention (RTI) models supported by state education agencies in the Northwest Region and identifies states' RTI-related resources, policies, and activities. The information will help the Northwest Regional Comprehensive Center focus its technical assistance for RTI and identify areas for cross-state collaboration, while enabling states to learn from each other's experience.
Multiple Choice: Charter School Performance in 16 States
A new report issued by the Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) at Stanford University found that there is a wide variance in the quality of the nation’s several thousand charter schools. The report, entitled, “Multiple Choice: Charter School Performance in 16 States,” is the first detailed national assessment of charter school impacts since its longitudinal, student-level analysis covers more than 70 percent of the nation’s students attending charter schools. The peer reviewed analysis looks at student achievement growth on state achievement tests in both reading and math with controls for student demographics and eligibility for program support such as free or reduced-price lunch and special education. The analysis includes the most current student achievement data from 15 states and the District of Columbia and gauges whether students who attend charter schools fare better than if they would have attended a traditional public school.
National Profile on Alternate Assessments Based on Alternate Achievement Standards
The National Center for Special Education Research within the Institute of Education Sciences releases this report from the National Study on Alternate Assessments (NSAA). NSAA was mandated by Section 664(c) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA) to examine alternate assessment systems in 50 states and the District of Columbia. The National Study on Alternate Assessments: National Profile on Alternate Assessments Based on Alternate Achievement Standards summarizes state data for the 2006-2007 school year. Selected findings from the reports include: one hundred percent of states included reading/language arts and mathematics in their alternate assessment system; one hundred percent of states reported that they assessed students in the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh grades using the alternate assessment; sixty-five percent of states reported that the determination of whether an alternate assessment was appropriate for a student was not based on the student's disability category.
Preparing the Workers of Today for the Jobs of Tomorrow
In this report, the President’s Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) presents a projection of potential developments in the U.S. labor market over the next five to ten years and discusses the preparations necessary to develop the 21st century workforce. The report highlights the skills that will likely be most relevant in growing occupations, the value and limitations of our current post-high school education and training systems, and the characteristics of a more effective education and training structure.
Projections of Education Statistics to 2018
The National Center for Education Statistics within the Institute of Education Sciences released this report which examines statistics on enrollment, graduates, teachers, expenditures in elementary and secondary schools, and enrollment and earned degrees in degree-granting institutions. The statistics are available for the past 14 years, and projections have been made based on the data about what our schools will look like through 2018.
For the Nation, the tables, figures, and text contain data on enrollment, teachers, graduates, and expenditures for the past 14 years and projections to the year 2018. For the 50 States and the District of Columbia, the tables, figures, and text contain data on projections of public elementary and secondary enrollment and public high school graduates to the year 2018. In addition, the report includes a methodology section describing models and assumptions used to develop national and state-level projections.
Secondary School Completion and Dropouts in Texas Public Schools, 2007-08
The Texas Education Agency’s Division of Accountability Research published this report that includes state summaries of the annual dropout rate, longitudinal secondary school completion rates, and state attrition rates.
State Profiles on Alternate Assessments Based on Alternate Achievement Standards
The National Center for Special Education Research within the Institute of Education Sciences releases this report from the National Study on Alternate Assessments (NSAA). NSAA was mandated by Section 664(c) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA) to examine alternate assessment systems in 50 states and the District of Columbia. The National Study on Alternate Assessments: State Profiles on Alternate Assessments Based on Alternate Achievement Standards describes individual state approaches to designing and administering alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards, key features of individual state alternate assessments, and student participation and performance data for each state for the 2006-2007 school year.
The Condition of Education 2009
The Condition of Education 2009, a report published by USDE’s Institute of Education Sciences, summarizes important developments and trends in education using the latest available data. The report presents 46 indicators on the status and condition of education. The indicators represent a consensus of professional judgment on the most significant national measures of the condition and progress of education for which accurate data are available. The 2009 print edition includes 46 indicators in five main areas: (1) participation in education; (2) learner outcomes; (3) student effort and educational progress; (4) the contexts of elementary and secondary education; and (5) the contexts of postsecondary education.
The District Leadership Challenge: Empowering Principals to Improve Teaching and Learning 2009
What can districts do to better support principals? This report by the Southern Regional Education Board proposes seven specific strategies, including: establishing a clear focus and strategic plan for improving student achievement; organizing and engaging the district office in support of each school; providing instructional coherence and support; investing heavily in instruction-related professional learning for principals; providing high quality data that link student achievement to school and classroom practices; optimizing the use of resources to support learning improvement; and using open credible processes to involve school and community leaders in school improvement.
The Nation's Report Card: Long-Term Trend 2008
This report presents the results of NAEP’s long-term trend assessments in reading and mathematics that were administered in the 2007–08 school year to students aged 9, 13, and 17. Overall, the national trend in reading showed gains in average scores at all three ages since 2004. Average reading scores for 9- and 13-year-olds increased in 2008 compared to 1971, but the reading score for 17-year-olds was not significantly different. The national trend in mathematics showed that both 9- and 13-year-olds had higher average scores in 2008 than in any previous assessment year. For 17-year-olds, there were no significant differences between the average score in 2008 and those in 1973 or 2004.
Time to Act: An Agenda for Advancing Adolescent Literacy for College and Career Success
After five years of examining reading and writing skills among students in grades 4-12, researchers with the Carnegie Corporation of New York found that many young people drop out of high school or perform inadequately, graduating without the basic skills that they need to succeed. The authors call for a systematic approach focusing on content-area reading and writing. The report outlines action steps for school leaders, district leaders, state leaders, and federal policymakers.
Using Student Achievement Data to Support Instructional Decision Making
A new practice guide from the What Works Clearinghouse offers five recommendations to help educators effectively use data to monitor students’ academic progress and evaluate instructional practices. The guide recommends that schools set a clear vision for schoolwide data use, develop a data-driven culture, and make data part of an ongoing cycle of instructional improvement. The guide also recommends teaching students how to use their own data to set learning goals.
