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The growth of homeschooling from a somewhat fringe movement during the 1970s and 1980s to a more widespread and socially accepted approach in recent decades has provided a strong foundation of flexible learning models. When Florida's school choice expansion, House Bill 1, was introduced in January 2023, one of its goals was to allow more homeschoolers to participate in the education savings account (ESA) program. But many homeschoolers and homeschool advocacy groups balked at the proposal. Having worked hard to achieve independence, they were loath to be linked to government funding. Even if the program were optional, they feared that associated regulations would eventually extend to traditional homeschoolers. In the end, the bill passed with new language that satisfied traditional homeschoolers by creating a new option for parents to educate their children at home. As states continue to enact and expand education savings accounts, Colleen Hroncich argues that it is crucial that policymakers craft bills in a way that maximizes freedom and minimizes roadblocks.

This briefing paper explores Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) policies and practices that state early intervention (Part C) programs may consider implementing to meet the social-emotional and mental health needs of infants and toddlers in the context of relationships with their parents and other caregivers.

A number of English language proficiency exams target grades K-12 English language learners (ELLs) because of the rising need to identify their needs and provide appropriate support in language learning. A good example is the WIDA ACCESS for ELLs (hereafter ACCESS), designed to measure the English language proficiency of students identified as ELLs. Every year approximately two million K-12 ELLs in the WIDA Consortium take ACCESS. After students complete the exam, score reports are provided to relevant stakeholders, including teachers and parents of the students. Because score reports are widely used by stakeholders for many purposes (e.g., placement, reclassification of ELLs), it is necessary to understand how they are interpreted and used in educational and home settings. Such information could be used to understand the usefulness of score reports and also to enhance their quality. However, there is little research on stakeholders' interpretation and use of score reports, especially in the context of K-12 ELL exams in the Unites States. Existing research is limited to teachers' interpretation of score reports (Impara, Divine, Bruce, Liverman, & Gay, 1991; Luecht, 2003; Underwood, Zapata-Rivera, & VanWinkle, 2007). For example, Impara et al. (1991) investigated the extent to which teachers were able to interpret student-level results on a standardized state assessment and the extent to which interpretive information provided on the reverse side of the student score report improved teacher understanding. Findings suggest that interpretive material helped facilitate teachers' understanding of student scores on the assessment. However, few studies have examined how stakeholders actually use the interpreted information. Moreover, very few (Miller & Watkins, 2010) have examined score reports from the parents' perspective. To gain a deeper understanding of the meaningfulness and utility of score reports, it is necessary to examine both educators' and parents' perspectives. The study on which this paper is based investigated how two stakeholder groups--K-12 ELL educators and parents--interpret and use ACCESS score reports. Findings from qualitative interviews offer implications for score report development in general and how to further enhance the quality of ACCESS score reports. In the study, the authors addressed the following research questions: (1) How do K-12 ELL educators and parents interpret the information in an English proficiency exam score report?; and (2) How do K-12 ELL educators and parents use the information in an English proficiency exam score report?

Advanced information, communication, computation and collaboration technologies, known as "cyberinfrastructure," have become essential elements for research, education, and innovation in the 21st century. A major challenge confronting the United States today is how to ensure that all colleges and universities, including those that have not traditionally benefited from leading-edge research infrastructure, can participate seamlessly in national and multinational cyberinfrastructure-enabled efforts. The minority-serving-institution community has unique expertise, knowledge, and resources to share. Western leaders from the fields of science, education and cyberinfrastructure recognize an urgent need for action. Participants in the 2006 "Lariat Summit on Minority Institutions and Cyberinfrastructure in the West" gathered in Bozeman, Montana to develop strategies and recommendations for connecting minority-serving institutions in the West to national advanced cyberinfrastructure. This document is a first step towards developing both the will and the resources to ensure that minority-serving institutions are among the "connected" institutions in the Western states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, and Washington. (Contains 2 figures and 11 endnotes.) [Financial support for this white paper was provided by the University of Washington, Internet2, and the Pacific Northwest Gigapop.]

This report provides a non-technical overview of the guiding research questions and research design for the ACT-led core research program conducted on behalf of the GEAR UP College and Career Readiness Evaluation Consortium (CCREC). The core research program is a longitudinal study of the effectiveness of 14 GEAR UP state grants on the academic achievement, college going and college retention of low-income and other at-risk students who are eligible to receive grant-funded services. This research program will follow Consortium students and a matched comparison group of non-participants over time using assessment data from ACT Explore®, ACT Plan® or ACT Aspire®, and The ACT®, and college enrollment data from the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) to examine differences in the academic growth and educational outcomes of these two groups.

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for K-12 English language arts/literacy and mathematics, released in 2010, have been adopted by 49 states and territories; the District of Columbia; and the U.S. Department of Defense schools, which serve the children of U.S. service members around the world. The widespread adoption of the CCSS is a major step forward, yet significant work remains for states to successfully implement the new more rigorous and relevant academic standards--notably, the adoption of new tests to measure students' progress against the CCSS. This paper reports on states' challenges and progress in creating and launching assessments of students' learning that are aligned with the CCSS.

Building a stronger teacher workforce requires the thoughtful orchestration of multiple processes working together in a human capital system. This white paper presents a framework that can be used to take stock of current efforts to enhance the teacher workforce in school districts or educational organizations, as well as their underlying theories of how the teacher workforce improves over time. The paper refines and provides evidentiary support for a human capital system framework composed of four subsystems that ideally work together to build a stronger teacher workforce: (1) getting the right teachers in the right positions on time (Acquire); (2) supporting professional growth in school-based learning communities (Develop); (3) nurturing, rewarding, and challenging high-performing teachers (Sustain); and (4) informing evidence-based personnel decisions (Evaluate). Attention to this framework will engender a corps of teachers with the capacity and expertise to collectively facilitate enhanced educational outcomes.

Unlike many proposed educational reforms in the United States, charter schools enjoy support from policymakers across the political spectrum, making such schools a major focus of public school reform among educators and legislators. The origin of charter schools and how these schools are affecting education is the subject of this background paper. It defines what charter schools are, from the idea's inception in the state of Minnesota, to the characteristics of charter schools. The paper presents arguments for and against these schools and examines the key financing issues confronting those who wish to start charter schools. A case study of charter school legislation in Nevada is presented to illustrate the process for one state. Research indicates that the two most important issues facing policymakers in this area are whether private schools should be allowed to convert to charter status, and thereby receive public money, and whether charter schools can meet community expectations while being held to state-set student performance levels. Such schools can afford educators the opportunity for freedom and innovation in teaching and school management but can present governance and oversight problems for local school districts and other sponsors. (Contains 10 references and an appendix.) (RJM)

This paper describes Nevada's public education policy structure and the responsibilities of various administrative and legislative bodies, including the Nevada State legislature, the governor, the State Board of Education, the superintendent of public instruction, the State Department of Education; the Commission on Professional Standards in Education, the School District Boards of Trustees, school districts, and public schools. The paper also discusses governance issues regarding school-based management, charter schools, and school choice. The basic policy structure of Nevada's system of educational governance follows fairly traditional lines, being one of the more decentralized states in terms of regulatory authority. However, several groups that shape education policy are not referenced in state law: students and their parents, various businesses, parent coalitions, the Nevada Association of School Boards, the Nevada Association of School Administrators, and the Nevada State Education Association. The interactions among governors, chief state school officers, state boards of education, and legislatures are receiving increasing attention from those involved in shaping education policy. The biggest challenge facing state policymakers lies with defining priorities and reaching consensus. Contains one figure and 72 endnotes. The appendix lists education-governance structures in the 50 states. (LMI)

This paper describes the background of various accountability systems, discusses policy issues related to the use of educational accountability information, and offers a history of the school-accountability law in Nevada. The paper concludes that because policymakers continue to express concerns about uniform measurements and comparability, it is likely that nationally norm-referenced tests will continue to be used in accountability systems. The demand for quality information will continue and the level of sophistication and policymakers' reliance on accountability systems will increase. States will continue to use achievement scores as a component of any accountability program. The need for reliable analyses of the information provided by such systems will become increasingly important. Appendices contain information on states' use of report cards, two approaches to student-assessment policy, Nevada school districts' use of standardized tests during 1994-95, achievement data for Nevada school districts and counties (1992-93), an analysis of the Nevada school-accountability system, and the Nevada deputy attorney general's opinion of Senate Bill 511--the School Accountability Law. (Contains 18 references.) (LMI)

Public schools in the United States will face significant infrastructure needs within the next few years. Some of the numerous issues surrounding these needs, as they affect Nevada's schools, are detailed in this report. Current practices in Nevada have followed those of other quickly growing school systems in which funds are being diverted from routine maintenance and capital improvement so as to support programs. Some remedies to this practice, such as general obligation bonds or "pay-as-you-go" funding, are explored. For the benefit of comparison, capital construction in other states and varying levels of participation are presented. Some possible alternatives for state assistance in Nevada are covered, such as structural alternatives and financing alternatives, including state general obligation bonds, state revenue bonds, and state appropriations. Options currently under consideration in other states are likewise discussed. It is argued that the recent spate of equity lawsuits involving facilities construction in other states should guide any participation by Nevada in school construction; mechanisms to define state involvement should promote equity in capital expenditures. Four appendixes, which compose one-half of the paper, offer profiles of Nevada school demographics, the state's role in financing, needs assessment, and historical practices in state assistance. (RJM)

School-to-careers (STC) is a comprehensive approach to educational reform that provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to make a successful transition from school to work. Systems that combine academic study and work experience are developing in every state in response to the federal School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994. The Nevada Legislature has laid the foundation for the state's STC system through enactment of Assembly Bill 303. The 13 western states have used different approaches: career academies, cooperative education, skills guarantee initiatives, tech prep programs, and youth apprenticeships. Nevada is one of the few states in which STC system development and implementation involves the legislature, executive branch agencies, local education agencies, colleges and universities, and the business community. The state agencies responsible for oversight have obtained a multiyear, multimillion dollar federal grant to expand existing programs and services. The governor has requested continued state funding for increasing student school-to-work opportunities. The system's operational side consists of four regional partnerships, each composed of several local partnerships that engage in multiple approaches to help students with skills development and career selection. Nevada's STC accountability system uses the State of Nevada Performance Agreement Matrix. (Appendixes include the STC statutes, matrix form, and STC report of partnership activities.) (YLB)

In 1989, the Nevada Legislature enacted the Class-Size Reduction (CSR) Act. The measure was designed to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio in the public schools, particularly in the earliest grades. The program was scheduled to proceed in several phases. The first step reduced the student-teacher ratio in selected kindergartens and first grade classes for 1990-1991 school years. The second step was designed to improve the second grade ratios; the 1991 Legislature made funds available for reducing the ratios to 16 to 1. The third grade phase was delayed until the 1996-97 fiscal year. Program costs are detailed, broken down by grade level, and the classroom configurations that have been employed are also described. Initial evaluation of the CSR program indicates that educators and parents were positive in their attitudes toward class-size reduction and that school districts reported fewer special education referrals. No exceptional results in achievement scores were reported. Subsequent studies of the program also produced mixed results, which it is believed reflect different teaching styles, maturity of students, and other factors. Special analysis of the program's impact on special-education referrals and grade retention are provided. (RJM)

Effects of the high school environment, part-time university instructors, and classroom ethnic/racial diversity on first-year student preparation and enrollment persistence are estimated via hierarchical linear and logistic regression. After controlling for student socio-demographic characteristics and motivation to enter college, high school attributes bear little relevance to level of academic preparation at the start of the first year of study. In contrast, academic performance of low-income students at the end of the first year is negatively associated with several features of the high school environment. There is little evidence that student persistence is negatively affected by exposure to part-time instructors during the first year in college. Ethnic/racial diversity in the classroom appears to slightly enhance persistence of non-Asian minority students, but shows no positive relationship with cognitive growth. Unmet financial need marginally increases the dropout risk of students taking greater course loads net of socio-demographic background, academic preparation, first-year grades, on-campus residency, and type of aid received. Results are based on institutional matriculation records of 2,800 first-year students at a moderately selective public university and official high school accountability reports collected by the state's department of education. (Contains 8 tables and 6 footnotes.)

The distribution of Perkins Act funds among eligible Nevada recipients was analyzed. The analysis established that passage of the Perkins Act did nothing to improve the ability of small rural districts to participate in the federal program and significantly restricted the amount of funds provided to those vocational programs that do not have high percentages of disabled and/or disadvantaged students. The Perkins Act has also removed set-asides for adult and postsecondary occupational education (OE) programs and obligated the state to determine the instructional level split of funds. Originally, the Nevada Council on Occupational Education endorsed a 75%-25% split of funds among secondary and community college OE programs. The council's endorsement was based not on consideration of program needs or enrollments but rather on the lack of long-term planning and documentation for community college OE programs. Changes that have since occurred in community colleges' planning and recordkeeping have produced additional data that have led the council to reconsider its original funding recommendation. The council now recommends a split of 68% and 32% to secondary and postsecondary programs, respectively. (Appended are 14 tables detailing the distribution of funds among secondary school districts and community colleges.) (MN)

The United States leads the world in the number of incarcerated persons per 100,000. In today's global economy, these numbers represent huge wastes in human capital, especially when you consider the inequitable nature of the American criminal justice system, as witnessed by the disproportionate racial and ethnic composition, types of crimes, and length of prison sentences represented within this population. Regardless of the pathway to prison, most incarcerated people will eventually return to the communities from which they came, so one of the important questions may be, how does society want them to show up? Broken or made whole? Angry or hopeful? Employable or unemployable? Role model or counterexample? The essence of this paper is linked to a favored quote by the late Nelson Mandela, who said, "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." These words are as profound today as they were in 1990 when he addressed an audience of Boston high school students. Furthermore, education in America remains one of the best investments individuals and governments can make, which should include investment in prison-based education programs. These types of efforts are cost-effective, reduce recidivism, improve employment prospects, increase civic engagement, and can disrupt generational poverty. Despite Second Chance Pell programs and other evidence supporting the multilayered value of postsecondary (coursework beyond high school) education for incarcerated populations, barriers and challenges persist. Fortunately, leaders of state agencies and systems of higher education are increasingly exploring the feasibility of these programs for their states. This paper presents preliminary findings from a survey SHEEO administered to its members in 2018. It advocates for postsecondary education for incarcerated persons as a relevant policy issue at federal and state levels in current political environments. Key findings and recommendations were informed by responses from 38 percent of SHEEO's membership. States responding to the survey were Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Washington, and Wyoming. Non-member organizations included Truckee Meadows Community College (NV); University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Bismarck State College (ND); and the Washington State Board of Community and Technical Colleges. The paper is organized around three main categories: access, program delivery, and reentry of program participants into society, with the following key performance indicators.

Data systems are becoming powerful tools to address students' diverse and changing needs, but without comprehensive data privacy policies, the risks of unintentional or malicious disclosures of students' private information is increasing. Given the mounting challenges to protect data privacy, Education Commission of the States assembled data privacy experts and practitioners to consider strategies for protecting students' privacy without compromising the power of education data. This Policy Guide highlights participants' suggestions and offers actional approaches to maximize the use of education data while minimizing risk to students' privacy, including state examples and key considerations for state leaders.

After decades of disinterest, evaluation of the performance of elementary and secondary teachers in the United States has become an important educational policy issue. As U.S. states and districts have tried to upgrade their evaluation processes, one of the models that has been increasingly used is the Framework for Teaching. This paper summarizes validity evidence pertaining to several different implementations of the Framework. It is based primarily on reviewing the published and unpublished studies that have looked at the relationship between teacher evaluation ratings made using systems based on the Framework and value-added measures of teacher effectiveness. The research results summarized suggest that teacher ratings made using evaluation systems based on or related to the Framework have a correlation with value-added estimates of teacher effectiveness, in the 0.2 to 0.3 range. Measurement error in both the value-added estimates and evaluation ratings likely bias these correlations downward. Though fragmentary, the evidence reviewed suggests that Framework-based evaluation ratings can show substantial inter-rater agreement and, if multiple observers and multiple occasions of observation are used, the ratings can be reliable. However, a score based on a single observation by one observer is likely to have low reliability. The paper also discusses ways to extend and improve validity research on teacher evaluation systems. "Inter-rater Agreement Details for Cincinnati" is appended to this document. The contributions to this research of current and former colleagues Steven Kimball, Herbert Heneman, Allan Odden, H. Alix Gallagher and Bradford White, are gratefully acknowledged. (Contains 6 tables, 2 figures, and 6 footnotes.)

This is the third paper on the topic of outcomes-based funding written by Dennis Jones for Complete College America. The first paper, "Performance Funding: From Idea to Action" (ED535356), proposed a set of design and implementation principles to help states develop and implement their own outcomes-based funding models. The second paper, "Outcomes-Based Funding: The Wave of Implementation" (2013) described features of models being implemented in states and the extent to which they conformed to the principles presented in the first paper. This third paper documents the continued spread of adoption with an increased focus in the field on whether outcomes are equitable across populations, with states disaggregating results by race, ethnicity, age and income and reporting those publicly. The additional purposes of this paper are threefold: (1) To reinforce the point that outcomes-based funding is but one component of the overall financing model for higher education in a state. The power of outcomes-based funding models is enhanced if the other components are designed so as to strengthen the alignment between funding streams and desired results; (2) To once again revisit the lists of design and implementation principles presented in the earlier document and (slightly) revise them in light of states' actions and experience; and (3) To describe the models that are being employed in implementing states and to assess the extent of conformance with the proffered set of design and implementation principles. This for the purpose of identifying areas of non-conformance to catalog potential weaknesses in models and questioning the applicability of certain of the principles. As with earlier versions of the document, the ultimate objective is to provide clear, straightforward guidance to policymakers who are searching for ways to better align their approaches to resource allocation with the educational outcomes that are of highest priority in their state.

Earning college credit in high school matters to students and parents. Students who earn college credits by taking a college-level course while in high school are more likely to enter college and succeed. Through these experiences, students become familiar with college expectations, academic behaviors, and habits of mind; get a head start on postsecondary education and gain academic momentum toward a degree or credential; and begin to develop a college identity. Additionally, just as states should know whether students are progressing toward and reaching certain benchmarks of college and career readiness, they should also know whether high school students are exceeding those goals by taking the advanced courses that further solidify their transition to college and put them a step ahead once they arrive. Policymakers and educators who value this indicator for key student subgroups can drive improvements in outcomes for low-income and minority students who are historically less likely to earn a postsecondary degree or credential. There is clear evidence that earning college credit prior to postsecondary enrollment is a predictor of college success. As a result, both Achieve and Jobs for the Future have encouraged states to incorporate into their accountability systems measures related to earning college credit while in high school. This paper provides research-based guidance to states contemplating whether and how to incorporate indicators of students earning college credit during high school into their accountability systems, including through their accountability formulas and public reporting. The first section describes the three most common models of earning college credit in high school: Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and dual enrollment. The second section describes the research that shows the positive relationship between earning college credit while in high school and later college success. The third section looks at the landscape of current state policies on incorporating college course taking into accountability systems and highlights different state approaches in both accountability formulas and public reporting. The paper concludes with a set of recommendations for states interested in valuing students earning college credit while in high school in state accountability systems and provides concrete steps for ensuring that those policies serve all students.

In 2008, the International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL) produced a series of papers documenting promising practices identified throughout the field of K-12 online learning. Since then, we have witnessed a tremendous acceleration of transformative policy and practice driving personalized learning in the K-12 education space. State, district, school, and classroom leaders recognize that the ultimate potential for blended and online learning lies in the opportunity to transform the education system and enable higher levels of learning through competency-based approaches. iNACOL's core work adds significant value to the field by providing a powerful practitioner voice in policy advocacy, communications, and in the creation of resources and best practices to enable transformational change in K-12 education. We worked with leaders throughout the field to update these resources for a new generation of pioneers working towards the creation of student-centered learning environments. This refreshed series, Promising Practices in Blended and Online Learning, explores some of the approaches developed by practitioners and policymakers in response to key issues in K-12 education, including: Blended Learning: The Evolution of Online and Face-to-Face Education from 2008-2015; Using Blended and Online Learning for Credit Recovery and At-Risk Students; Oversight and Management of Blended and Online Programs: Ensuring Quality and Accountability; and Funding and Legislation for Blended and Online Education. Personalized learning environments provide the very best educational opportunities and personalized pathways for all students, with highly qualified teachers delivering world-class instruction using innovative digital resources and content. Through this series of white papers, we are pleased to share the promising practices in K-12 blended, online, and competency education transforming teaching and learning today. Additional resources are provided. ["Blending Learning: The Evolution of Online and Face-to-Face Education from 2008-2015. Promising Practices in Blended and Online Learning Series" was originally written by John Watson in May 2008.]

This paper describes a project to train service providers in replicating the Home Activity Program for Parents and Youngsters (HAPPY). HAPPY is a family-focused program developed to meet the educational needs of disabled children ages birth through 5 years in rural Nevada. Content of the training modules was developed from a review of literature and training materials, professionals' experiences, needs assessments, initial training surveys, and informal interviews with training participants. The seven training modules include: (1) home visiting strategies, including information on family dynamics, family guided care, and grief responses; (2) information on parental participation in child assessment and program development; (3) service coordination principles and dimensions, roles of the family and professionals in service coordination, and program implementation; (4) consultative therapy, including defining team building and its processes and identifying stages of team development; (5) an overview of assessment emphasizing screening, diagnostics, and programmatic assessment and intervention methods; (6) instruction in the use of the HAPPY computer software, including its installation and features; and (7) mechanics for creating individualized training tapes. This paper also addresses how adult learning strategies (concrete experiences, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation) can be incorporated into the training modules. (LP)

By late 2008, the United States was in the midst of its most severe economic recession since the 1930s, brought on by a collapse in real estate prices and exacerbated by the failure of many large banks and financial institutions. Heeding calls from economists, Congress and the Obama administration passed an historic law in early 2009 to stimulate the economy with $862 billion in new spending and tax cuts. This law, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), included nearly $100 billion in one-time funding for new and existing education programs, an historic sum given that annual appropriations for federal education programs at the time were approximately $60 billion. The largest single education program included in the law was the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund, a new $48.6 billion program that provided direct grant aid to state governments in fiscal years 2009, 2010, and 2011. The program was designed to help states maintain support for both public K-12 and higher education funding that they might have otherwise cut in response to budget shortfalls brought on by the economic downturn. This paper examines how eight states and their public institutions of higher education used the funds to support higher education and what will happen to these institutions' budgets in fiscal year 2012 when the funds are no longer available. It uses information collected through phone interviews with officials in state higher education offices and at public institutions of higher education to determine how states distributed the funds and how institutions actually used them. Using this information, some general conclusions can be made about how the ARRA funds actually affected higher education in America and what is likely to happen once the funds are no longer available. While every state used the funds differently, the author and her colleagues find that the states they studied used the vast majority of their funds to support salaries and benefits for instructional staff. And while these funds played an important part in keeping these institutions of higher education financially solvent in 2009, 2010, and 2011, many institutions will face budgetary challenges in 2012 and beyond. This paper is the third in a three-part series examining these trends. (Contains 17 notes.) [For related reports, see "The State Fiscal Stabilization Fund and Higher Education Spending in the States: Part 1 of 4. Issue Brief" (ED540794); and "The State Fiscal Stabilization Fund and Higher Education Spending: Part 2 of 4" (ED540795).]

Each year, the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) publishes the "State Teacher Policy Yearbook," a comprehensive examination of the state laws, rules and regulations that govern the teaching profession, measured against a realistic set of reform goals. For five years running, the full "Yearbook" compendium (www.nctq.org/stpy) presents the most detailed, thorough analysis of teacher policy in the United States, covering topics related to teacher preparation, licensure, evaluation, career advancement, tenure, compensation, pensions and dismissal policies. The next full nationwide analysis of state teacher policy will be released in January 2012, presenting the legislative, regulatory and policy developments achieved in 2011. In advance of the next "Yearbook," this paper offers a closer look into what is shaping up to be a very important education policy trend. With unprecedented momentum toward performance-based teacher evaluation across the states, the goals of this paper are to: (1) Present a detailed picture of the teacher evaluation policy landscape across the states; (2) Highlight noteworthy state policies; and (3) Provide early observations on current challenges. Appended are: (1) Links to state legislation/regulations and resources on teacher evaluation systems; and (2) Results of the states examination. (Contains 13 figures and 33 footnotes.)

The National Center on Time & Learning (NCTL), an organization dedicated to redesigning and expanding school time to improve opportunities and outcomes for high poverty students, and the Education Commission of the States (ECS), with a mission to foster both the exchange of ideas on education issues among the states and long range strategic thinking, have joined forces to produce this review. Their goal is to help education leaders to better understand the complexities of time related policy and its far reaching educational implications. In exploring how policymakers and educators have dealt with the matter of school time at the federal, state, and local levels, NCTL and ECS hope to accelerate the national conversation on how they can best leverage the power of time to realize the vision of a high quality education for all. This paper offers a number of recommendations highlighting fresh ways that policy and research can best support efforts to expand learning time in schools. State policies on instructional time are appended. (Contains 82 notes and 51 footnotes.) [This paper was supported by The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation.]

Most educators, parents, and policymakers think of "online learning" as a subset of distance learning (where the students and teacher are geographically separate), in which content delivery and communication are achieved primarily through the use of computers connected by the Internet. However, online learning can be either distance learning or blended learning, with both supported by a new, robust instructional approach that takes advantage of the best elements of both settings. The advent of learning that combines online and face-to-face delivery is not merely a theory--it is already being developed and implemented by schools throughout the country and the world, and in some cases has been underway for several years. While some schools call this method of teaching "blended," others call it "hybrid," and others don't bother naming it--they're just implementing an approach that they believe is helping their students. This paper discusses definitions of blended learning and explores ways in which blended learning is being developed by numerous schools in an effort to answer these and other questions: (1) How does blended learning fit into current conceptions of online learning?; (2) How does blended learning help engage students and support their academic success?; (3) How are online learning and face-to-face instruction being combined effectively?; (4) Is blended learning meeting unique student needs that neither fully online nor face-to-face models can achieve?; and (5) What digital content and curricula are being used in blended learning? The examples discussed in this paper are not exhaustive. However, they illustrate some of the outstanding uses of blended learning in these early stages of its development and suggest opportunities for expanding its use and effectiveness. (Contains 9 footnotes.)

Research suggests that low-income high school students may opt out of preparing for college, because they believe a postsecondary education is more than they or their parents can afford. At the same time, federal agencies and some state agencies have indicated that every year available student aid goes unused. In response to these misconceptions and the shifts in types of aid available, a variety of programs such as the privately funded "I Have A Dream" project and Indiana's "Twenty-First Century Scholars" program represent efforts to provide what has come to be known as "early commitment aid." The goal of this paper is to understand the divide between available aid, the impact of "early commitment aid" programs, and how students fare in accessing the funds available from various aid programs. Using California, Nevada, and Kansas--three states with varying types of student aid programs--as case examples, two main findings recur: (1) Large disconnects exist for students who need financial aid for college-going and their understanding of what they need to do to access aid; and (2) More money could be brought to each state's financial aid table when more students are successful in maintaining eligibility and completing the financial aid application process. Implications for practice are based on a cultural approach for promoting access to student aid. Suggestions include: (1) The need to understand lives of students and families as they seek student aid; (2) Attention to the inter-relationship of school, home, and other influences; and (3) The creation of a systematic and longitudinal framework for information about financial aid. [This paper was prepared by The Center for Higher Education Policy Analysis, University of Southern California.]

This brief is based on the 61-page report of the same name. This paper, commissioned by the Brookings Institution, studies the emergence of the mixed delivery model, in which pre-kindergarten is delivered in community-based settings and schools. It describes findings of a state survey CLASP conducted to understand the policy choices, opportunities, and challenges of including community-based child care providers in pre-kindergarten programs. At the conclusion of the study period for this paper (November 2004), at least 29 states that are currently operating at least one pre-kindergarten program using a mixed delivery approach were found. Those states are: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Other states, for example Florida, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, are considering or expanding pre-kindergarten policies but were not yet established enough to be included in our study. This policy brief describes principal approaches to state implementation of the mixed delivery model but does not provide examples of state policies. (Contains 1 figure.)

Research demonstrates that student-centered teaching strategies (tutoring, small-group learning, mastery-based learning, and individualized instruction) can help students excel. Many schools have turned to blended learning--integrating online learning into brick-and-mortar schools--to help implement these strategies sustainably and effectively. This paper examines how eight pioneering district, charter, and private schools and school networks with notable student success adopted blended learning and new staffing arrangements to better enable personalized instruction. Blended learning gave teachers more real-time student learning data so that schools could frequently regroup students, quickly respond to struggling students, and help teachers improve by pinpointing instructional planning and professional development issues. At the same time, innovative staffing arrangements helped the schools personalize learning by providing more students with great teaching. Key elements of these innovative staffing models included: (1) New roles for educators, often as part of a career path allowing development and support; (2) Intensive collaboration on small teaching teams; (3) Cultures of intensive coaching; and (4) Paid fellowships and residencies that enabled schools to train their own teachers.

Coaching is an individualized approach to professional development where educators work towards specific teaching goals with support and feedback from a designated colleague or expert. Coaching appears to be increasingly common in early childhood education (ECE) classrooms, and a number of local, state, and federal policy initiatives over the past five years have promoted coaching as a strategy to improve early childhood program quality. It is still evolving, and ECE practitioners and policymakers should understand different trends, goals, and frameworks for coaching so they can make informed choices. This paper considers ECE coaching programs and research at the state, local, and federal level, for educators of children ages birth to five, with a particular focus on Head Start programs. It summarizes what is known about coaching in ECE and shares some of the challenges, lessons, and opportunities emerging from research and program experiences. Then it recommends how early learning program leaders, policymakers, funders, and researchers can encourage and implement coaching more effectively.

This paper takes a close look at a large county public school in northern Nevada and its implementation of a newly adopted standards-based elementary science program. The study investigates the opinions of elementary classroom teachers about the new hands-on activity-based science program for kindergarten through grade six. The results indicate that teachers feel that there is not enough time to complete all the required units in the allocated time, the unit materials do not cover class sizes, sharing the kits is awkward, and more time is needed for teachers to experience the lessons and share ideas about how to overcome problems. A discussion of the school district's decision to adopt a kit-based science curriculum as opposed to taking steps toward real science education reform is provided as well as details about the support provided by the district to teachers during the implementation process. The findings imply that school districts can increase the effectiveness of their reform efforts by investing more money in implementation of science curricula and less on the adoption phase. Contains 11 references. (DDR)

This paper presents the latest in a series of studies examining school district report cards. The purpose was to study the relationships among factors reported on school district report cards from Nevada high schools. The 44 categories reported on Nevada's 1993-94 report card represent the study's independent variables, grouped into the areas of demographics, teachers, students, and expenditures. The 23 high school outcome variables for ninth and twelfth grades represent the study's dependent variables. Analyses indicated that most of the state's report card categories have no relationship to student outcomes. Report cards and the reported analyses of entries should be simple, straight-forward, and easy to understand. The portrait of the impact of the educational process on graduating seniors in Nevada is incomplete, and missing or redundant data can produce misleading findings. The study suggests that the value of advanced degrees and teacher licenses may be less than it has been purported to be and that teacher experience is misunderstood and overrated. Parental involvement at the high school level, as reported in Nevada, is minimally linked to academic achievement. It is possible to glean important information from school district report cards, but the current cards probably report too much data to be meaningful. Eleven appendixes present statistical associations among variables. (Contains 2 figures, 6 tables, and 15 references.) (SLD)