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This study examined the links between classroom skill compositions and preschoolers' early learning and development in the nationally representative Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey 2014 (FACES, n = 1,711 children/207 classrooms) and public pre-K programs in a county in Virginia (n = 1,467 children/123 classrooms). Results from a series of covariate-adjusted multilevel regression models revealed that there were small within-domain associations between classmates' skill mean and individual children's academic and executive function skill development in FACES, but not in the Virginia data. There were no consistent associations across skill domains nor as a function of classmates skills' heterogeneity. In addition, we found little evidence that these associations between classroom skill compositions and individual children's development varied by children's initial skill levels, family income, maternal education, and home language. When taken together, these findings inform the discourse on peer influences on children's learning in early childhood.

This study examined whether pre-K benefits persist through the end of first grade and the extent to which persistence differs based on outcome domains, subsequent classroom environments, and key subgroups of children. Data from 2,351 children living in a large and diverse county in Virginia revealed that the initial benefits of pre-K for academic and executive function persisted through the end of first grade but were 75% to 80% smaller than at kindergarten entry. Kindergarten and first-grade classroom environments did not sustain pre-K benefits. Although the initial benefits of pre-K were larger for dual language learners and children in poverty relative to English speakers and low-income children, there were no differential benefits by the end of first grade.

Black students are issued school discipline sanctions at rates higher than members of other racial and ethnic groups, underscoring the need for professional development that addresses this gap. In 86 secondary school classrooms, a randomized controlled trial examined the effects of a 2-year teacher-coaching program, My Teaching Partner Secondary (MTP-S). Results from the second year of coaching and from the year after coaching was discontinued replicated previous findings from the first year of coaching--intervention teachers had no significant disparities in discipline referrals between Black students and their classmates, as compared with teachers in the control condition, for whom racial discipline gaps remained. Thus, MTP-S effects were replicated in the second year of coaching and maintained when coaching was withdrawn. Mediational analyses identified mechanisms for these effects; Black students had a low probability of receiving disciplinary referrals with teachers who increased skills to engage students in high-level analysis and inquiry.

By tracking longitudinally a sample of American children (n = 1,097), this study examined the extent to which enrollment in private schools between kindergarten and ninth grade was related to students' academic, social, psychological, and attainment outcomes at age 15. Results from this investigation revealed that in unadjusted models, children with a history of enrollment in private schools performed better on nearly all outcomes assessed in adolescence. However, by simply controlling for the sociodemographic characteristics that selected children and families into these schools, all of the advantages of private school education were eliminated. There was also no evidence to suggest that low-income children or children enrolled in urban schools benefited more from private school enrollment.

Data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (N = 1,307) were used to estimate the additive and multiplicative benefits of high-quality child care between birth to 54 months of age and high-quality elementary school education between first and fifth grade. Results indicated that the math and language and literacy benefits of high-quality child care accrued from the end of preschool through age 15 only when coupled with higher quality classroom environments during the elementary school years. In contrast, the benefits of high-quality child care were no longer present when children later attended lower quality classrooms in elementary school. Taken together, these results point to the importance of continued investments in children's education throughout the first decade of life. [For the corresponding grantee submission, see ED586759.]

This study examined how overall quality and within-day consistency in fifth graders' teacher-student interactions related to feelings about, engagement, and academic performance in school. Participants were 956 children in a national study. Students who experienced higher quality interactions reported more positive feelings about school, were more engaged, performed better in math and reading, and had more closeness and less conflict with teachers. Independent of overall interaction quality, students who experienced less consistency in their interactions with teachers, whether it was with the same teacher or across teachers, were less engaged and had more teacher-reported conflict. Findings emphasize the separate contributions of both high quality and consistency of teacher-student interactions to students' success.

My Teaching Partner-Secondary (MTP-S) is a web-mediated coaching intervention, which an initial randomized trial, primarily in middle schools, found to improve teacher-student interactions and student achievement. Given the dearth of validated teacher development interventions showing consistent effects, we sought to both replicate and extend these findings with a modified version of the program in a predominantly high school population, and in a more urban, sociodemographically diverse school district. MTP-S produced substantial gains in student achievement across 86 secondary school classrooms involving 1,194 students. Gains were robust across subject areas and equivalent to moving the average student from the 50th to the 59th percentile in achievement scores. Results suggest that MTP-S can enhance student outcomes across diverse settings and implementation modalities.

This nonexperimental, longitudinal field study examines the extent to which variation in observed classroom supports (quality of emotional and instructional interactions and amount of exposure to literacy and math activities) predicts trajectories of achievement in reading and math from 54 months to fifth grade. Growth mixture modeling detected two latent classes of readers: fast readers whose skills developed rapidly and leveled off, and a typical group for which reading growth was somewhat less rapid. Only one latent class was identified for math achievement. For reading, there were small positive associations between observed emotional quality of teacher-child interactions and growth. Growth in math achievement showed small positive relations with observed emotional interactions and exposure to math activities. There was a significant interaction between quality and quantity of instruction for reading such that at higher levels of emotional quality there was less of a negative association between amount of literacy exposure and reading growth. (Contains 5 tables, 4 figures, and 1 note.)

Research suggests the importance of professional development for teachers of at-risk children, and while educational technologies can be harnessed to help support teaching practice in innovative ways, such programs are often limited in scale. "My Teaching Partner (MTP)" was designed to deliver a targeted program of professional development for teaching quality, integrated with early childhood curricula, to large numbers of teachers. It has been used by 235 teachers of at-risk preschool children across the commonwealth of Virginia. MTP links curricula with layers of web-based support, including an on-line consultant--a teaching expert who regularly observes, de-briefs, and extends teachers' educational practice. The research-based curricula support the needs of at-risk Pre-K students in language, literacy, and social relationships; numerous video clips demonstrate effective teaching practice. In this paper, we describe the user-centered design process used and the support services and curricula delivered. The dynamic nature of the website is emphasized, including development practices which enable non-developers to easily contribute and maintain website contents. We discuss the strengths and weaknesses of this approach, and describe the field trial now underway, which includes examination of child outcomes, teaching quality, and teacher reflectivity. Evaluation data from the project are also summarized. (Contains 7 figures and 1 table.)

Analyzed parents' observations and perceptions of the transition process of their children into kindergarten. Found that even though most parents (two-thirds) reported satisfactory transitions, 47% of responses contained negative features, reflecting difficulties during transition. Parents found ongoing communication, agreed-upon performance standards, familiarity with school, and previous experience in preschool or childcare helpful in easing the transition process. (AMC)

Early childhood education programs’ quality ratings are the key output of Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS), yet there is little empirical evidence as to whether these ratings relate to child outcomes. The present study examines associations between state-funded targeted pre-kindergarten programs’ ratings in Virginia's QRIS and children's growth in pre-literacy skills through kindergarten ( n = 2448 children in 71 pre-k programs). Children in higher-rated pre-kindergarten programs had sharper literacy growth in the preschool year compared to children in lower-rated pre-kindergarten programs. There was no difference in children's growth from the spring of preschool to the fall of kindergarten or during the kindergarten year as a function of pre-kindergarten programs’ ratings. Implications of these findings are discussed toward understanding the potential of QRIS to assess quality in pre-kindergarten programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Student engagement is an important contributor to school success, yet high school students routinely describe themselves as disengaged. Identifying factors that alter (increase) engagement is a key aspect of improving support for student achievement. This study investigated students' perceptions of autonomy, teacher connection, and academic competence as predictors of changes in student engagement within the classroom from the start to the end of a course. Participants were 578 (58% female) diverse (67.8% White, 25.2% African American, 5.1% Hispanic, 1.2% Asian American) high school students from 34 classrooms who provided questionnaire data both at the start and the end of a single course. Novel results from a cross-lagged model demonstrated that students who perceived their classrooms as allowing and encouraging their own autonomy in the first few weeks increased their engagement throughout the course, rather than the typical decline in engagement that was demonstrated by students in other classrooms. This finding is unique in that it extended to both students' perceptions of engagement and observations of student engagement, suggesting a fairly robust pattern. The pertinence of this finding to adolescent developmental needs and its relationship to educational practice is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses an innovative model of professional development that improves student achievement. Professional development is an ideal way to ensure that early childhood teachers have the skills and knowledge they need to improve student achievement. MyTeachingPartner (MTP) is an innovative, individualized approach to professional development for early childhood educators. MTP was developed by a multidisciplinary team of educators at the Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning at the University of Virginia. It provides teachers with Web-base support focused on helping them implement activities that improve children's language and literacy skills and promote social relationships.