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Co-constructing a long-term sustainable vision on the future of teaching is a policy priority for many countries as society rapidly changes. There is a need to create space in the teacher debate to look forward for inspiration and to learn from contemporary change in other professions, such as the concept of "connective professionalism". There is also a paradox to navigate. On the one hand, the idea of change can be daunting. This leads to people seeking comfort in the known. On the other hand, the status quo is unlikely to provide the solutions required for a prosperous and sustainable future for the teaching profession. In this paper, we introduce an Ambition loops tool to create preferred future scenarios that can support the work of teachers, add to the prosperity for students and communities, and support transformation of education to meet contemporary challenges while focusing on current needs. The framework has an iterative design and outlines ambitions relevant to all stakeholders in the school-community, education community and broader societal sectors. The current framework statements have been distilled from a review of the research as well as engagement with experts and practitioners.

This report asserts that every child--regardless of race, income, or opportunity--should have consistent access to high-quality learning experiences from birth and provides a roadmap toward change at scale, including the development of residency programs and improved compensation for the infant/toddler workforce.

Work-based learning provides students an opportunity as aspiring employees to explore careers and to turn theory and simulation into practice by gaining on-the-job experience. The hands-on experience gained from work-based learning opportunities, especially when considered in combination with the attainment and application of employment soft skills, is a critical component of career training and preparation. This paper seeks to define a variety of work-based learning experiences including internships, cooperative work experience, apprenticeship programs, clinical or practicum experience, preceptorships, and other forms of work-based learning, including work study as a financial aid option, all of which are used within the California Community College system. These experiences are defined by providing information about intent and guiding principles, statutes and regulations, funding, and stakeholder roles. A summary of recommendations concludes the report.

Ample research has shown the importance of collaboration between practitioners, researchers, and policy makers to ensure holistic, inclusive, and effective policy making, particularly in the field of refugee education. Many countries, however, still face challenges in engaging with stakeholders during all the stages of the practice-research-policy transfer in the context of refugee education in a meaningful and effective way. The unique and distinct needs of refugee students in education systems require extensive collaboration among schools, service providers, and (refugee) communities to collect evidence whether and how refugee students' needs are met. Hence, a multi-stakeholder approach or "whole-of-a-society" approach is one of the prerequisites for designing inclusive refugee education policies. This paper highlights the importance of stakeholder engagement at all stages of the practice-research-policy transfer, and maps key stakeholders in refugee education in Europe.

Building an early childhood system within the District is similar to efforts taken to complete an intricate puzzle. Imagine having to assemble a 5,000-piece puzzle without access to the box depicting its final image. The puzzle must be constructed without an organized leader by a group of people who speak different languages. Moreover, a significant number of puzzle pieces necessary for the puzzle's completion are nowhere to be found. While tremendous progress has been made on sections of the puzzle, the challenges listed above must be addresses in order to succeed. In order to best position infants, toddlers, and preschoolers to succeed, the District must leverage the collective impact of early childhood programs and initiatives as part of a larger, coordinated system. By synthesizing past and ongoing stakeholder discussions on approaches to creating a strong early childhood system in the District, this white paper highlights three essential infrastructure pieces that are needed to fully assemble this puzzle: (1) Shared Services; (2) Centralized Intake and Referral; and (3) Early Childhood Integrated Data System (ECIDS). These three infrastructure pieces promote quality programs and services; streamline processes, and reduce burdens on providers, families and government agencies. This paper offers nine recommendations relating to these three infrastructure pieces.

Quality in vocational education and training (VET) is a perennial topic of interest, attracting much attention from participants, providers, funders, regulators and public commentators. Quality is as much subjectively in the "eye of the beholder" as it is objectively assessed through hard data, measures and surveys. This paper summarises the quality of the VET system in Australia from the lens point of the eye of the beholder. It considers the perspectives of five key stakeholder groups: learners, employers/industry, providers, government and regulators. The paper explores, from the perspective of each of these groups, what is important in regards to the VET system, what constitutes and promotes a good-quality VET system, and what are the enablers and barriers to having a system that meets their expectations. The paper then examines the usefulness of the measures of quality currently available, as well as approaches that might be more effective. Key messages include: (1) Quality is context- and purpose-specific and means different things to the five stakeholder groups; (2) These multiple perspectives on quality operate at differing levels -- at the training program, at employment outcomes and at higher systemic levels; (3) Effective, fair and prompt regulation is foundational and essential in removing poor quality training from the system; and (4) A number of enabling factors have the potential to either support or detract from VET quality. These factors may impact both objective measures and subjective views of quality.

At some future point, when a definitive history of the assessment movement is written, one of the most frequently cited, influential publications will be "Assessment Update" ("AU"). Since 1989, this bimonthly newsletter has been published by Jossey-Bass in partnership with Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). It is no coincidence that the two most frequent contributors to "AU," Trudy Banta--"AU"'s founding editor and intellectual muse--and Peter Ewell, are also among the most prolific thinkers and writers shaping the scholarship and practice of student learning outcomes assessment. In this featured NILOA occasional paper, Banta and Ewell with the assistance of Cynthia Cogswell mine the pages of "AU" between 2000 through 2015 to distill the major themes and advances that characterize the evolution of assessment as a field of professional practice. [Foreword by George D. Kuh.]

Understanding the return on investment (ROI) in VET provides governments with information on the performance of the system and justification for public expenditure. It can help enterprises and individuals to measure productivity improvement in firms or to determine increases in the employability of individuals following training investment. However, the measurement of ROI is not straightforward. This report introduces a conceptual framework for defining what is involved in the ROI calculation and provides a guide to what type of information and data are required to calculate the returns to training for government, employers and individuals.

Countries consider curriculum reform as an important and necessary measure to make schools enter the 21st century and respond to a fast-changing world. In recent years, many OECD countries have engaged in curriculum reform as a way to equip children with the knowledge, skills and competences needed for tomorrow. However, how to initiate such change in the most suitable and effective way remains somewhat challenging. In other words, there is a missing step between the intention, and the realisation of this curriculum renewal, crystallising what has been coined in the literature "the implementation gap". This paper analyses the curriculum reform literature through the lens of the OECD proposed implementation framework that promotes, among others, inclusive stakeholder engagement. Curriculum reform has indeed long been considered from a "top-down" perspective, but has progressively shifted towards a more "bottom-up" approach, emphasising the central role of teachers in the process. The analysis is enriched with successful practices and examples from different countries, and concludes with a specific resource for countries to make the lessons learned actionable through the planning of a coherent curriculum implementation strategy.

This paper was a keynote address at the Australian Vocational Education and Training Research Association (AVETRA) conference held in Canberra in April 2012. The author notes that industry is arguably the key stakeholder in the Australian vocational education and training (VET) sector, but is not a single actor nor a disinterested consumer of training. Rather, industry consists of a range of bodies, all of whom are active players in the sector. The paper discusses six areas of research which are pertinent to industry. These areas are: (1) the value of completing an apprenticeship or traineeship; (2) the role of wages in completion rates for apprenticeships and traineeships; (3) the value of completion of VET qualifications; (4) the level of matching between what people are training in and the jobs they get; (5) the role of VET in innovation; and (6) VET and workforce development. All of this research raises questions about VET and industry, either in terms of how public training funds are allocated or the educational principles on which VET is based. In particular, the major points made are that the value of training is quite variable and this should be a consideration in its public funding, and the narrow industry focus of VET needs to be leavened with more general education. (Contains 5 tables, 8 figures and 2 footnotes.)

This paper examines technology-mediated advising reform in order to contribute to the understanding of how colleges engage in transformative change to improve student outcomes. Conceptualizing such change as occurring along three interrelated dimensions of organizational functioning (structural, process, and attitudinal), we seek to understand the contexts that encourage or discourage transformation of advising and student support. We use in-depth pre/post data from six colleges deploying integrated planning and advising for student success (iPASS) to investigate the reform process. Three of the six colleges made steps toward transforming their student support delivery, shifting along all three dimensions. We identify four contextual features that appear to underpin colleges' likelihood of transformative reform. Technology and vendor relationships form an important foundation. Reform vision and rationale, leadership, and the college's orientation toward student success are important institutional influences. Our findings support the hypothesis put forth by Karp and Fletcher (2014) in their Readiness for Technology Adoption framework that technology is necessary but not sufficient for transformation, and that project-level and organizational factors are perhaps more important. Moreover, the findings demonstrate that technology can spur substantial institutional change, but only under certain circumstances.

Quality outcomes from vocational education and training (VET) are fundamental to ensuring a skilled workforce and supporting a productive economy. In a competency-based training system, assessment is the gatekeeper for quality. Audits undertaken by the Australian Skills and Quality Authority (ASQA) have identified concerns with compliance against the assessment requirements of the Standards for Registered Training Organizations (RTOs) 2015 (Standards for RTOs). ASQA strategic reviews, including into aged and community care, early childhood education and care, equine programs and security training industries, highlighted assessment as an area requiring more attention if the quality of training is to improve. In response to concerns about assessment, and to ensure high-quality within the system, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Industry and Skills Council agreed that further reform options be developed to improve the quality of assessment of student training outcomes and enhance confidence in the VET sector. Specifically, the Industry and Skills Council agreed to explore reform options to support the following principles: (1) Graduates have the required competencies for the job role and there is consistency across RTOs in the quality of assessment; (2) Trainers and assessors have the capability to assess appropriately; (3) Assessment meets the standard set by industry; and (4) The regulator has the capacity to effectively regulate assessment practices and outcomes and take appropriate action. The discussion paper sought stakeholder views on further specific reforms that may ensure the existing reforms that could generate the intended impact and are not held back by ongoing concerns over RTO compliance with assessment requirements. The appendices are included.

This paper examines the key aspects of stakeholder engagement that can strengthen the design, implementation and sustainability of outcomes-based funding policies. We seek to help policymakers understand the prevailing starting-point attitudes of institutional stakeholders, primarily college and university administrators, faculty and staff, and the importance of engaging them throughout the policy process. In addition, we recommend specific strategies for effectively engaging these stakeholders based on our work in multiple states and leading research in the field.

At the centre of a student's university experience stands the programme that they follow. Therefore, creating curricula that are fit-for-purpose is at the heart of an institution's teaching mission. These curricula need to be relevant for students during their time at university, as well as serve as suitable preparation for their future professional and civic lives. This paper presents the work and conclusions of the European University Association (EUA) Learning & Teaching Thematic Peer Group on "Curriculum design", which identified nine components that contribute to the creation of an "ideal curriculum" covering all stages of the curriculum design.

The purpose of this piece is to provide the research and rationales behind Practice Profiles. To achieve outcomes and develop effective implementation supports, innovations need to be "teachable, learnable, doable, and assessable." Practice Profile methodology facilitates the development of innovations and their necessary infrastructure. Specific training on NIRN's Practice Profile methodology can be found on the Active Implementation Hub.

Cedefop has been conducting monitoring of the European Credit System for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET) implementation since 2010; this report covers developments from mid-2013 till 2015. It is based on national responses provided by the ECVET users' group from 28 EU Member States and four EFTA countries. The report examines whether existing credit systems provide conditions for individuals to have their learning accumulated or transferred towards a qualification. It examines key aspects: whether qualifications are based on learning outcomes and organised in units; whether individual units are assessed and validated for further transfer and accumulation; whether units are assigned credit points; and whether VET providers use memoranda of understanding and learning agreements to understand better the learning outcomes they provide. The report also focuses on the ways ECVET is promoted among stakeholders and beneficiaries and on examples of support materials that can be useful to ECVET promoters throughout Europe. Two annexes provide country summaries and websites with ECVET information, by country.

The Great Recession and several other factors have heightened concerns among policymakers and the public at large about higher education's role in employment, leading to a renewed wave of pressures, policies, and incentives to create job-driven strategies at all levels. Policymakers and the public often assume that aligning higher education with the labor market is a simple effort, an act of engineering. However, alignment is a complex endeavor involving numerous stakeholders. And, scant evidence exists to link job-driven strategies to outcomes and to provide concrete guidance on how to effectively approach higher education-labor market alignment (LMA). This paper provides a framework for understanding LMA efforts across postsecondary education, providing a common language and key insights for practitioners, policymakers, and researchers to develop better policies and practices. Further, this paper assesses what is known based on current research and practice on LMA to provide guidance on moving from policy to action, as well as charting out priorities to future research to guide ongoing LMA efforts.

Prepared for a Strategic Education Governance learning seminar, this working paper analyses the ways in which the Dutch government tried to reach overarching goals in education, in a system characterised by a high degree of distributed autonomy of education institutions and the participation of multiple actors, and consequently a government highly dependent on the collaboration with stakeholders. The paper introduces four perspectives on governance: 'traditional public administration', 'new public management', 'network governance' and 'societal resilience'. In practice, these perspectives do not exclude each other. Based on three cases the paper shows that the Dutch government used simultaneously different perspectives in each case and across the cases, in various combinations. Each combination proved to have its pros and cons. The paper argues for a deliberate consideration and choice of governance perspectives as an important element of policy preparation.

This report summarizes findings from one component of the Consortium for Policy Research in Education's (CPRE) evaluation of the General Electric Foundation's (GEF) "Developing Futures"™ in Education program in Stamford Public Schools (SPS). The purpose was to closely analyze district capacity to support system-wide instructional improvement. Specifically, this phase focused on a single, overarching question: to what extent has the district central office adopted and institutionalized the core principles of "Developing Futures"™? To answer this question, this evaluation assesses the Stamford Public School District's progress in scaling up and institutionalizing seven core elements of "Developing Futures"™: (1) Internal constituency engagement: The district engages stakeholders at all levels of the system, and establishes common vision and buy-in for improvement efforts; (2) External constituency engagement: The district engages partner organizations and institutions, parents and the community; and effectively communicates about reform efforts; (3) Curriculum and instruction: The district communicates and supports a system­-wide vision for instructional improvement; (4) Professional development for instruction: The district delivers high-­quality professional development on curriculum, instruction, standards, and assessment; (5) Professional development for leadership: The district delivers high-quality professional development on leadership or management; (6) Management capacity: The district collects and uses data, attracts and develops talent, and evaluates staff performance; and (7) Evaluation: The district monitors and evaluates reform efforts. These seven reform elements were identified through a review of GEF program materials and documentation, and through a close analyses of each districts' reform trajectory over the life of the grant. Based on a thorough review of the research and evaluation literature, a set of indicators was constructed to allow the research team to determine the extent to which there was evidence of effective practice in each of these seven areas. Each area was decomposed into a set of more specific, observable characteristics. Research instruments were designed to elicit evidence of these characteristics in descriptions of central office processes, functions, or overall capacity. Ratings were then assigned to each characteristic based on the prevalence of available evidence using a three-point scale. This report provides ratings for SPS for each indicator and its component characteristics, along with qualitative and survey evidence illustrating and supporting the ratings. Overall, SPS implemented strategies to address each of the indicators discussed in this report: Internal Constituency Engagement, External Constituency Engagement, Curriculum & Instruction, Professional Development-Instructional, Professional Development-Leadership, Management Capacity, and Evaluation. Progress in each of these indicators varied, with the district meeting with greater success in some areas than in others.

This report summarizes findings from one component of the Consortium for Policy Research in Education's (CPRE) evaluation of the General Electric Foundation's (GEF) "Developing Futures"™ in Education program in Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS). As described in the CPRE proposal and research design, the purpose was to closely analyze district capacity to support system-­wide instructional improvement. Specifically, this phase focused on a single, overarching question: to what extent has the district central office adopted and institutionalized the core principles of "Developing Futures"™? To answer this question, this evaluation assesses the Jefferson County Public School District's progress in scaling up and institutionalizing seven core elements of "Developing Futures"™. They are: (1) Internal constituency engagement; (2) External constituency engagement; (3) Curriculum and instruction; (4) Professional development for instruction; (5) Professional development for leadership; (6) Management capacity; (7) Evaluation. Based on a thorough review of the research and evaluation literature, a set of indicators was constructed to allow the research team to determine the extent to which there was evidence of effective practice in each of these seven areas. Results indicate that JCPS has made significant progress in curriculum standardization instructional vision setting and formative assessment.

This report summarizes findings from one component of the Consortium for Policy Research in Education's (CPRE) evaluation of the General Electric Foundation's (GEF) "Developing Futures" ™ in Education program in Erie Public Schools (EPS). As described in the CPRE proposal and research design, the purpose was to closely analyze district capacity to support system-wide instructional improvement. Specifically, this phase focused on a single, overarching question: to what extent has the district central office adopted and institutionalized the core principles of "Developing Futures"™? To answer this question, this evaluation assesses the Erie Public School District's progress in scaling up and institutionalizing seven core elements of "Developing Futures" ™. They include: (1) Internal constituency engagement. The district engages stakeholders at all levels of the system, and establishes common vision and buy-­in for improvement efforts. (2) External constituency engagement. The district engages partner organizations and institutions, parents and the community; and effectively communicates about reform efforts. (3) Curriculum and instruction. The district communicates and supports a system-­wide vision for instructional improvement. (4) Professional development for instruction. The district delivers high-quality professional development on curriculum, instruction, standards or assessment. (5) Professional development for leadership. The district delivers high-­quality professional development on leadership or management. (6) Management capacity. The district collects and uses data, attracts and develops talent, and evaluates staff performance. (7) Evaluation. The district monitors and evaluates reform efforts. These seven reform elements were identified through a review of GEF program materials and documentation, and through a close analyses of each districts' reform trajectory over the life of the grant. Based on a thorough review of the research and evaluation literature, a set of indicators was constructed to allow the research team to determine the extent to which there was evidence of effective practice in each of these seven areas.

This report summarizes findings from one component of the Consortium for Policy Research in Education's (CPRE) evaluation of the General Electric Foundation's (GEF) "Developing Futures"™ in Education program in Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS). The purpose was to closely analyze district capacity to support system-wide instructional improvement. Specifically, this phase focused on a single, overarching question: to what extent has the district central office adopted and institutionalized the core principles of "Developing Futures"™? To answer this question, this evaluation assesses the Cincinnati Public School District's progress in scaling up and institutionalizing seven core elements of "Developing Futures"™: (1) Internal constituency engagement; (2) External constituency engagement; (3) Curriculum and instruction; (4) Professional development for instruction; (5) Professional development for leadership; (6) Management capacity; and (7) Evaluation. These seven reform elements were identified through a review of GEF program materials and documentation, and through a close analyses of each districts' reform trajectory over the life of the grant. Based on a thorough review of the research and evaluation literature, a set of indicators was constructed to allow the research team to determine the extent to which there was evidence of effective practice in each of these seven areas. Each area was decomposed into a set of more specific, observable characteristics. Research instruments were designed to elicit evidence of these characteristics in descriptions of central office processes, functions, or overall capacity. Ratings were then assigned to each characteristic based on the prevalence of available evidence using a three-point scale: (1) Strong implementation; (2) Moderate implementation; and (3) Weak implementation. This report provides ratings for CPS for each indicator and its component characteristics, along with qualitative and survey evidence illustrating and supporting the ratings. Overall, CPS has made significant progress in building system-­wide capacity for instructional improvement by facilitating collaboration, involving all stakeholders in planning and decision-­making, clarifying instructional expectations, and building a robust professional development system. The evidence suggests that instructional practice remains inconsistent in some cases, and that shifting standards and summative assessments pose a challenge for alignment and coherence.

The Starting Strong Teaching and Learning International Survey 2018 is an international survey of staff and centre leaders working in early childhood education and care (ECEC), administered in ECEC centres belonging to ISCED Level 0.2, and, as an option, centres providing services for children under the age of 3. The Conceptual Framework provides an integrated theoretical and analytical underpinning to the survey that articulates its research foci and links to existing knowledge and evidence and policy questions. The key themes include those mainly concerned with: ECEC staff-child interaction (process quality of staff-child interaction and monitoring and assessment of children's development, well-being and learning); ECEC centre characteristics (structural quality characteristics, pedagogical and administrative leadership, climate, and stakeholder relations); ECEC leader and staff characteristics (background and initial preparation, professional development, well-being, professional beliefs about children's development, well-being and learning, and self-efficacy); and the cross-cutting theme of equity and diversity in the child group.

Accountability in the private and public sectors of society has received significant attention in both research and practice, partly because of its importance, but also because it is challenging to define, measure and implement. The nature of accountability is complex, ambiguous and highly context-dependent. As related to postsecondary education (PSE), multiple stakeholders across the nation have been pushing for greater accountability for at least three decades. Various stakeholders, including elected officials at the national and state level seemingly obsessed with achieving a "one size fits all" kind of accountability system, continue to produce proposals and in some cases legislation, for our institutions of postsecondary education to provide, among other matters, evidence of improved degree production, cost control, and student learning. This paper identifies who some of the stakeholders are and provides a range of accountability initiatives underway since a Center for Studies in Higher Education report, "Accountability in Higher Education: A Public Agenda for Trust and Cultural Change," was presented in 2006, including a specific focus on California. [The 2006 report is available in ERIC at ED503070.]

In January 2011, the Lumina Foundation published its Degree Qualifications Profile (DQP) to challenge faculty and academic leaders in the U.S. to think deeply and concretely about aligning expectations for student learning outcomes across higher education. Since then, the DQP has kindled extensive discussions about what the postsecondary degrees granted by American colleges and universities really mean with respect to what graduates know and can do. But the text of the DQP itself provides only limited guidance to stakeholders with respect to assessment. In order to render the Profile's potential real, institutions and their faculties will need to develop consistent and systematic ways to gather evidence that the competencies that the DQP describes are actually being mastered at the levels claimed. In this paper, I explore some of what needs to be done in this area and provide a few tools and techniques (some of which are already in widespread use) that may help us move forward. In offering them, I invite faculties at all our colleges and universities to carefully examine what the DQP asks us to do in designing more aligned and integrated approaches to teaching, learning, and determining student competence--as well as to actively experiment with these ideas and techniques with their colleagues. (Contains 13 footnotes.) [Foreword by George Kuh and Stan Ikenberry and Afterword by Carol Geary Schneider.]

Each year, Project Tomorrow, a national education nonprofit organization, facilitates the Speak Up National Research Project and, as part of this initiative, tracks the growing student, educator and parent interest in digital learning, and how the nation's schools and districts are addressing that interest with innovative ways to use technology in and out of the classroom. In this special white paper based upon the Speak Up 2011 national findings, Project Tomorrow has partnered with DreamBox Learning to explore a new concept in the use of technology to personalize learning. Through the analysis of the national Speak Up findings from 416,758 K-12 students, parents, teachers and administrators, it is the goal with this new white paper to better understand the interest in adaptive learning and to examine the next steps for greater adoption of this new technology in the classroom. Thus, the key questions for this analysis are as follows: (1) Why is this the right time for greater interest in intelligent adaptive learning?; (2) What is the value proposition for adaptive learning?; and (3) Are teachers ready for this? What do they need to be able to leverage these new tools effectively in the classroom? (Contains 4 tables and 2 charts.) [For related reports, see "Unleashing the Future: Educators "Speak up" about the Use of Emerging Technologies for Learning. Speak Up 2009 National Findings: Teachers, Aspiring Teachers & Administrators" (ED536063); "Creating Our Future: Students Speak up about their Vision for 21st Century Learning. Speak Up 2009 National Findings: K-12 Students & Parents" (ED536065); "The New 3 E's of Education: Enabled, Engaged, Empowered--How Today's Educators Are Leveraging Emerging Technologies for Learning. Speak Up 2010 National Findings: K-12 Teachers, Librarians & Administrators" (ED536068); "The New 3 E's of Education: Enabled, Engaged, Empowered--How Today's Students Are Leveraging Emerging Technologies for Learning. Speak Up 2010 National Findings: K-12 Students & Parents" (ED536066); "Mapping a Personalized Learning Journey: K-12 Students and Parents Connect the Dots with Digital Learning. Speak Up 2011: National Findings--K-12 Students & Parents" (ED536067); and "Personalizing the Classroom Experience: Teachers, Librarians and Administrators Connect the Dots with Digital Learning. Speak Up 2011 National Findings: K-12 Teachers, Librarians & Administrators" (ED536069).]

This document provides a summary of feedback from the discussion paper for the Review of the Australian Vocational Education and Training Management Information Statistical Standard (AVETMISS) for vocational education and training (VET) providers (hereafter, the Standard). The discussion paper provided opportunities to gather feedback on a range of issues. Based on this feedback, some issues will not be pursued; however, in most cases further investigation is required before final recommendations can be made. This report gives an overview of the process to date and areas where the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) will undertake further work on the Standard. (Contains 2 tables and 1 figure.) [For the related report, "Review of the AVETMIS Standard for VET Providers: Discussion Paper", see ED510700.]

The authors investigated the design and implementation of the capstone courses that are part of Virginia's College and Career Readiness Initiative. Based on a set of performance expectations for college readiness, two capstone courses--one in English and one in mathematics--were developed to help support high school juniors and seniors who intend to enroll in college but are at risk of placing into developmental education. The courses were piloted in more than 20 high schools across Virginia during the 2011-12 academic year. To better understand the pilot year of the capstone courses in Virginia, NCPR partnered with the Virginia Department of Education to document the implementation of the courses. Researchers interviewed stakeholders at the state, school division, and school levels, as well as the creators of the curricula at four partnering institutions of higher education. They also visited several high schools and school divisions involved in implementing the capstone courses to understand how the curricula were being used and to learn more about course content and pedagogy. As a result, the authors identified issues that practitioners should consider as the capstone course initiative expands and implications for researchers investigating capstone courses. Appended are: (1) English Performance Expectations; and (2) Mathematics Performance Expectations. (Contains 1 table and 7 footnotes.)

It is clear that families and communities play key roles in student achievement and school improvement efforts. Across the nation, states are leading initiatives to improve communication and engagement with these stakeholders through effective data sharing. Key points highlighted in this brief include: (1) Maintaining close ties with family and community is recognized as one of five critical supports for school improvement (Bryk, 2010); (2) Data sharing can help parents and families understand how their children are performing and where gaps exist in student achievement as well as guide them in taking appropriate action to support academic success (The Education Trust, 2004); and (3) Decision makers should consider taking steps to understand the needs, wants, barriers, and motivations of stakeholders; develop community or family action plans; create materials that are customized for recipients; and incorporate social marketing concepts into data dissemination practices (National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities, 2011; National Center for the Dissemination of Disability Research, 2001; Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2009). A list of resources is provided.

College 101 courses--also called student success, introduction to college, orientation to college, or freshman experience courses--provide students with information about college and campus services, assistance with academic and career planning, and techniques to improve study habits and personal skills. This study investigated College 101 courses at three community colleges in Virginia through interviews with 169 college staff members, faculty members, and students combined with observations of 19 course sections. Although College 101 courses were found to be widely supported by stakeholders, contextual factors made implementation challenging and undermined the courses' potential to create long-lasting impacts on students' outcomes. College 101 courses provided students with important information, but they did not offer sufficient opportunities for in-depth exploration and skill-building practice. However, the authors found strong evidence of the worth and promise of College 101 courses and identified ways to optimize them and generate long-term results. (Contains 2 figures, 5 tables and 7 footnotes.)

In light of recent data showing that educational attainment rates in the United States have stagnated, the Obama administration and others have called for renewed efforts to bolster higher education outcomes. Strengthening the role of community colleges is undoubtedly an important component of any plan to dramatically increase the number of students earning postsecondary credentials. This project was undertaken by the Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF) with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The project uses a system dynamics modeling approach to develop a framework that can help stakeholders understand the role and potential of community colleges in increasing postsecondary degree attainment and workforce preparedness, either through the lens of a region or an industry sector. It also begins to examine strategies that the community college system could use to increase degree attainment and increase the capacity or efficiency of the community college system to accommodate this growth both generally, and specifically in science, technology, engineering, health and mathematics (STEHM) related disciplines. This report describes the results from a system dynamics modeling approach that was used to examine the community colleges "ecosystem," including the K-12 education system, employers, four-year institutions, government, and local communities. Through this approach, a range of problems, factors of interest, and policy levers were identified and clustered to generate two broad model frameworks. The first, "a regional model", focuses on a community or region and a community college (or colleges). It allows users to explore interactions among government, education, and workforce as they contribute to increasing the number of students earning credentials or degrees with workforce value over time. A second model--"a sectoral model"-- focuses on the labor market dynamics of a single workforce or profession (e.g., the allied health fields) and articulates the relationships between employers and the community college that fuels the future workforce for a particular industry. Appended are: (1) System Dynamics Modeling; (2) Detailed Description of Building a Qualitative System Dynamics Model; and (3) Tables showing various problems and concerns of different stakeholder(s), illustrative examples of challenges and solutions in STEHM and illustrative examples of solutions and strategies to increase enrollment of students in community colleges. (Contains 7 figures and 19 footnotes.) [This paper was prepared by Business-Higher Education Forum and Emtect Solutions.]

This literature review focuses on education policy implementation, its definition, processes and determinants. It aims to clarify what implementing policies involve in complex education systems to support policy work, building on the literature and country examples. An introduction delves into the reasons behind the need to update the concept of education policy implementation, which is defined as a purposeful and multidirectional change process aiming to put a specific policy into practice and which affects an education system on several levels. The paper then analyses the determinants that hinder or facilitate the process and groups them under four dimensions which support effective implementation: smart policy design, inclusive stakeholder engagement, conducive context and a coherent implementation strategy. Based on these dimensions, the paper proposes a generic framework and a complementary set of questions and principles for action that can guide policy makers to design, analyse and carry out their education policy implementation processes.

Diana Wilkinson, Chief Social Researcher with the Scottish Government, assisted National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) to facilitate a forum to discuss the development of national research priorities for the vocational education and training sector. This paper summarises Diana Wilkinson's impression of the forum and uses two contrasting case studies of Scotland and Australia to consider the extent to which it is feasible to align academic research investment with medium-term priority-setting. (Contains 13 footnotes and 1 table.)

Higher education reforms over the last decade, resulting in the establishment of the European Higher Education Area, with new social demands and expectations, have greatly impacted quality assurance in higher education. As a follow-up activity to two previous surveys on external quality procedures, the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) conducted a third survey concentrating on good practice in external quality assurance in order to explore the changes that are taking place, as well as the future areas of focus and activities of quality assurance agencies. The report presents a collection of current features of good practice in external quality assurance within the new priorities formulated by ENQA and following the Leuven/Louvain-la Neuve and Budapest/Vienna Communiques, highlighting the connection between the practices and the expected benefits for higher education institutions and stakeholders. In addition, the present report identifies practices that are expected to be implemented by quality assurance agencies, as well as areas where progress needs to be made, thus proposing a vision of the future of quality assurance procedures. The purpose of the report is also to promote technical and strategic networks among ENQA members addressing future challenges. "The Quality Procedures Questionnaire" is appended. (Contains 11 tables and 8 footnotes.)

The purpose of this project is to apply the framework developed by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) for measuring research impact to assess the outcomes of the research and activities funded under the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) Research Innovation and Expansion Fund (RIEF). LSAY provides a rich source of information about young people and their transitions from school to post-school destinations. The purpose of the Research Innovation and Expansion Fund was to facilitate an increase in the quantity, quality, distribution and accessibility of youth transitions research and analysis using LSAY data in the academic and public policy communities. The RIEF involved a variety of activities, including a competitive research grants program and a fellowship, and has led to the publication of six research reports, a national youth policy forum and data workshops. This study reinforces the point that the interplay between research and policy is complex. Nevertheless, in this case, connections between policy, practice and research have been strengthened as a result of the Research Innovation and Expansion Fund. This study also confirms the effectiveness of NCVER processes for the dissemination of research. The importance of a media release for immediate impact is noted. Policy forums and engaging directly with policy-makers and other stakeholders can also play a very positive part. Data workshops are appended. (Contains 5 tables and 9 footnotes.)

The preference of students to choose a career in events management over hospitality despite low demand for skills is the focus of this paper. The need for greater involvement of external stakeholders is identified as important in ensuring that students make an informed decision when choosing a career path. A model representing the ideal situation for student decision-making on career choice is proposed. The research was funded through the Building Researcher Capacity initiative of the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) and was undertaken by a novice researcher in the Community of Practice scholarship program. A list of interview questions is appended. (Contains 4 figures.)

Providing accurate and useful information on student achievement is a rising challenge for state educational agencies. With the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) in 2001, such challenges have become more pressing. A centerpiece of the educational accountability movement, NCLB has prompted states to improve their reporting on student outcomes. Although not mandated by the law, in recent years states have actively moved to revamp their student data systems (SDS) to better address both federal mandates and inform local stakeholders. Many states now utilize unique statewide student identifiers and seek to collect longitudinal data on students' progress throughout their K-12 educational system and beyond. To date, however, there remains considerable variation across states in quality and comprehensiveness of student data systems. How then can states successfully develop and establish their statewide longitudinal student data systems? This report provides an overview of longitudinal student data systems (LSDS) across the 50 states before focusing on cases of the creation, implementation and expansion of SDS in three states. "Emergent State" has just begun assigning unique student identifiers to state assessment data. "Accelerated State" has rapidly developed and implemented a longitudinal student data system and is moving towards including data warehousing capabilities. "Established State" has a comprehensive K-20 longitudinal student data system that includes a data warehouse. These cases illuminate the challenges and successes that state educational agencies have encountered in their efforts to develop, implement and expand LSDS. The report finds that the state education agencies faced similar challenges in the following areas: (1) building state agency capacity; (2) developing reciprocal and efficient relationships with districts and schools; (3) clarifying governance of the data system and ownership of data; and (4) garnering and sustaining state legislative support. The authors identify the variety of strategies that state education agencies employed to meet these challenges, highlighting those strategies that hold the most promise for the development of comprehensive LSDS. The authors conclude with recommendations for state education agency leaders interested in creating and expanding their states' LSDS. Appended are: (1) What do we know about the Evolution of Longitudinal Student Data Systems?; and (2) State LSDS Rankings. (Contains 3 tables and 2 footnotes. This work was supported in part by funds from the Education Policy Center at Michigan State University. )

The National Assembly on School-Based Health Care (NASBHC) convened a meeting of 23 stakeholders representing a national cross-section of experts in the fields of health and education on April 30, 2004. Among the participants were school health practitioners, educators, researchers, and funders. The meeting's purpose was to clarify and document the relationship between school-based health centers (SBHCs) and student academic performance. The diverse backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints among participants contributed to a vigorous discussion of pertinent issues. The meeting included a discussion of the educational policy context that is increasing pressures on SBHCs to document the impact of their services on academic performance. This paper aims to: (1) summarize the meeting proceedings and recommendations; (2) provide a stimulus for further discussion and research on the connection between SBHCs and academic performance; and (3) provide guidance to those currently working with SBHCs, including staff, researchers, evaluators, advocates and their educational partners on strategies to document and enhance the collaboration between SBHCs and educators to improve student success and sustain the viability of the SBHC initiative. (Contains 4 figures and 1 footnote.) [Funding for this paper was provided by The Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati.]