ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Key Issue: Using Performance-Based Assessment to Identify and Support High-Quality Teachers
Author: Coggshall, Jane
Date: 2008-06-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Evaluation Methods,Teaching Methods,Video Technology,Teacher Effectiveness,Teacher Evaluation,Performance Based Assessment,Portfolio Assessment,Portfolios (Background Materials),Observation,Evaluators,Scoring Rubrics,State Standards,Teacher Selection

Performance-based assessment of teachers includes a class of measurement methods designed to assess the quality of teacher performance on one or two important aspects of teaching. It may include portfolios, structured observations, video records of practice, and teacher work samples. Performance-based assessment can be contrasted with assessments that assess knowledge of particular concepts without examining the application of that knowledge to particular teaching tasks. Scoring of performance-based assessment requires the application of professional judgment to evaluate the quality of the performance, because there is no single correct answer as with traditional multiple-choice tests. Performance-based assessment methods are scored by trained and calibrated assessors who use rubrics--written scales that define levels of quality performance based on standards of practice--to make judgments of performance quality. This paper presents strategies for implementing performance-based assessment.
Methods of Evaluating Teacher Effectiveness. Research-to-Practice Brief
Author: Goe, Laura
Date: 2009-03-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: School Effectiveness,Teacher Effectiveness,Evaluation Methods,Teaching Methods,Teacher Evaluation,Observation,Comparative Analysis,Academic Achievement

In "Approaches to Evaluating Teacher Effectiveness: A Research Synthesis" published by the National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality (TQ Center), ways of evaluating teachers were compared (Goe, Bell, & Little, 2008). This brief compares two of the methods discussed in that synthesis--value-added measures and classroom observations--and discusses the advantages and drawbacks associated with these methods. Although classroom observations have been commonly used for evaluating teachers for many decades, value-added models are becoming an increasingly popular method of determining teacher effectiveness. This brief is intended to help regional centers and state policymakers as they consider evaluation methods to clarify policy, develop new strategies, identify effective teachers, or guide and support districts in selecting and using appropriate evaluation methods for various purposes. (Contains 2 tables and 3 resources.)
Lessons Learned on Communication and Engagement for Educator Evaluation: Colorado Case Study. Policy-to-Practice Brief
Author: Behrstock-Sherratt, Ellen
Date: 2012-08-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Educational Finance,Stakeholders,Evaluation Methods,Teaching Methods,Feedback (Response),Teacher Evaluation,Expertise,State Departments of Education,Incentives,Teacher Role,Leadership,Communication Strategies,Case Studies,Educational Legislation,Federal Legislation

With many efforts underway across the United States, state education agency (SEA) leaders have the opportunity to utilize the expertise of their contacts in other SEAs and regional comprehensive centers (RCCs) in their region and throughout the country to exchange ideas and share the lessons they have learned about involving stakeholders in meaningful and productive ways. To assist with this exchange, the authors provide a detailed example of one state's experience with stakeholder engagement and communication efforts: Colorado. The authors offer this Colorado case study to help clarify the key decisions, events, print and Web resources, and other specific communication approaches that SEAs and districts need to consider. In addition, this case study can be used as a companion piece to &quot;A Practical Guide to Designing Comprehensive Teacher Evaluation Systems&quot; (www.tqsource.org/publications/practicalGuideEvalSystems.pdf; Goe, Holdheide, &amp; Miller, 2011), a tool that guides state planners through the eight components of teacher evaluation design. Component 2 of this tool, &quot;Securing and Sustaining Stakeholder Investment and Cultivating a Strategic Communication Plan,&quot; lays out the key considerations in four focus areas for ensuring stakeholder support for a new system. The four steps are (1) identifying the stakeholder groups, (2) establishing group roles and expectations, (3) developing a communication plan, and (4) soliciting feedback. This case study is organized around Colorado's activities and lessons learned under each of these four areas. The brief concludes with an overview of additional guidance and lessons learned from stakeholder engagement efforts in Teacher Incentive Fund districts and through work by the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation, as well as an overview of existing resources on this topic area. (Contains 1 table.)
Key Issue: Recruiting Teachers for Urban and Rural Schools
Author: Hayes, Kathleen
Date: 2009-06-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Teacher Effectiveness,Teacher Recruitment,Teacher Shortage,Teacher Qualifications,Rural Areas,Low Income Groups,Urban Schools,Rural Schools,Geographic Isolation,Urban Areas,Teacher Persistence,Capacity Building,Minority Group Students,Incentives,Teacher Salaries,Teaching Conditions,Partnerships in Education,College School Cooperation,Alternative Teacher Certification,Teacher Selection

Teacher shortages are essentially a problem of distribution (Darling-Hammond, 2001; Ingersoll, 2001; National Association of State Boards of Education, 1998; Olson, 2000; Reeves, 2003; Voke, 2002). According to recent studies, hardest to find are teachers who are both qualified and willing to teach in hard-to-staff schools, which included those in highly urban and rural areas--especially schools serving minority or low-income students. In addition, recruitment and retention of high-quality teachers are intertwined; it's not enough to attract these teachers if concurrent steps are not taken to keep them (Liu, Johnson, & Peske, 2004). Schools need help in building their capacity to attract and maintain a highly qualified teaching staff. Although not all urban and rural schools are hard to staff, those with high numbers of inexperienced and out-of-field teachers, special-needs or English-language-learner students, and poor, minority, and highly mobile students face the toughest recruitment and retention challenges (Jacob, 2007; Monk, 2007; Reeves, 2003; Southeast Center for Teaching Quality, 2002). Also, social and geographic isolation and lower-than-average pay make these schools unattractive to many teachers--leading to an inequitable distribution of teachers as more head to midsized and suburban districts (Levin & Quinn, 2003; Reeves, 2003). The needs of hard-to-staff urban schools are often very different from those of their rural counterparts, and teacher recruitment is no exception. Therefore, recruitment strategies must be targeted to meet the needs of individual districts and schools. Several tips and cautions for policymakers and school leaders to keep in mind are listed in this paper.
Doors to Discovery[TM]. What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report
Author: What Works Clearinghouse (ED)
Date: 2013-06-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Preschool Curriculum,Emergent Literacy,Preschool Children,School Readiness,Oral Language,Phonology,Language Skills,Mathematics,Intervention,Instructional Effectiveness,Educational Research

&quot;Doors to Discovery&quot;]TM] is a preschool literacy curriculum that uses eight thematic units of activities to help children build fundamental early literacy skills in oral language, phonological awareness, concepts of print, alphabet knowledge, writing, and comprehension. The eight thematic units cover topics such as nature, friendship, communities, society, and health. Each unit is available as a kit that includes various teacher resources. The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) identified six studies that investigated the effects of &quot;Doors to Discovery&quot;[TM] on the school readiness of preschool children. The WWC reviewed four of those studies against group design evidence standards. One study (Christie, Roskos, Vukelich, &amp; Han, 2003) is a randomized controlled trial that meets WWC evidence standards without reservations, and two studies (Assel, Landry, Swank, &amp; Gunnewig, 2007, and Preschool Curriculum Evaluation Research [PCER] Consortium, 2008, Chapter 6) are randomized controlled trials or quasi-experimental designs that meet WWC evidence standards with reservations. Those three studies are summarized in this report. One study does not meet WWC evidence standards. The remaining two studies do not meet WWC eligibility screens for review in this topic area. Appended are: (1) Research details for Christie et al. (2003); (2) Research details for Assel et al. (2007); (3) Research details for PCER Consortium (2008, Chapter 6); (4) Outcome measures for each domain; (5) Findings included in the rating for the oral language domain; (6) Findings included in the rating for the print knowledge domain; (7) Findings included in the rating for the phonological processing domain; and (8) Findings included in the rating for the math domain. A glossary of terms is included. (Contains 9 tables and 14 endnotes.)
Let&apos;s Begin with the Letter People[R]. What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report
Author: What Works Clearinghouse (ED)
Date: 2013-06-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Emergent Literacy,Preschool Curriculum,Preschool Children,Oral Language,Phonology,Language Skills,School Readiness,Intervention,Instructional Effectiveness,Educational Research

&quot;Let's Begin with the Letter People&quot;[R] is an early childhood literacy curriculum that uses 26 thematic units--each of which covers a letter of the alphabet--to develop children's language and early literacy skills. A major focus of the program is phonological awareness, including rhyming, word play, alliteration, and segmentation. Children are encouraged to learn as individuals, in small groups, and in a whole-class environment. Teacher resource books and a set of classroom books and other program materials are available as a program kit. The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) identified nine studies that investigated the effects of &quot;Let's Begin with the Letter People&quot;[R] on the school readiness of preschool children. The WWC reviewed four of those studies against group design evidence standards. Three studies (Assel, Landry, Swank, &amp; Gunnewig, 2007; Fischel, Bracken, Fuchs-Eisenberg, Spira, Katz, &amp; Shaller, 2007; and Preschool Curriculum Evaluation Research [PCER] Consortium, 2008, Chapter 6) are randomized controlled trials that meet WWC evidence standards with reservations. Those three studies are summarized in this report. One study does not meet WWC evidence standards. The remaining five studies do not meet WWC eligibility screens for review in this topic area. Appended are: (1) Research details for Assel et al. (2007); (2) Research details for Fischel et al., 2007; (3) Research details for PCER Consortium, 2008, Chapter 6; (4) Outcome measures for each domain; (5) Findings included in the rating for the oral language domain; (6) Findings included in the rating for the print knowledge domain; and (7) Findings included in the rating for the phonological processing domain. A glossary of terms is included. (Contains 8 tables and 17 endnotes.)
Key Issue: Recruiting Special Education Teachers
Author: Putney, LaTisha L.
Date: 2009-11-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Disabilities,Special Education,Teacher Recruitment,Expertise,Special Education Teachers,Teacher Effectiveness,Teacher Shortage,Diversity (Faculty),Cultural Awareness,Special Needs Students,Student Needs,Teacher Certification,Teacher Education,Teacher Persistence

Qualified special education teachers have a strong foundation in pedagogy and are experts in the characteristics of students with disabilities. They have successfully completed several supervised field and clinical experiences, are adept in the skills of their respective specialty, and have passed the certification or licensure exam attesting to their fundamental and specific knowledge. Unfortunately, there is a critical shortage of these qualified special education teachers. Implementing a comprehensive recruitment strategy is imperative for districts to combat the shortage of qualified special education teachers and to provide an appropriate education to the students they serve. Recruiting and successful obtaining special education teachers has the following benefits: (1) Attract a more diverse and culturally competent special education workforce; (2) Meet the needs of students requiring special education services; and (3) Improve equitable distribution of qualified special education professionals. This paper presents strategies for implementing special education teacher recruitment strategies.
Key Issue: Recruiting Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Teachers
Author: McGraner, Kristin L.
Date: 2009-06-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Teacher Effectiveness,Teacher Recruitment,Human Capital,Science Teachers,Elementary Secondary Education,STEM Education,Teacher Shortage,School Districts,Mathematics Teachers,Teacher Persistence,Teacher Selection,College School Cooperation,Teacher Salaries,Incentives,Preservice Teachers,Beginning Teacher Induction,Alternative Teacher Certification

A STEM teacher is one who teaches in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. In K-12 schooling, most STEM teachers instruct mathematics and science classes, which continue to be critical shortage areas. As part of a comprehensive human capital strategy, designing recruitment initiatives to attract qualified STEM teachers will help school districts do the following: (1) Ensure the equitable distribution of qualified mathematics and science teachers; (2) Design a systematic and seamless recruitment and hiring effort that meets the needs of the district or school and thereby strengthens the quality of candidates for mathematics and science positions; and (3) Retain effective teachers in the hard-to-staff positions through better job-candidate matches. This paper presents strategies for developing targeted mathematics and science teacher recruitment.
Linking Assessment and Instruction Innovation Configuration
Author: Hosp, John L.
Date: 2011-05-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Student Evaluation,Educational Innovation,Data,Preservice Teachers,Preservice Teacher Education,Teacher Effectiveness,Teacher Competencies,Instructional Improvement

This innovation configuration identifies the skills and competencies teachers need to make sound decisions about using assessment information to improve instruction and establishes a framework and justification for effective ways that teachers can collect and use assessment data to make instructional decisions. It is designed to provide a blueprint for preservice teacher preparation; however, it also may be used as an evaluation rubric or development guide for inservice professional development.
Learning Strategy Instruction Innovation Configuration
Author: Schumaker, Jean B.
Date: 2011-05-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Learning Disabilities,Innovation,Learning Strategies,Lifelong Learning

One way of helping students with learning disabilities and other struggling students to be independent life-long learners is to teach them how to use learning strategies in efficient ways. Learning strategy instruction can provide students the opportunity to succeed in today's schools and meet rigorous standards, transforming ineffective learners to effective learners. This innovation configuration identifies the kinds of knowledge and skills teachers need to be competent learning strategy instructors.
Key Issue: Teacher Hiring, Placement, and Assignment Practices
Author: Behrstock, Ellen
Date: 2009-12-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Academic Achievement,Personnel Selection,Teacher Selection,Incentives,Resource Allocation,Disclosure,Budgets,Human Resources,School Districts,Unions,Boards of Education,Stakeholders,Collective Bargaining,Teacher Placement

The literature on teacher hiring and assignment tends to omit definitions of these key terms. An exception in Cohen-Vogel and Osborne-Lampkin (277), who define teacher assignment as "the reciprocal process between school management and teachers to guide decisions about who will teach, where they will teach, and what they will teach." But the definition of teacher assignment is seen by scholars as not straightforward (Ingersoll, 1996). In some cases, the terms "hiring," "selection," "placement," and "assignment," are sometimes used interchangeably. Implementing effective hiring and placement practices helps all schools and districts but is particularly important for those that are at risk. This paper presents strategies for implementing effective hiring, placement, and assignment practices.
Embracing the Complexity of Instruction: A Study of the Effects of Teachers' Instruction on Students' Reading Comprehension
Author: Carlisle, Joanne
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Elementary School Teachers,Grade 3,Reading Instruction,Educational Practices,Reading Comprehension,Instructional Effectiveness,Teacher Effectiveness,Achievement Gains,Reading Achievement,Teacher Characteristics,Knowledge Base for Teaching,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Teacher Evaluation,Models,Classroom Environment,Classroom Observation Techniques,Student Characteristics,Predictor Variables,Measurement Techniques,Evaluation Methods

The purpose of this study was to determine whether third-grade teachers' instructional actions during reading comprehension lessons contributed to their students' reading comprehension achievement. Our framework focused on teachers' emphasis on three dimensions of instruction (pedagogical structure, teacher-directed instruction, and support for student learning), as observed in comprehension lessons across a year. Third-grade teachers' instruction was analyzed first by measuring their latent propensity to engage in instructional actions in the three dimensions and then by using these latent variables in a multilevel model to examine their students' gains in reading comprehension. Results provided support for the theoretical dimensions, taking into account contextual variables including lesson, student, and teacher characteristics; teachers' engagement in teacher-directed instruction and their support for student learning significantly contributed to their students' reading comprehension. Results suggest that analysis of teachers' instructional actions within and across lessons is a promising approach for the study of effective reading instruction. Appended are: (1) The Three Dimensions, as Represented by Specific Items and Examples; and (2) Survey Item Stems Included in the Models. (Contains 5 tables, 2 figures, and 2 footnotes.)
Biennial Survey of Education in the United States, 1934-1936. Bulletin, 1937, No. 2. Volume I. Chapter I: Elementary Education, 1930-1936
Author: Goodykoontz, Bess
Date: 1940-00-00
Type: Historical Materials
Subjects: Elementary Education,Educational Trends,Educational Development,Elementary School Students,Elementary School Teachers,Academic Persistence,Costs,Educational Finance,Teacher Competencies,Standards,Enrollment Trends,Educational Change,Educational Administration,Governance,Place of Residence,Population Trends,Birth Rate,African American Students,Student Characteristics,Private Schools,Public Schools,School Schedules,State Legislation,Curriculum,Kindergarten,School Buildings,Teacher Characteristics,Teacher Salaries

This review of elementary education is planned for those who for a brief time would like to dissociate themselves from the ongoing program, to stand aside and view it analytically, particularly in some of its quantitative elements. There are three major sections; First, a brief statement of some outstanding characteristics of elementary education today; next, an analysis of some of the major problems which elementary schools face; and last, answers to more than 60 often-asked questions of statistical fact about elementary education. It is hoped that the material thus presented will be of assistance to the many persons who are interested in the elementary schools--in the children they serve, in the teachers, in the kinds of changes taking place in the school program. An index is included. (Contains 2 footnotes.) [Illustrations in this document were drawn by William Thompson. Best copy available has been provided.]
Biennial Survey of Education in the United States, 1934-1936. Bulletin, 1937, No. 2. Volume I. Chapter II: Trends in Secondary Education
Author: Jessen, Carl A.
Date: 1937-00-00
Type: Historical Materials
Subjects: Vocational Education,Secondary Education,High Schools,State Schools,Educational Assessment,Educational Indicators,Educational Development,School Statistics,Educational Trends,Trend Analysis,Exceptional Child Research,Academically Gifted,Small Schools,Tests,Measurement,Guidance,Enrollment Trends,Population Trends,Individual Differences,School Restructuring,Curriculum Development,Improvement Programs,School Surveys,Annual Reports

Education in the United States faces important problems in the large and increasing enrollments in secondary schools, in the wide variety of interests and the extensive range of capacities represented in the pupils coming to these schools, and in the peculiar needs by pupils of early adolescent age for advice and guidance on social, moral, educational, and vocational issues which they imminently must decide, no matter how inadequately prepared they may be to make the needed decisions. Moreover, since the end of the compulsory school age usually comes within the secondary school period, pupils are withdrawing at all times, thus placing a demand for flexibility in the courses such as is required at no other level. In its effort to record basic facts regarding the development of secondary education through the years the Office of Education includes data on secondary schools in the chapters entitled &quot;Statistics of State School Systems&quot; and &quot;Statistics of City School Systems&quot; which appear in every issue of the Biennial Survey of Education. Quadriennially in the same publication appear chapters on Statistics of Public High Schools and Statistics of Private High Schools. The present chapter on &quot;Trends in Secondary Education&quot; is included to provide opportunity for discussion of significant movements and undertakings which do not lend themselves appropriately to analyses so exclusively statistical in character as those previously mentioned. This chapter was written principally by Carl A. Jessen, senior specialist in secondary education. Certain sections of the chapter were prepared by other members of the Office staff. These contributions are indicated by footnotes at the appropriate places in the chapter. The subjects of the sections and their authors are as follows: (1) Exceptional Pupils (Elise H. Martens); (2) Vocational Education (C. M. Arthur); (3) Small High Schools (Division of Special Problems); (4) Tests and Measurements (David Segel); and (5) Guidance (Maris M. Proffitt). (Contains 5 tables and 37 footnotes.) [Best copy available has been provided.]